Short facts about the government of Denmark

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:

Copenhagen

Administrative divisions:

metropolitan Denmark - 14 counties (amter, singular - amt) and 2 kommunes*; Arhus, Bornholm, Fredericksberg*, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn, Kobenhavns*, Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde, Sonderjylland, Storstrom, Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborg note:  see separate entries for the Faroe Islands and Greenland, which are part of the Kingdom of Denmark and are self-governing administrative divisions

Independence:

first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 became a constitutional monarchy

National holiday:

none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June is generally viewed as the National Day

Constitution:

1849 was the original constitution; there was a major overhaul 5 June 1953, allowing for a unicameral legislature and a female chief of state

Legal system:

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

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 26 May 1968) head of government:  Prime Minister Poul Nyrup RASMUSSEN (since 25 January 1993) cabinet:  Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by Parliament elections:  none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Folketing (179 seats, including 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections:  last held 11 March 1998 (next to be held by March 2002) election results:  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - progovernment parties: Social Democratic Party 65, Socialist People's Party 13, Social Liberal Party 7, Red-Green Unity List 5; opposition: Liberal Party 43, Conservative Party 17, Danish People's Party 13, Center Democratic Party 8, Christian People's Party 4, Progress Party 4; seats by party as of 1 January 2001: government coalition parties - Social Democrats 63, Social Liberals 7; pro-government parties - Socialist People's Party 13, Unity List 5; opposition - Liberals 42, Conservatives 16, Danish People's Party 13, Center Democrats 8, Christian People's Party 4, Progress Party 4 (now named Freedom 2000); does not include the 4 overseas seats

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life)

Political parties and leaders:

Center Democratic Party [Mimi JAKOBSEN]; Christian People's Party [Jann SJURSEN]; Conservative Party (sometimes known as Conservative People's Party) [Bendt BENDTSEN]; Danish People's Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; Progress Party (now named Freedom 2000) [Kim BEHNKE]; Social Democratic Party [Poul Nyrup RASMUSSEN]; Social Liberal Party (sometimes called the Radical Left) [Marianne JELVED, leader; Johannes LEBECH, chairman]; Socialist People's Party [Holger K. NIELSEN]; Red-Green Unity List (bloc includes Left Socialist Party, Communist Party of Denmark, Socialist Workers' Party) [collective leadership]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission:  Ambassador Ulrik Andreas FEDERSPIEL chancery:  3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone:  [1] (202) 234-4300 FAX:  [1] (202) 328-1470 consulate(s) general:  Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission:  Ambassador Stuart BERNSTEIN embassy:  Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen mailing address:  PSC 73, APO AE 09716 telephone:  [45] 35 55 31 44 FAX:  [45] 35 38 96 16

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, and that design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden

Source: World Factbook