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.
petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand
arable land: 57.99%
permanent crops: 0.09%
other: 41.91% (2011)
5,569,077 (July 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali
Evangelical Lutheran (official) 80%, Muslim 4%, other (denominations of less than 1% each, includes Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Serbian Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Baptist, and Buddhist) 16% (2012 est.)
Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority)
note: English is the predominant second language
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
Copenhagen
constitutional monarchy
ca. 965 (unified and Christianized under HARALD I Gormson); 5 June 1849 (became a constitutional monarchy)
none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is generally viewed as the National Day
