ABOUT DENMARK

A few facts about Denmark

Denmark is situated in northern Europe; it is one of the Nordic countries and a part of Scandinavia. Greenland and the Faeroe Islands are also part of Denmark, but they are autonomous regions. Denmark consists of the Jutland peninsula and a large number of big and small islands.

The country is relatively flat with the highest point rising to only 173 meter above sea level. About 65 per cent of the country is farmland, 11 per cent is woodland and the rest is built-up areas, roads, and lakes. The winters are wet with only little snow. It can be as cold as -5–10°C in the winter whereas the summer temperature rises to 15–25°C.

The total population of Denmark is 5.3 million and the population density is 120 people per square kilometer. The capital is Copenhagen, which has approximately 1.2 million inhabitants. Copenhagen – often called the Paris of the North – has an old, historical centre and a large network of pedestrian streets, bicycle paths and parks.

Denmark's official language is Danish, and most people understand and speak English. The number of immigrants has doubled over the past 20 years and now account for about 5 per cent of the population.

Denmark has one of the highest standard of living in the world. Since 1963, industry has accounted for the majority of exported goods. However, North Sea oil and natural gas become increasingly important to the economy, as have biotechnology and information technology. A very high percentage of women are active on the labour market and the unemployment rate has been relatively low since the mid-1990es.

Education in Denmark is provided free of charge at all levels and there are nine years of compulsory education. Public expenditure on education and training corresponds to 7 per cent of the country's GDP and around 13 per cent of total public expenditure.