Denmark

Kongeriget Danmark

Political Status: Constitutional monarchy since 1849; under unicameral parliamentary system established in 1953.

Area: 16,629 sq. mi. (43,069 sq. km.).

Population: 5,349,212 (2001C); 5,475,000 (2008E). Area and population figures are for mainland Denmark; for Greenland and the Faroe Islands, see Related Territories, below.

Major Urban Center (2005E): COPENHAGEN (502,000; metropolitan area, 2,050,000).

Official Language: Danish.

Monetary Unit: Krone (market rate December 1, 2009: 4.93 kroner = $1US).

Sovereign: Queen MARGRETHE II; proclaimed queen on January 15, 1972, following the death of her father, King FREDERIK IX, on January 14.

Heir to the Throne: Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the queen.

Prime Minister: Lars Løkke RASMUSSEN (Liberal Party); formed coalition government on April 5, 2009, succeeding Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN (Liberal Party), who had resigned the same day to become secretary ...