{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "
Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is participating in the general political and economic integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973. However, the country has opted out of certain elements of the EU's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union, European defense cooperation, and justice and home affairs issues.
" } }, "Geography": { "Location": { "text": "Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes several major islands (Sjaelland, Fyn, and Bornholm)" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "56 00 N, 10 00 E" }, "Map references": { "text": "Europe" }, "Area": { "total": { "text": "43,094 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "42,434 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "660 sq km" }, "note": "note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland" }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts; about two-thirds the size of West Virginia" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "140 km" }, "border countries": { "text": "Germany 140 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "7,314 km" }, "Maritime claims": { "territorial sea": { "text": "12 nm" }, "contiguous zone": { "text": "24 nm" }, "exclusive economic zone": { "text": "200 nm" }, "continental shelf": { "text": "200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation" } }, "Climate": { "text": "temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers" }, "Terrain": { "text": "low and flat to gently rolling plains" }, "Elevation": { "highest point": { "text": "Store Mollehoj 171 m" }, "lowest point": { "text": "Lammefjord -7 m" }, "mean elevation": { "text": "34 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "petroleum, natural gas, fish, arable land, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "63.4% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 58.9% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 4.4% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "12.9% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "23.7% (2018 est.)" }, "note": "note: highest percentage of arable land for any country in the world" }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "4,350 sq km (2012)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "with excellent access to the North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat, and the Baltic Sea, population centers tend to be along coastal areas, particularly in Copenhagen and the eastern side of the country's mainland" }, "Natural hazards": { "text": "flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes" }, "Geography - note": { "text": "composed of the Jutland Peninsula and a group of more than 400 islands (Danish Archipelago); controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater Copenhagen" }, "Map description": { "text": "Denmark map showing major cities and the country in relation to neighboring countries and water bodies.
" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "text": "5,920,767 (2022 est.)" }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Dane(s)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Danish" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "Danish (includes Greenlandic (who are predominantly Inuit) and Faroese) 85.6%, Turkish 1.1%, other 13.3% (largest groups are Polish, Syrian, Romanian, German, and Iraqi) (2022 est.)", "note": "note: data represent population by ancestry" }, "Languages": { "Languages": { "text": "Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority); note - English is the predominant second language" }, "major-language sample(s)": { "text": "This thoroughly modern market economy features advanced industry with world-leading firms in pharmaceuticals, maritime shipping, and renewable energy, and a high-tech agricultural sector. Danes enjoy a high standard of living, and the Danish economy is characterized by extensive government welfare measures and an equitable distribution of income. An aging population will be a long-term issue.
Denmark’s small open economy is highly dependent on foreign trade, and the government strongly supports trade liberalization. Denmark is a net exporter of food, oil, and gas and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus, but depends on imports of raw materials for the manufacturing sector.
Denmark is a member of the EU but not the eurozone. Despite previously meeting the criteria to join the European Economic and Monetary Union, Denmark has negotiated an opt-out with the EU and is not required to adopt the euro.
Denmark is experiencing a modest economic expansion. The economy grew by 2.0% in 2016 and 2.1% in 2017. The expansion is expected to decline slightly in 2018. Unemployment stood at 5.5% in 2017, based on the national labor survey. The labor market was tight in 2017, with corporations experiencing some difficulty finding appropriately-skilled workers to fill billets. The Danish Government offers extensive programs to train unemployed persons to work in sectors that need qualified workers.
Denmark maintained a healthy budget surplus for many years up to 2008, but the global financial crisis swung the budget balance into deficit. Since 2014 the balance has shifted between surplus and deficit. In 2017 there was a surplus of 1.0%. The government projects a lower deficit in 2018 and 2019 of 0.7%, and public debt (EMU debt) as a share of GDP is expected to decline to 35.6% in 2018 and 34.8% in 2019. The Danish Government plans to address increasing municipal, public housing and integration spending in 2018.
" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020": { "text": "$326.2 billion (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019": { "text": "$335.36 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018": { "text": "$326.07 billion (2018 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2019": { "text": "2.85% (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2018": { "text": "2.18% (2018 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2017": { "text": "2.83% (2017 est.)" } }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2020": { "text": "$55,900 (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2019": { "text": "$57,700 (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2018": { "text": "$56,300 (2018 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$350.037 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019": { "text": "0.7% (2019 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018": { "text": "0.8% (2018 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017": { "text": "1.1% (2017 est.)" } }, "Credit ratings": { "Fitch rating": { "text": "AAA (2003)" }, "Moody's rating": { "text": "Aaa (1999)" }, "Standard & Poors rating": { "text": "AAA (2001)" } }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "1.3% (2017 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "22.9% (2017 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "75.8% (2017 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "48% (2017 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "25.2% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "20% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "-0.2% (2017 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "54.5% (2017 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-47.5% (2017 est.)" } }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "milk, wheat, barley, potatoes, sugar beet, pork, rye, rapeseed, oats, poultry" }, "Industries": { "text": "wind turbines, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, shipbuilding and refurbishment, iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing, machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing, electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "2.5% (2017 est.)" }, "Labor force": { "text": "2.736 million (2020 est.)" }, "Labor force - by occupation": { "agriculture": { "text": "2.4%" }, "industry": { "text": "18.3%" }, "services": { "text": "79.3% (2016 est.)" } }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2019": { "text": "3.05% (2019 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2018": { "text": "3.07% (2018 est.)" } }, "Unemployment, youth ages 15-24": { "total": { "text": "11.6%" }, "male": { "text": "12.6%" }, "female": { "text": "10.6% (2020 est.)" } }, "Population below poverty line": { "text": "12.5% (2018 est.)" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017": { "text": "28.7 (2017 est.)" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2010": { "text": "27.5 (2010 est.)" } }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "9%" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "23.4% (2016 est.)" } }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "172.5 billion (2017 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "168.9 billion (2017 est.)" } }, "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": { "text": "1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2017": { "text": "35.3% of GDP (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt 2016": { "text": "37.9% of GDP (2016 est.)" }, "note": "note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions" }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "53% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Fiscal year": { "text": "calendar year" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2019": { "text": "$30.935 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2018": { "text": "$24.821 billion (2018 est.)" } }, "Exports": { "Exports 2020": { "text": "$191.53 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Exports 2019": { "text": "$204.14 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Exports 2018": { "text": "$200.81 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" } }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "Germany 14%, United States 11%, Sweden 10%, United Kingdom 7%, Norway 6%, Netherlands 5%, China 5% (2019)" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "packaged medicines, electric generators, pork, refined petroleum, medical cultures/vaccines (2019)" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2020": { "text": "$170.33 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Imports 2019": { "text": "$178.44 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Imports 2018": { "text": "$179.95 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" } }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "Germany 21%, Sweden 11%, Netherlands 8%, China 7% (2019)" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "cars, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment (2019)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017": { "text": "$75.25 billion (31 December 2017 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016": { "text": "$64.25 billion (31 December 2016 est.)" } }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 2019": { "text": "$504.808 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Debt - external 2018": { "text": "$517.972 billion (2018 est.)" } }, "Exchange rates": { "Currency": { "text": "Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2020": { "text": "6.16045 (2020 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2019": { "text": "6.7506 (2019 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2018": { "text": "6.5533 (2018 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2014": { "text": "6.7236 (2014 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2013": { "text": "5.6125 (2013 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "100% (2020)" } }, "Electricity": { "installed generating capacity": { "text": "17.655 million kW (2020 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "33.081 billion kWh (2020 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "12.694 billion kWh (2020 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "18.891 billion kWh (2020 est.)" }, "transmission/distribution losses": { "text": "1.573 billion kWh (2020 est.)" } }, "Electricity generation sources": { "fossil fuels": { "text": "14.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "nuclear": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "solar": { "text": "4.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "wind": { "text": "57.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "hydroelectricity": { "text": "0.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "tide and wave": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "geothermal": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "biomass and waste": { "text": "23.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" } }, "Coal": { "production": { "text": "0 metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "1.249 million metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "194,000 metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "1.122 million metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "proven reserves": { "text": "0 metric tons (2019 est.)" } }, "Petroleum": { "total petroleum production": { "text": "69,000 bbl/day (2021 est.)" }, "refined petroleum consumption": { "text": "165,400 bbl/day (2019 est.)" }, "crude oil and lease condensate exports": { "text": "56,700 barrels/day (2018 est.)" }, "crude oil and lease condensate imports": { "text": "95,200 barrels/day (2018 est.)" }, "crude oil estimated reserves": { "text": "441 million barrels (2021 est.)" } }, "Refined petroleum products - production": { "text": "183,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - exports": { "text": "133,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - imports": { "text": "109,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas": { "production": { "text": "1,314,636,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "2,188,096,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "1,700,594,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "2,645,893,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "proven reserves": { "text": "29.534 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)" } }, "Carbon dioxide emissions": { "total emissions": { "text": "33.85 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from coal and metallurgical coke": { "text": "3.455 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from petroleum and other liquids": { "text": "24.621 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from consumed natural gas": { "text": "5.775 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" } }, "Energy consumption per capita": { "Total energy consumption per capita 2019": { "text": "124.163 million Btu/person (2019 est.)" } } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "734,436 (2020 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "13 (2020 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "7,252,675 (2020 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "125 (2020 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "Denmark has one of the highest broadband subscription rates globally, with a near universal availability of super fast connections; extensive cable and DSL infrastructure has been supported by a progressive regulatory regime which has encouraged operator access to both copper and fiber networks; fiber networks have a fast-growing footprint, while a number of community and metropolitan schemes have supplemented TDC’s own commitments to build out fiber nationally; a number of wholesale fiber schemes have also added to the wider availability of fiber broadband; the reach of LTE infrastructure is comprehensive, while the MNOs by mid-2021 have also provided about 90% population coverage with 5G; services based on 5G were initially launched using trial 3.5GHz licenses; the multi-spectrum auction held in April 2021 has enabled them to improve the resilience and capacity of 5G; all MNOs are engaged in closing down their 3G networks and re purposing spectrum for LTE and 5G use (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line roughly 16 per 100 and about 123 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2020)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 45; landing points for the NSC, COBRAcable, CANTAT-3, DANICE, Havfrue/AEC-2, TAT-14m Denmark-Norway-5 & 6, Skagenfiber West & East, GC1, GC2, GC3, GC-KPN, Kattegat 1 & 2 & 3, Energinet Lyngsa-Laeso, Energinet Laeso-Varberg, Fehmarn Balt, Baltica, German-Denmark 2 & 3, Ronne-Rodvig, Denmark-Sweden 15 & 16 & 17 & 18, IP-Only Denmark-Sweden, Scandinavian South, Scandinavian Ring North, Danica North, 34 series of fiber-optic submarine cables link Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, US and UK; satellite earth stations - 18 (6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat (Blaavand-Atlantic-East)); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (2019)" }, "note": "note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services" }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "strong public-sector TV presence with state-owned Danmarks Radio (DR) operating 6 channels and publicly owned TV2 operating roughly a half-dozen channels; broadcasts of privately owned stations are available via satellite and cable feed; DR operates 4 nationwide FM radio stations, 10 digital audio broadcasting stations, and 14 web-based radio stations; 140 commercial and 187 community (non-commercial) radio stations (2019)" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".dk" }, "Internet users": { "total": { "text": "5,656,462 (2020 est.)" }, "percent of population": { "text": "97% (2020 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "2,590,282 (2020 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "45 (2020 est.)" } } }, "Transportation": { "National air transport system": { "number of registered air carriers": { "text": "10 (2020)" }, "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": { "text": "76" }, "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "582,011 (2015)" }, "annual freight traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "0 (2015) mt-km" } }, "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "OY" }, "Airports": { "total": { "text": "80 (2021)" } }, "Airports - with paved runways": { "total": { "text": "28" }, "over 3,047 m": { "text": "2" }, "2,438 to 3,047 m": { "text": "7" }, "1,524 to 2,437 m": { "text": "5" }, "914 to 1,523 m": { "text": "12" }, "under 914 m": { "text": "2 (2021)" } }, "Airports - with unpaved runways": { "total": { "text": "52" }, "914 to 1,523 m": { "text": "5" }, "under 914 m": { "text": "47 (2021)" } }, "Pipelines": { "text": "1,536 km gas, 330 km oil (2015)" }, "Railways": { "total": { "text": "3,476 km (2017)" }, "standard gauge": { "text": "3,476 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (1,756 km electrified)" } }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "74,558 km (2017)" }, "paved": { "text": "74,558 km (2017) (includes 1,205 km of expressways)" } }, "Waterways": { "text": "400 km (2010)" }, "Merchant marine": { "total": { "text": "717" }, "by type": { "text": "bulk carrier 8, container ship 148, general cargo 68, oil tanker 105, other 388 (2021)" } }, "Ports and terminals": { "major seaport(s)": { "text": "Baltic Sea - Aarhus, Copenhagen, Fredericia, Kalundborg" }, "cruise port(s)": { "text": "Copenhagen" }, "river port(s)": { "text": "Aalborg (Langerak)" }, "dry bulk cargo port(s)": { "text": "Ensted (coal)" }, "note": "North Sea - Esbjerg," } }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "Danish Armed Forces (Forsvaret): Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air Force, Danish Home Guard (Reserves) (2022)", "note": "note: the Danish military maintains a Joint Arctic Command with the mission of protecting the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark in the Arctic Region, including the Faroe Islands and Greenland; the command also conducts maritime pollution prevention, environmental monitoring, fishery inspections, search and rescue, hydrographical surveys, and provides support to governmental science missions" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2021": { "text": "1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2020": { "text": "1.4% of GDP (2020)" }, "Military Expenditures 2019": { "text": "1.3% of GDP (2019) (approximately $5.02 billion)" }, "Military Expenditures 2018": { "text": "1.3% of GDP (2018) (approximately $4.8 billion)" }, "Military Expenditures 2017": { "text": "1.1% of GDP (2017) (approximately $4.11 billion)" } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "approximately 17,000 active duty personnel (10,000 Army; 3,500 Navy; 3,500 Air Force) (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Danish military inventory is comprised of a mix of modern European, US, and domestically-produced equipment; the US has been the largest supplier of military equipment to Denmark since 2010; the Danish defense industry is active in the production of naval vessels, defense electronics, and subcomponents of larger weapons systems, such as the US F-35 fighter aircraft (2022)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies from 4 to 12 months depending on specialization; former conscripts are assigned to mobilization units; women eligible to volunteer for military service; in addition to full time employment, the Danish Military offers reserve contracts in all three branches (2021)", "note": "note: women have been able serve in all military occupations, including combat arms, since 1988; as of 2019, they made up about 8% of the military's full-time personnel; conscientious objectors can choose to instead serve 6 months in a non-military position, for example in Beredskabsstyrelsen (dealing with non-military disasters like fires, flood, pollution, etc.) or overseas foreign aid work" }, "Military deployments": { "text": "approximately 220 Estonia (NATO); approximately 100 Middle East/Iraq (NATO) (2022)", "note": "note: in response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, some NATO countries, including Denmark, have sent additional troops and equipment to the battlegroups deployed in NATO territory in eastern Europe" }, "Military - note": { "text": "Denmark is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; sovereignty dispute with Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland; Denmark (Greenland) and Norway have made submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and Russia is collecting additional data to augment its 2001 CLCS submission
" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { "text": "19,833 (Syria), 5,634 (Eritrea) (mid-year 2021); 34,577 (Ukraine) (as of 13 September 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "11,608 (mid-year 2021)" } } } }