Denmark ( Kongeriget Danmark) is a country in Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major islands (Sjaelland and. Denmark geographic coordinates 56 00 N, 10 00 E; area includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropol; area comparative slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts; land boundaries Germany 68 km; coastline 7,314 km; maritime claims exclusive economic zone:<; climate temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers; terrain low and flat to gently rolling plains; elevation extremes Yding Skovhoej 173 m; natural resources petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand; land use 45.79% (2001); irrigated land 4,760 sq km (1998 est.); natural hazards flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast; environment current 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; environment international agreements none of the selected agreements; geography note controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater Copenhagen;

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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. government type constitutional monarchy; capital Copenhagen; administrative divisions metropolitan Denmark - 14 counties (amter, singular - amt) and 2 boroughs* (amtskommuner, singular - amtskommune); Arhus, Bornholm, Frederiksberg*, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn, Kobenhavns*, Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde, Sonderjylland, Storstrom, Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborg see separate entries for the Faroe Islands and Greenland, which are part of the Kingdom of Denmark and are self-governing overseas administrative divisions; 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 1849 adoption of original constitution; a major overhaul of 5 June 1953 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;

people

Denmark population 5,432,335 (July 2005 est.); age structure 15.1% (male 349,458/female 468,250) (2005 est.); median age 40.4 years (2005 est.); population growth rate 0.34% (2005 est.); birth rate 11.36 births/1,000 population (2005 est.); death rate 10.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.); net migration rate 2.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.); sex ratio 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.); infant mortality rate 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births; life expectancy at birth 80.03 years (2005 est.); total fertility rate 1.74 children born/woman (2005 est.); hiv adult rate 0.2% (2003 est.); hiv people with aids 5,000 (2003 est.); hiv deaths less than 100 (2003 est.); nationality Danish; ethnic groups Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali; religions Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, Muslim 2%; languages Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority) English is the predominant second language; literacy 100%;

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Cities