 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:Copenhagengeographic 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 (Capital), Midtjylland (Central Jutland), Nordjylland (North Jutland), Sjaelland (Zealand), Syddanmark (Southern Denmark)
Independence:
ca. 965 (unified and Christianized under HARALD I Gormson); 5 June 1849 (became a constitutional monarchy)
National holiday:
none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is generally viewed as the National Day
Constitution:
previous 1665; latest adopted 5 June 1849; amended several times, last in 2009 (2009)
Legal system:
civil law; judicial review of legislative acts
International law organization participation:
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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 Helle THORNING-SCHMIDT (since 3 October 2011) cabinet:Council of State appointed by the monarch 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 15 September 2011 (next to be held by September 2015) election results:percent of vote by party - V 26.7%, SDP 24.9%, DF 12.3%, SLP 9.5%, SF 9.2%, O 6.7%, LA 5%, C 4.9%, other 0.8%; seats by party - V 47, SDP 44, DF 22, SLP 17, SF 16, O 12, LA 9, C 8; note - does not include the two seats from Greenland and the two seats from the Faroe Islands
Judicial branch:
highest court(s):Supreme Court (consists of the court president and 18 judges)judge selection and term of office:judges appointed by the monarch upon the recommendation of the Minister of Justice with the advice of the Judicial Appointments Council, a 6-member independent body of judges and lawyers; judges appointed for life with retirement at age 70 subordinate courts:Special Court of Indictment and Revision; 2 High Courts; Maritime and Commercial Court; county courts
| | Political parties and leaders:
Conservative People's Party or C [Lars BARFOED]Danish People's Party or DF [Kristian THULESEN DAHL] Liberal Alliance or LA [Anders SAMUELSEN] Liberal Party or V [Lars LOKKE RAMUSSEN] Red-Green Alliance (Unity List) or O [collective leadership, spokesperson Johanne SCHMIDT-NIELSEN] Social Democratic Party or SDP [Helle THORNING-SCHMIDT] Social Liberal Party or SLP [Margrethe VESTAGER] Socialist People's Party or SF [Annette VILHELMSEN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Danish Employers or DA [President Jorn Neergaard LARSEN]
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EITI (implementing country), ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Peter TAKSOE-JENSEN (since 1 September 2010)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 Rufus GIFFORD (since 15 August 2013)embassy:Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen 0 mailing address:Unit 5280, DPO, 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; in actuality, the flag may derive from a crusade banner or ensign
National symbol(s):
lion; mute swan
National anthem:
name:'Der er et yndigt land' (There is a Lovely Land); 'Kong Christian' (King Christian)
lyrics/music:Adam Gottlob OEHLENSCHLAGER/Hans Ernst KROYER; Johannes EWALD/unknown note:Denmark has two national anthems with equal status; 'Der er et yndigt land,' adopted 1844, is a national anthem, while 'Kong Christian,' adopted 1780, serves as both a national and royal anthem; 'Kong Christian' is also known as 'Kong Christian stod ved hojen mast' (King Christian Stood by the Lofty Mast) and 'Kongesangen' (The King's Anthem); within Denmark, the royal anthem is played only when royalty is present and is usually followed by the national anthem; when royalty is not present, only the national anthem is performed; outside Denmark, the royal anthem is played, unless the national anthem is requested |