{ "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 issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.
" } }, "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" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "text": "5,894,687 (July 2021 est.)" }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Dane(s)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Danish" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "Danish (includes Greenlandic (who are predominantly Inuit) and Faroese) 86.3%, Turkish 1.1%, other 12.6% (largest groups are Polish, Syrian, German, Iraqi, and Romanian) (2018 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 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019": { "text": "$335.36 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018": { "text": "$326.07 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2010 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 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2019": { "text": "$57,700 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2018": { "text": "$56,300 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2010 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 note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)" }, "Exports 2019": { "text": "$204.14 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)" }, "Exports 2018": { "text": "$200.81 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)" } }, "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 note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)" }, "Imports 2019": { "text": "$178.44 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)" }, "Imports 2018": { "text": "$179.95 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)" } }, "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 - production": { "text": "29.84 billion kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - consumption": { "text": "33.02 billion kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - exports": { "text": "9.919 billion kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - imports": { "text": "14.98 billion kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - installed generating capacity": { "text": "14.34 million kW (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - from fossil fuels": { "text": "46% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - from nuclear fuels": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Electricity - from hydroelectric plants": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Electricity - from other renewable sources": { "text": "54% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Crude oil - production": { "text": "115,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)" }, "Crude oil - exports": { "text": "82,980 bbl/day (2017 est.)" }, "Crude oil - imports": { "text": "98,240 bbl/day (2017 est.)" }, "Crude oil - proved reserves": { "text": "439 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - production": { "text": "183,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - consumption": { "text": "158,500 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": "4.842 billion cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - consumption": { "text": "3.115 billion cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - exports": { "text": "2.237 billion cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - imports": { "text": "509.7 million cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - proved reserves": { "text": "12.86 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)" } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "937,469 (2020)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "16.19 (2020 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "7,144,123 (2020)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "123.3 (2020 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "Denmark has one of the highest broadband penetration rates globally, with near universal availability of superfast connections; progressive regulator encouraged upgrades to cable and DSL infrastructure; fast growing fiber networks with aim for nation-wide build-out; comprehensive LTE with 90% coverage of 5G; operator expands NB-IoT across its LTE network; survey underway for cable connecting Denmark to Norway; upgrades to submarine cable connection to North America; importer of broadcasting equipment from EU neighbors (2020)" }, "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 downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments" }, "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": "5.69 million (2021 est.)" }, "percent of population": { "text": "96.55% (2020 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "2,571,736 (2020)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "44.4 (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 mt-km (2015)" } }, "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "OY" }, "Airports": { "total": { "text": "80 (2013)" } }, "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 (2017)" } }, "Airports - with unpaved runways": { "total": { "text": "52" }, "914 to 1,523 m": { "text": "5" }, "under 914 m": { "text": "47 (2013)" } }, "Pipelines": { "text": "1536 km gas, 330 km oil (2015)" }, "Railways": { "total": { "text": "3,476 km (2017)" }, "standard gauge": { "text": "3,476 km 1.435-m gauge (1,756 km electrified) (2017)" } }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "74,558 km (2017)" }, "paved": { "text": "74,558 km (includes 1,205 km of expressways) (2017)" } }, "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) (2021)", "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; it 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": "1.41% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2020": { "text": "1.4% of GDP (2020)" }, "Military Expenditures 2019": { "text": "1.3% of GDP (2019)" }, "Military Expenditures 2018": { "text": "1.28% of GDP (2018)" }, "Military Expenditures 2017": { "text": "1.14% of GDP (2017)" } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "the Danish military has approximately 16,000 active duty personnel (8,000 Army; 3,000 Navy; 3,000 Air Force; 2,000 other) (2021)" }, "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 is 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 (2021)" }, "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(s) - 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": "140 Middle East/Iraq (NATO) (2021)" }, "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 1949the Danish Armed Forces cooperate closely with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; areas of cooperation include armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; NORDEFCO was established in 2009
Iceland, 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)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "11,608 (mid-year 2021)" } } } }