World Factbook
Denmark
Kongeriget Danmark
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: red field with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the left history: referred to as the Dannebrog (Danish flag) and is one of the oldest national flags in the world; the origin of the design is unclear; one legend says that the banner fell from the sky during an early-13th-century battle and inspired the royal army to victory; in actuality, the flag may derive from a crusade banner
note: Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the Faroe Islands subsequently adopted the shifted-cross design
Capital
name
Copenhagen
etymology
name derives from the Danish words køber (merchant or buyer) and havn (harbor or port)
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
geographic coordinates
55 40 N, 12 35 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Denmark
dual citizenship recognized
yes
residency requirement for naturalization
7 years
Constitution
history
several previous; latest adopted 5 June 1953
amendment process
proposed by the Folketing (Parliament) with consent of the government; passage requires approval by the next Folketing following a general election, approval by simple majority vote of at least 40% of voters in a referendum, and assent of the chief of state
Country name
etymology
the name derives from the words Dane , a tribal name with unclear Germanic origins, and mark , a Danish word that refers to a march (borderland)
local long form
Kongeriget Danmark
local short form
Danmark
conventional long form
Kingdom of Denmark
conventional short form
Denmark
Independence
ca. 965 (unified and Christianized under Harald I GORMSSON); 5 June 1849 (became a parliamentary constitutional monarchy)
Legal system
civil law; judicial review of legislative acts
Government type
parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court (consists of the court president and 18 judges)
subordinate courts
Special Court of Indictment and Revision; 2 High Courts; Maritime and Commercial Court; county courts
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
Executive branch
note
note: Queen MARGRETHE II abdicated on 14 January 2024, the first Danish monarch to voluntarily abdicate since King ERIC III in 1146
cabinet
Council of State appointed by the monarch
chief of state
King FREDERIK X (since 14 January 2024)
head of government
Prime Minister Mette FREDERIKSEN (since 27 June 2019)
election/appointment process
the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the monarch usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister
National holiday
Constitution Day, 5 June (1849)
note: closest equivalent to a national holiday
National color(s)
red, white
National heritage
note
note: includes three sites in Greenland
total World Heritage Sites
12 (8 cultural, 4 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Denmark: Mounds, Runic Stones, and Church at Jelling (c); Roskilde Cathedral (c); Kronborg Castle (c); Wadden Sea (n); Stevns Klint (n); Christiansfeld, Moravian Church Settlement (c); Par force hunting landscape, North Zealand (c); Greenland: Ilulissat Icefjord (n); Kujataa, Norse and Inuit Farming (c); Aasivissuit–Nipisat, Inuit Hunting Ground (c); Viking-Age Ring Fortresses (c); Møns Klint (n)
Political parties
The Alternative or AP Conservative People's Party or DKF or C Danish People's Party or DF or O Denmark Democrats or E Green Left or SF or F (formerly Socialist People's Party or SF or F) Liberal Alliance or LA or I Liberal Party (Venstre) or V Moderates or M New Right Party or NB or D Red-Green Alliance (Unity List) or EL Social Democrats or SDP or A Social Liberal Party or SLP or B
Legislative branch
chamber name
The Danish Parliament (Folketinget)
term in office
4 years
number of seats
179 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
legislature name
Parliament (Folketinget)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
11/1/2022
expected date of next election
October 2026
percentage of women in chamber
43.6%
parties elected and seats per party
Social Democratic Party (50); Liberal Party (Venstre) (23); Moderates (M) (16); Socialist People's Party (SF) (15); Danish Democrats (Æ) (14); Liberal Alliance (14); Conservative People's Party (10); Unity List-Red-Green Alliance (9); Other (24)
National anthem(s)
note
note: Denmark is one of only two countries that has two national anthems of equal status (New Zealand is the other)
title
“Kong Christian stod ved højen mast” (King Christian Stood by the Lofty Mast)
history
adopted 1780; one of the oldest royal anthems in the world; used for events when Danish royalty is present; anthem has equal status with the national anthem
lyrics/music
Johannes EWALD/unknown
National symbol(s)
lion, mute swan
National coat of arms
Denmark’s King Frederick VI adopted the national coat of arms in 1819; the crown of King Christian V, who ruled Denmark and Norway from 1670 to 1699, sits atop the shield, symbolizing royal and national authority; the three lions represent a strong and powerful country, with red lily pads in the shape of hearts that stand for strength, valor, and joy
Administrative divisions
metropolitan Denmark - 5 regions ( regioner , singular - region ); Hovedstaden (Capital), Midtjylland (Central Jutland), Nordjylland (North Jutland), Sjaelland (Zealand), Syddanmark (Southern Denmark)
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 328-1470
chancery
3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 234-4300
chief of mission
Ambassador Jesper Møller SØRENSEN (since 15 September 2023)
consulate(s) general
Chicago, Houston, New York, Silicon Valley (CA)
email address and website
wasamb@um.dk https://usa.um.dk/en
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[45] 35-43-02-23
embassy
Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Kobenhavn 0
telephone
[45] 33-41-71-00
mailing address
5280 Copenhagen Place, Washington DC 20521-5280
chief of mission
Ambassador Kenneth A. HOWERY (since 5 November 2025)
email address and website
CopenhagenACS@state.gov https://dk.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction