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Entry Year in EU: |
1973 |
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Seats: |
14 |
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Seats Percentage of EU: |
2 |
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Votes: |
7 |
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Votes Percentage
of EU: |
2.1 |
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Population: |
5.4 |
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Population Percentage of EU: |
1.2 |
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Area: |
43094 |
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Area Percentage
of EU: |
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Density: |
126 |
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Budget Contribution: |
2130860212 |
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Budget Contribution of EU: |
2.02 |
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GDP: |
195581 |
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GDP Capita: |
36083 |
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GDP Nominal: |
46734 |
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Denmark
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The Kingdom of Denmark (Danish: Kongeriget Danmark) is the smallest and southernmost of the Nordic countries. Located north of Germany (its only land neighbour), southwest of Sweden, and south of Norway, it lies at 56° N 10° E, or, more precisely, between 54°33'35?N, 8°4'22?E and 57°45'7?N, 15°11'55?E in Scandinavia in northern Europe, but not on the Scandinavian Peninsula.
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Etymology
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The etymology of Denmark (Danish: Danmark) is uncertain because there are so few old sources, and the experts have two interpretations of the name. Both groups say -mark is a wild forest (uninhabited territory or lawless no-man's land). Dan-mark means: 1. An occupied hollow in a wild forest or: 2. A forest or border by the Danes.[citation needed]
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History
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The earliest Danish archaeological findings date back to 130,000-110,000 BC in the Eem interglacial period.[1] People have continually lived in Denmark since about 12,500 BC, and agriculture made inroads about 3,900 BC.[2] The Nordic Bronze Age (1,800-600 BC) in Denmark was marked by burial mounds, which left an abundance of findings, including lurs and the Sun Chariot.
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Politics
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Denmark is the oldest monarchy in continental Europe. In 1849, it became a constitutional monarchy with the adoption of a new constitution. The monarch is formally head of state, a role which is mainly ceremonial, because of its executive power, while exercised by the monarch, is exercised through the cabinet ministers, with the prime minister acting as the first among equals (primus inter pares). Legislative power is vested in both the monarch and the Danish parliament, known as the Folketing, which consists of no more than 179 members. Judicial power rests with the court.
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Counties
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Denmark is divided into 13 counties (amter, singular: amt), and, as of 1 January 2006, 270 municipalities (kommuner, singular kommune). Three municipalities have county privileges—Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, and Bornholm. The coming Danish Municipal Reform will replace the counties with five new regions and reduce the number of municipalities to 98. The new municipalities will take over most of the responsibilities of the former counties. Most of the new municipalities will have a population of at least 20,000 people. The reform will be implemented on 1 January 2007.
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Geography
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Denmark consists of the peninsula of Jutland (Jylland) and 443 named islands. Of these, 76 are inhabited, with the largest being Zealand (Sjælland) and Funen (Fyn). The island of Bornholm is located somewhat east of the rest of the country, in the Baltic Sea. Many of the larger islands are connected by bridges; the Øresund Bridge connects Zealand with Sweden, the Great Belt Bridge connects Funen with Zealand, and the Little Belt Bridge connects Jutland with Funen. Ferries connect one to the smaller islands. Main cities are the capital Copenhagen (on Zealand), Aarhus, Aalborg and Esbjerg (on Jutland) and Odense (on Funen). The country is mostly flat with little elevation; the highest natural point is Møllehøj, at 170.86 metres (560.6 ft). Other hills in the same area southwest of Århus are Yding Skovhøj at 170.77 (560,3 ft) metres and Ejer Bavnehøj at 170.35 metres (558.9 ft).
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Transnational issues
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Iceland disputes the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line.
Iceland, the United Kingdom, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nautical miles or about 370 km.
The Faroe Islands continue to study proposals for full independence.
Uncontested sovereignty dispute with Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland.
Denmark and Poland have failed to reach an agreement settling the boundary between the two countries.
Denmark is currently investigating the extent of the continental shelf of Greenland, in the hope that Greenland's Exclusive Economic Zone can be expanded. One of the areas investigated is the geographical North Pole.
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Economy
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This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry, extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living standards, a stable currency, and high dependence on foreign trade. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and has a comfortable balance of payments surplus and zero net foreign debt. Also of importance is the sea territory of more than 105.000 km² (40.000+ sq m).
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Demographics
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The majority of the population is of Scandinavian descent, with small groups of Inuit from Greenland, Faroese, and immigrants. According to official statistics in 2005, immigrants and their descendants made up 461,614 people, or 8.5% of the total population.[11]
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Culture
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Perhaps the most famous Dane is actually an English mythical figure: Hamlet, the title character of William Shakespeare's famous play, which was set in the real castle of Kronborg in Helsingør, north of Copenhagen. Another widely known Dane is Hans Christian Andersen, in Denmark referred to as H. C. Andersen, a writer mostly famous for such fairy tales as The Emperor's New Clothes, The Little Mermaid, and The Ugly Duckling. Also Karen Blixen/Isak Dinesen and the Philosopher Søren Kierkegaard are well-known world wide. |
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Education
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The Danish education system is a sophisticated system designed to educate the people of Denmark. Everybody has free access to public school, high school and most kinds of higher education (universities etc.). About 99% of the general population attend elementary school (lasting 9 to 10 years); 86% attend secondary school and 41% pursue further education. |
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Military
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The armed forces of Denmark are known as the Danish Defence (Danish: Det Danske Forsvar). During peacetime, the Ministry of Defence (FMN) in Denmark employs, in four branches, 15,450 in the army, 5,300 in the navy, 6,050 in the air force and more than 55,000 in the Home Guard. Although all four are under the command of the Ministry of Defence, the first three are commanded by the Defence Command (FKO) and have their own subcommand, while the Home Guard is under the direct command of the Danish Ministry of Defence in peacetime. During war, the number of active military employees balloons to more than 45,000 in the army, 7,300 in the navy a 9,500 in the air force with no change to the Home Guard, which is put under the direct command of the Defence Command.
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