World Country Guide

Area
43,098 sq km (16,640 sq miles).

Population
5,383,507 (official estimate 2003).

Population Density
124.9 per sq km.

Capital
Copenhagen. Population: 1,085,813 (2003).

Geography
Denmark is the smallest Scandinavian country, consisting of the Jutland peninsula, north of Germany, and over 400 islands of various sizes, some inhabited and linked to the mainland by ferry or bridge. The landscape consists mainly of low-lying, fertile countryside broken by beech woods, small lakes and fjords. Greenland and the Faroe Islands are also under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark, although both have home rule. The Faroe Islands are a group of 18 islands in the North Atlantic inhabited by a population of 47,120 (2001), whose history dates back to the Viking period. Fishing and sheep farming are the two most important occupations. Trshavn (population 18,812 (2001)), the capital of the Faroes, is served by direct flights from Copenhagen. During the summer months, there are direct flights from Aberdeen and Glasgow.

Government
Constitutional monarchy. Head of State: Queen Margrethe II since 1972. Head of Government: Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen since 2001.

Language
The official language is Danish. Many Danes also speak English, German and French.

Religion
Predominantly Evangelical Lutheran with a small Roman Catholic minority.

Time
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).

Electricity
230 volts AC, 50Hz. Continental two-pin plugs are standard. On many campsites, 110-volt power plugs are also available.

Communications

Telephone
Full IDD is available. Country code: 45. Outgoing international code: 00. There are no area codes.

Mobile Telephone
GSM 900 and 1800 networks. Network operators include Orange (website: www.orange.dk), Sonofon (website: www.sonofon.dk) and TeleDanmark (website: www.tdc.dk).

Fax
Available from many main post offices and from major hotels.

Internet
ISPs include Telepassport (website: www.telepassport.dk) and Business Net Danmark. Internet cafes are available in most urban areas.

Telegram
The Copenhagen Central Telegraph Office is open 24 hours a day. Telegrams can also be sent by phone; dial 122.

Post
All telephone and postal rates are printed at the post offices. All post offices offer Poste Restante facilities. Post office opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1730, some are open Sat 0900-1200.

Press
Newspapers are largely regional; the main papers in the capital include Berlingske Tidende, Dagbladet Information, Ekstra Bladet and Politiken. English-language newspapers and magazines are also available.

Radio
BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.