Denmark ELEVATED 51

Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is part of the general political and economic integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973. The country has opted out of certain elements of the EU's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union and justice and home affairs issues. a 2022 referendum resulted in the removal of Denmark's 30-year opt-out on defense issues, now allowing Denmark to participate fully in the EU's Common Security and Defense Policy.

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)

total : 43,094 sq km land: 42,434 sq km water: 660 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

petroleum, natural gas, fish, arable land, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand

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

total: 6,051,491 (2025 est.) male: 3,001,698 female: 3,049,793

Danish (includes Greenlandic (who are predominantly Inuit) and Faroese) 84.2%, Turkish 1.1%, other 14.7% (largest groups are Polish, Romanian, Syrian, Ukrainian, German, and Iraqi) (2023 est.) note: data represent population by country of origin

Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority); note - English is the predominant second language major-language sample(s): Verdens Faktabog, den uundv rlig kilde til grundl ggende oplysninger. (Danish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Evangelical Lutheran (official) 71.4%, Muslim 4.3%, other/none/unspecified (denominations include Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Serbian Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Baptist, Buddhist, Church of Jesus Christ, Pentecostal, and nondenominational Christian) 24.3% (2024 est.)

air pollution, principally from vehicle and power-plant emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; water pollution from animal wastes and pesticides

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

name: Copenhagen geographic coordinates: 55 40 N, 12 35 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October; note - applies to continental Denmark only, not to its North Atlantic components etymology: name derives from the Danish words k ber (merchant or buyer) and havn (harbor or port)

chief of state: King FREDERIK X (since 14 January 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Mette FREDERIKSEN (since 27 June 2019) cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the monarch usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister note: Queen MARGRETHE II abdicated on 14 January 2024, the first Danish monarch to voluntarily abdicate since King ERIC III in 1146

legislature name: Parliament (Folketinget) legislative structure: unicameral chamber name: The Danish Parliament (Folketinget) number of seats: 179 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/1/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Social Democratic Party (50); Liberal Party (Venstre) (23); Moderates (M) (16); Socialist People's Party (SF) (15); Danish Democrats (Æ) (14); Liberal Alliance (14); Conservative People's Party (10); Unity List-Red-Green Alliance (9); Other (24) percentage of women in chamber: 43.6% expected date of next election: October 2026

$440.558 billion (2024 est.) $424.937 billion (2023 est.) $414.592 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$73,700 (2024 est.) $71,500 (2023 est.) $70,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

1.4% (2024 est.) 3.3% (2023 est.) 7.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Germany 13%, USA 10%, Sweden 9%, Netherlands 7%, China 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Germany 18%, Sweden 11%, Norway 10%, Netherlands 9%, China 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Danish Armed Forces (Forsvaret): Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air Force (2025)

3.2% of GDP (2025 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)