PROFILE

OFFICIAL NAME:
Kingdom of Denmark

Geography*
Area: 43,094 sq. km. (16,639 sq. mi.); slightly smaller than Vermont and New Hampshire combined.
Cities: Capital--Copenhagen (pop. 0.5 million in Copenhagen and 1.1 million in the Copenhagen Region). Other cities--Arhus (293,510), Odense (185,206), Aalborg (163,231).
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 2006): 5,434,567.
Annual growth rate: 0.33%.
Ethnic groups: Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali.
Religion membership: Evangelical Lutheran 95%; other Protestant denominations and Roman Catholics 3%; Muslim 2%.
Languages: Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (Inuit dialect), some German. English is the predominant second language.
Education: Years compulsory--9. Attendance--100%. Literacy--100%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (2006)--4.51/1,000. Life expectancy--men 75 years, women 80 years.
Work force (2006): 2.8 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 (2005): $258.7 billion.
Annual growth rate (real terms, 2005 est.): 1.4%.
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 (2005 est.): Exports--$84.95 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--$74.69 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: (2004 avg.) 5.9911 kroner=U.S. $1; (2005 avg.) 5.9969 kroner=U.S. $1.

PEOPLE AND HISTORY
The Danes, a homogenous Gothic-Germanic people, have inhabited Denmark since prehistoric times. Danish is the principal language. English is a required school subject, and fluency is high. A small German-speaking minority lives in southern Jutland; a mostly Inuit population inhabits Greenland; and the Faroe Islands have a Nordic population with its own language. Education is compulsory from ages seven to 16 and is free through the university level.