Denmark

Denmark Background

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 European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.

Denmark Information

• Population: 5,413,392 (July 2004 est.)
• Nationality: noun: Dane(s) adjective: Danish
• Location:: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major islands (Sjaelland and Fyn)
• Religions:: Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, Muslim 2%
• Ethnic Groups:: Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali
• Land Boundaries:: total: 68 km border countries: Germany 68 km
• Area: total: 43,094 sq km water: 700 sq km 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 land: 42,39
• Coast Line: 7,314 km
• Climate: temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers
• Terrain: low and flat to gently rolling plains
• Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
• Land Use: arable land: 54.02% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 45.79% (2001)
• Environmental Issues: air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; drinking and surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and pesticides
• Natural Resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand
• Highways: total: 71,591 km paved: 71,591 km (including 880 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2000)
• Railways: total: 3,002 km standard gauge: 3,002 km 1.435-m gauge (595 km electrified) (2003)
• Ports & Harbours: Aabenraa, Aalborg, Aarhus, Copenhagen, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Frederikshavn, Hirtshals, Kolding, Odense, Roenne (Bornholm), Vejle
• Airports: 99 (2003 est.)