Denmark: Geography

The World Factbook 1993: Denmark Geography

Location: Northwestern Europe, bordering the North Sea on a peninsula north of Germany

Area: total area: 43,070 km2 land area: 42,370 km2 comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Massachusetts

note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark, but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland

Land boundaries: total 68 km, Germany 68 km

Coastline: 3,379 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 4 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

International disputes: Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Iceland, Ireland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area); dispute between Denmark and Norway over maritime boundary in Arctic Ocean between Greenland and Jan Mayen is before the International Court of Justice

Climate: temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers

Terrain: low and flat to gently rolling plains

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone

Land use: arable land: 61% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 12% other: 21%

Irrigated land: 4,300 km2 (1989 est.)

Environment: air and water pollution

Note: controls Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas