Geography*
Area: 43,096 sq. km. (16,640 sq. mi.); slightly smaller than Vermont
and New Hampshire combined.
Cities: Capital--Copenhagen (pop. 0.5 million in Copenhagen
and 1.8 million in the Copenhagen Region). Other cities--Aarhus
(289,000), Odense (184,000), Aalborg (162,000).
Terrain: Low and flat or slightly rolling; highest elevation is 173
m. (568 ft.).
Climate: Temperate. The terrain, location, and prevailing westerly
winds make the weather changeable.
*Excluding Greenland and the Faroe Islands
People
Nationality: Noun--Dane(s). Adjective--Danish.
Population (July 1, 2005): 5,432,335.
Annual growth rate: 0.34%.
Ethnic groups: Scandinavian, German, Inuit, Faroese.
Religion membership: Evangelical Lutheran 84.3%. Catholics, Jews,
other Protestant denominations, and Muslims account for
approximately 5%.
Languages: Danish, some German, Faroese, Greenlandic. English is the
predominant second language.
Education: Years compulsory--9. Attendance--100%.
Literacy--100%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (2005)--4.5/1,000. Life
expectancy--men 75 years, women 80 years.
Work force (2005): 2.88 million. Employment: Industry,
construction, mining and utilities--23%; government--35%;
private services--38%; agriculture and fisheries--4%.
Government
Type: Constitutional monarchy.
Constitution: June 5, 1953.
Branches: Executive--queen (chief of state), prime minister
(head of government), cabinet. Legislative--unicameral
parliament (Folketing). Judicial--appointed Supreme Court.
Political parties (represented in parliament): Venstre (Liberal),
Social Democratic, Konservative, Socialist People's, Social Liberal,
Unity List, Danish People's.
Suffrage: Universal adult (18 years of age).
Administrative subdivisions: 13 counties and 271 municipalities.
Economy
GDP (2003): $212 billion.
Annual growth rate (real terms, 2004 est.): 2.1%.
Per capita income: $37,883.
Agriculture and fisheries (2.4% of GDP at gross value added):
Products--meat, milk, grains, seeds, hides, fur skin, fish and
shellfish.
Industry (21.0% of GDP at gross value added): Types--industrial
and construction equipment, food processing, electronics, chemicals,
pharmaceuticals, furniture, textiles, windmills, and ships.
Natural resources: North Sea--oil and gas, fish. Greenland--fish
and shrimp, potential for hydrocarbons and minerals, including zinc,
lead, molybdenum, uranium, gold, platinum. The Faroe Islands--fish,
potential for hydrocarbons.
Trade (2003): Exports--$66.2 billion: manufactured goods 81%
(of which machinery and instruments 35%); agricultural products 10%
(of which pork and pork products cover 48%), fuels 2%, fish and fish
products 3%, other 4%. Imports--$56.4 billion: raw materials
and semi-manufactures 43%, consumer goods 29%, capital equipment
14%, transport equipment 7%, fuels 5%, other 2%. Partners
(percent of total trade in goods)--Germany 21%, Sweden 13%, U.K. 8%,
U.S. 5%, Norway 5%, Japan 2%, east European countries 5%.
Official exchange rate: (2002 avg.) 7.88 kroner=U.S. $1; (2003 avg.)
6.59 kroner=U.S. $1.
.