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), European defense cooperation, and issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.
Country Name
Conventional long form:Kingdom of Denmark
Conventional short form:Denmark
Local long form: Kongeriget Danmark
Local short form:Danmark
Government Type
constitutional monarchy
Capital
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
Administrative divisions
metropolitan Denmark - 5 regions (regioner, singular - region); Hovedstaden, Midtjylland, Nordjylland, Sjaelland, Syddanmark
note:an extensive local government reform merged 271 municipalities into 98 and 13 counties into five regions, effective 1 January 2007
Independence
first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 became a constitutional monarchy
National Holiday
none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is generally viewed as the National Day
Constitution
5 June 1953; note - constitution allowed for a unicameral legislature and a female chief of state
Legal system
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
Chief of state:Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born on 26 May 1968)
Head of government: Prime Minister Lars Loekke RASMUSSEN (since 5 April 2009)
Cabinet:Council of State appointed by the monarch
(For more information visit the World Leaders website)
Elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch
Legislative branch
unicameral People's Assembly or Folketing (179 seats, including 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms unless the Folketing is dissolved earlier)
Elections:last held on 13 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
Election results:percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 26.2%, Social Democrats 25.5%, Danish People's Party 13.9%, Socialist People's Party 13.0%, Conservative People's Party 10.4%, Social Liberal Party 5.1%, New Alliance 2.8%, Red-Green Unity List 2.2%, other 0.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party 46, Social Democrats 45, Danish People's Party 25, Socialist People's Party 23, Conservative People's Party 18, Social Liberal Party 9, New Alliance 5, Red-Green Alliance 4; note - does not include the two seats from Greenland and the two seats from the Faroe Islands
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (judges are appointed for life by the monarch)
Political Parties and Leaders
Christian Democrats [Bjarne Hartung KIRKEGAARD] (was Christian People's Party); Conservative Party [Lene ESPERSEN] (sometimes known as Conservative People's Party); Danish People's Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Alliance [Anders SAMUELSEN] (formerly known as New Alliance); Liberal Party [Lars Loekke RASMUSSEN]; Red-Green Unity List (Alliance) [collective leadership] (bloc includes Left Socialist Party, Communist Party of Denmark, Socialist Workers' Party); Social Democratic Party [Helle THORNING-SCHMIDT]; Social Liberal Party [Margrethe VESTAGER]; Socialist People's Party [Villy SOEVNDAL]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Confederation of Danish Employers or DA [President Joergen VORSHOLT]; Principal DA member organizations: Confederation of Danish Industries [President Hans Skov CHRISTENSEN]; Confederation of Danish Labor Unions [ President Harald BORSTING]; Danish Bankers Association [CEO Joergen HORWITZ]; DaneAge Association [President Bjarne HASTRUP]; Danish Society for Nature Conservation [President Ella Maria BISSCHOP-LARSEN]
Other:humanitarian relief; development assistance; human rights NGOs
International organization participation
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US
Chief of mission:Ambassador Friis Arne PETERSEN
Chancery:3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Telephone:[1] (202) 234-4300
FAX:[1] (202) 328-1470
Consulate(s) general:Chicago, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
Chief of mission:Ambassador Laurie S. FULTON
Embassy:Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen
Mailing address:PSC 73, APO AE 09716
Telephone:[45] 33 41 71 00
FAX:[45] 35 43 02 23
Flag description
red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side; the banner is referred to as the Dannebrog (Danish flag) and is one of the oldest national flags in the world; traditions as to the origin of the flag design vary, but the best known is a legend that the banner fell from the sky during an early-13th century battle; caught up by the Danish king before it ever touched the earth, this heavenly talisman inspired the royal army to victory
note: the shifted design element was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden
