Multimedia Mania/abacus-multimedia-mania.iso/dp/0016/00167.txt

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$Unique_ID{bob00167}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Denmark
Lively Communications and Public Debate}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Henning Dehn Nielsen}
$Affiliation{Ministry of Foreign Affairs}
$Subject{denmark
danish
greenland
ec
countries
defence
faroes
islands
own
political}
$Date{1990}
$Log{}
Title:       Denmark
Book:        Facts about Denmark
Author:      Henning Dehn Nielsen
Affiliation: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Date:        1990

Lively Communications and Public Debate

     In such a small and geographically confined society as Denmark's,
communications among its citizens and between the authorities and citizens
cause few big problems. The five million Danes are assured fast access to news
via TV, radio and the printed media, and in the press a lively debate
flourishes on social affairs, with participants including not only the editors
and politicians but also ordinary citizens, who wish to make their views
known.

     For people in the United States, Britain and many other countries, it
will appear a little strange, even unimaginable, that Denmark until 1988 had
only one nationwide TV channel, which was controlled by the state-run
institution Denmarks Radio and financed by viewers' license fees. This had
been the case since Danish television's start in 1954, but another channel has
now started up, partly financed by commercials, and to the great enjoyment of
all there is now intense competition between the two channels. Supplementing
these two channels, viewers in eastern and southern Denmark are able to watch,
respectively, Swedish and German TV.

     Three nationwide radio services and a dozen regional broadcasting
stations spread out across the country are also administered by Denmarks
Radio. But to this figure must be added - after the official monopoly on radio
to some extent has become limited - a very large number of exclusively local
and privately run radio stations, each of which covers only one town and its
immediate surroundings, and a few TV stations of similar local format have
been running for some time.

     Nearly 1.9 million copies of newspapers are printed in Denmark every day,
and most households thus receive one daily newspaper. The first newspaper in
Denmark was published in 1666, and was written entirely in verse. The oldest
of the existing newspapers, Berlingske Tidende, was founded by a Copenhagen
printer in 1749, and at about the same time newspapers began to appear in the
larger provincial towns.

     With the introduction of a democratic constitution and press freedom in
1849, the number of newspapers proliferated, and for many years the four
political parties then in existence each had its own paper in almost every
town. The total of papers thus amounted to around 140, often with a very
limited circulation. Broadly, there remains today one newspaper to each town,
in all around 40 in the provincial towns, and in general they live up to the
responsibilities of a sole newspaper by being very open towards debate of all
political persuasions.

     There is a number of nationwide morning dailies. Politiken, the earlier
mentioned Berlingske Tidende and Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten with daily and
Sunday editions running to between 130,000 and 215,000 are the three biggest.
Also the two tabloids, Ekstra Bladet and B.T., which are produced by the same
publishing houses as Politiken and Berlingske Tidende, are sold throughout the
country in daily as well as Sunday editions of between 175,000 and 230,000
copies.

     A dozen illustrated weekly magazines have a combined circulation of
around two million copies.

     The Danish daily newspapers jointly own Ritzaus Bureau, which exchanges
news with the large international news agencies.

     At the address Snaregade 14 in the middle of Copenhagen, close to the
Danish Union of Journalists' headquarters, resides the International Press
Center (IPC), offering facilities for foreign journalists, who as well can
receive information from the Foreign Ministry's Press and Cultural Relations
Department.

Danish Defence a Link in NATO System

     "Denmark's military security shall continue to be sought primarily in the
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, where Danish defence forms an integral
part of NATO forces."

     This statement of principle was declared in connection with the latest
political agreement concerning Danish defence and behind it stands a broad
parliamentary majority composed of the current government's four coalition
partners and the large opposition party, the Social Democrats.

     Denmark has been a member of NATO since the organisation was founded in
the spring of 1949. The decision to join NATO was a political step contrary to
a hitherto prevailing policy of neutrality, which Denmark had followed for
many years prior to the Second World War, as the country controlling the
approaches to the Baltic Sea and bordering a strong Germany. After the end to
German occupation of Denmark in May 1945 and recognition of Denmark as one of
the allied nations in the struggle against the Nazis - in particular because
of the contribution made by the Danish Resistance Movement - a majority
emerged in favour of a more active defence policy than that practised earlier.

     Danish defence today forms part of NATO's Northern Europe flank,
comprising Norway, Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein, and within this region a
joint Defence Command has been established, composed of Danish forces in
Jutland and their German equivalent in Schleswig-Holstein. Also the Danish and
German naval units in the Baltic would operate jointly in the event of war.

     The Danish government made it a condition of joining NATO that no nuclear
weapons would be stored on Danish territory during peacetime and that no
allied troops would be stationed in Denmark. But, if the need arises, plans
to provide prompt reinforcements from other NATO countries can be put into
immediate effect. Joint military manoeuvres, in particular with British, US
and West German forces participating, are conducted regularly on Danish land
and sea.

     The Danish defence forces number around 98,000 in event of war and some
32,000 during peacetime. Added to both these figures are 9,200 civilian
personnel.

     Denmark has compulsory military service, and the period of service for
most conscripts was recently extended from nine to 12 months. While conscripts
would make up the majority of forces in the event of a mobilisation, recruited
military professionals outnumber conscripts in the standing peacetime units.

     A voluntary Home Guard has formed part of the general defence system
since 1948, in broad measure undertaking guard and warning duties. The Home
Guard has around 75,000 members, of whom 11,000 are women.

     One of the results of the latest political agreement on defence is an
extensive modernisation of equipment now underway. The Army is to receive an
air defence missile system suited to its requirements, the Air Force will be
allocated an additional number of F-16 aircraft, and the Navy is in the
process of developing a new multirole vessel, based on a standard hull with
interchangeable modules, capable of a variety of functions ranging from
surveillance and minesweeping to combat duties.

Greenland - the World's Largest Island

     Greenland, which stands for Kalaallit Nunaat (Land of Man) in the
Greenlandic language, is the world's largest island with an area of 2,175,600
sq. km, almost as large as Saudi Arabia and more than five times the size of
New Guinea, the world's second-largest island.

     The distance between the south and north of Greenland is 2,670 km, and
the longest distance between the west and the east coast is a good 1,000 km.
The southernmost point is Cape Farewell on 59 degrees 46'N. lat., the same
latitude as Oslo, the capital of Norway.

The two Autonomous Regions

     Two autonomous regions belong to the Kingdom of Denmark, namely
Greenland, which attained status of internal autonomy in 1979, and the Faroe
Islands in the North Atlantic, granted home rule in 1948.

     The two areas have their own legislative assemblies for internal affairs,
while foreign and defence policies come under the central government in
Copenhagen.

     Greenland and the Faroes each elect two representatives to the Folketing
(Denmark's Parliament).

     A Commissioner appointed under the Royal Seal is the highest official
Danish representative in each of the regions.

     The nearest neighbouring country to Greenland is Canada, separated by the
Davis Strait to the south and by the small Nares Strait in the north.

     By far the largest part of Greenland (about 84 per cent) is covered by
the ice-cap, or inland ice, which stretches to a depth of three km. The
ice-free areas are found along the coast, where the towns and settlements are
thus located.

     Apart from the most southern tip, Greenland's climate is Polar, and
icebergs proliferate along both the east and west coasts. These are formed
when sections of the inland ice break off on meeting the sea.

     Greenland with its inhospitable climate has not proved accessible to
immigrants, and for periods the huge country has been totally uninhabited.
Shortly before the year 1000 A.D., Erik the Red, a landowner banished from
his native Iceland, arrived and founded small colonies of settlers from
Iceland and Norway. These settlements died out in the course of 300-400 years,
while during this time Eskimos from the Polar regions began arriving in
northwest Greenland. They spread south along the coast and, experts at fishing
and seal-hunting, managed to survive in the harsh conditions.

     The Danish influence began in 1721, when the priest Hans Egede founded a
mission and trading station in West Greenland. New stations proliferated in
the next 150-200 years. Greenlanders sold skins, blubber and walrus tusks
through a Danish-controlled trading company and the country, as a Danish
colony, was all but isolated from the rest of the world right up to the Second
World War.

     At the start of the war, the links with Denmark were severed, the United
States sent in military forces, set up radar stations and airfields, and
Greenlanders were suddenly subjected to the good and bad of western
civilization. With the end of the war and the resumption of contacts with
Denmark, the inhabitants had no desire to return to the bygone closed society,
and the transition from old to new gathered pace with regard to education,
hospital facilities, fishing industries and so on.

     In 1953, a constitutional amendment made Greenland an integral part of
the Kingdom of Denmark, and in 1979 internal autonomy was introduced, with an
elected Assembly (Landstinget) of 21 members (later 27) and an autonomous
government (Landsstyret) of six members. The Landsstyre's current chairman,
and with that head of government, is Jonathan Motzfeldt. The country's
administration is conducted from the capital Godthab (Nuuk). Greenland
received its own flag in 1985. The population numbers around 53,000, of which
about 11,000 reside in the capital.

     An increasing number of the duties previously entrusted to the Danish
government's Ministry for Greenland has been transferred to the home
government, and the Royal Greenland Trade Department, which exercised a
monopoly on trade to and from Greenland, has been replaced by a Greenlandic
company under the name of Greenland Trade (Kalaallit Niuerfiat).

     As part of this development towards increasingly greater independence,
the Greenlandic side places heavy emphasis on Greenlanders filling more and
more of the positions hitherto occupied by Danes sent out to the country, and
in the search for their own identity, most Eskimos in Greenland now prefer to
describe themselves as Inuits, underlining the sense of common heritage felt
with their counterparts in northern Canada, Alaska and the Soviet Union.

     The ancient ways of sealing by kayak are still followed in North and East
Greenland, but the vast majority of income now stems from shrimp, salmon and
cod fishing - often with the use of modern trawlers, and in several townships
modern fish-processing plants for export have been set up.

     Greenland had difficulties in accepting the fishing quotas established
by the EC (of which Greenland became a member jointly with Denmark), and
Greenland therefore opted out of the EC in 1985, after a referendum ruled in
favour of this step. Instead, Greenland today is associated with the EC
through a so-called Overseas Lands and Territories agreement (OLT) also
applying to other countries.

     Greenland has its own broadcasting services and since 1982 also its own
nationwide Greenlandic television. There are flight connections several times
a week between Copenhagen and the large airport at Sondre Stromfjord, and
the Greenlandic aviation company Gronlandsfly flies domestic routes to
points, where it has been possible to construct an airfield. Tourists from all
over the world are drawn in increasing numbers to the grandiose and quite
unique nature of Greenland.

The Faroes, a Society on 18 Rugged Islands

     The group of 18 islands known as the Faroes straddles approximately the
62 degrees N. latitude and 7 degrees W. longitude. Total area comprises 1,399
sq.km and the inhabitants number 46,000, of whom around one-third live in the
capital T*orshavn (Thorshavn).

     The islands' isolated location is best illustrated by the fact that the
Shetland Islands, which form the closest inhabited area, are some 300 km away.
The distance to Iceland is 450 km and to Norway some 675 km. The sailing
distance between the Faroes and Copenhagen is around 1,500 km.

     The Faroes are comprised of 18 inhabited islands, as well as a dozen
uninhabited ones. The largest are Stromo (Streymoy) with the capital
T*orshavn, Ostero (Eysteroy), Vago (V*agar), Sudero (Suduroy), Sando
(Sandoy) and Bordo (Bordoy). The total coastline stretches 1,117 km.

     Despite the relatively northern location, the climate is fairly mild
because of the Gulf Stream. In the coldest month, the average temperature is
3C and in the warmest, 11C. However, precipitation is high and winds are
strong. There is no forest; the vegetation consists almost entirely of grass,
some heather and bilberry shrubs. Though fauna is scarce, it is worth
mentioning the extraordinarily rich sea-bird life on the steep cliffs.
Collecting birds' eggs has been an important source of income to many since
ancient times.

     The islands' first settlers came from Norway in the ninth century. In
1380, together with Norway and Greenland, the Faroes came under Danish rule.
During the 19th century, the islands became a Danish county, but gradually a
strong movement for independence grew into being with demands for an increased
measure of self-government. During the Second World War, Britain occupied the
Faroes from 1941-45, and after the war a strong faction on the Faroes was in
favour of a total separation from Denmark, but negotiations between the Faroes
and the Danish government resulted in the present system of home rule being
introduced in 1948.

     Self-government is by a democratically elected Assembly (Lagtinget), made
up of 32 members and with legislative powers in all local affairs, while
executive power is entrusted to a local government (Landsstyret), headed since
1985 by Social Democrat Atli Dam.

     The dominant industry is fisheries, accounting for more than 95 per cent
of the islands' exports. Fishing is traditionally concentrated on cod, but
large quantities of blue whiting, coalfish and shrimp are also caught.

     The Faroes, together with Denmark, belonged to the European Free Trade
Association (EFTA) from 1967 but opted out of following Denmark into the EC in
1973. Relationships with the EC have since been regulated by a series of
agreements similar to those applying to Norway and Sweden.

     Owing to the income from fisheries, the standard of living on the Faroes
is high. Around 85 per cent of families own their own houses with all the
usual modern facilities.

     The Faroese are proud of the traditionally rich cultural heritage of
their islands, where the language and old customs are kept very much alive. On
festive occasions, all still join in the special Faroese chain dance. Theatre
and music abound, many books and newspapers are published, and the islands
have their own radio and television services.

Danish Contacts with the World

     With its small population of just over five million, Denmark in terms of
inhabitants counts for very little at the global level, and in terms of size
the country resembles a postage stamp compared with the larger nations.

     But perhaps precisely for the reason that its dimensions make it hard for
Denmark to draw attention to itself, there has developed among Danes a strong
inclination to seek contacts beyond their country's borders. This applies both
at the official level where Denmark participates in practically all forms of
international cooperation, and privately where Danes today have the same urge
to travel and discover as their Viking forebears, though by contrast in an
absolutely peaceful manner.

     Political, cultural and economic contacts with other countries are
maintained by 90 embassies and consulates general etc. spread throughout the
world.

Denmark and the Nordic Region

     With its foundations resting on geographical proximity and the many
traits of a common cultural and linguistic heritage, there exists in Denmark
a strong inclination for cooperation with the other Nordic countries - Sweden,
Norway, Finland and Iceland.

     In the political sphere, the Nordic countries have cooperated since 1952
within the Nordic Council, where ministers and parliamentarians of the five
nations meet regularly to discuss issues of common interest.

     Since 1954 citizens of any of the Nordic nations have been free to take
up residence and work in any of the region's other countries, entitled to the
same social benefits as those applying to the country's own nationals, and for
many years the region has also been a common passport area.

     From a traffic and economic point of view, Scandinavian Airlines System
(SAS) is a shining example of cooperation among Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

Denmark and the United Nations

     Denmark was among the fifty nations to sign the Charter of the United
Nations in San Francisco in 1945. Denmark has always worked for the
realisation of the principles laid down in the Charter of the UN. Special
attention has been given to UN aid to developing countries and to promotion of
respect for human rights.

     Denmark has contributed to various UN peace-keeping forces (Middle East,
the Congo). Denmark today participates in the UN forces stationed in Cyprus
and Namibia.

     Former Danish Prime Minister Poul Hartling was the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees from 1978 to 1986. The European headquarters of the
World Health Organisation (WHO) is situated in Copenhagen, as is a huge
UNICEF warehouse for distributing aid to needy children throughout the world.

     Every year Denmark participates in the UN General Assembly with a
delegation headed by the Foreign Minister, in which also politicians
participate.

     Three times Denmark was a member of the Security Council, most recently
in 1985-1986. Denmark is a member of all UN specialised agencies.

Denmark and NATO

     The experience from the Second World War that a policy of neutrality did
not secure our independence, and the East-West tension in the postwar period
constituted the background for the Danish decision to become a member of the
Atlantic Alliance in 1949.

     The main political forces in the Danish parliament supported this
decision and have been forming the parliamentary majority for Denmark's
continued membership of the Alliance. (Also refer to the chapter on
Danish defence).

Denmark and the EC

     Denmark became a member of the European Communities together with
Great Britain and Ireland on 1 January 1973.

     Prior to entry a referendum was held in which 1.9 million Danes voted in
favour of Danish membership and 1.1 million against.

     Danish membership of the EC was motivated by economic as well as
political considerations. The existence of a large free-trade area in Western
Europe is of crucial importance to the Danish economy. With the enlargement of
the EC in 1973 and by virtue of the free-trade agreements in manufactures
between the EC and other European states which did not join the EC (among
them the Nordic countries), Denmark attained the primary goal of her postwar
market policy.

     Participation in the European Political Cooperation, in which the EC
countries consult each other on issues of foreign policy, has become
increasingly important for the formulation of Danish positions towards
international developments.

     Another Danish EC referendum was held in February 1986 on the Single
European Act. 1.6 million voted "yes" to changes in the Community's structure
and 1.2 million "no".

     Many Danes take senior positions in the EC apparatus in Brussels - at the
top of the current list stands former Danish Finance Minister Henning
Christophersen, who as Vice-president of the European Commission is charged
with overseeing the Community's economy and regional development.

     In the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Denmark has 16 out of the 518
seats. At the latest elections to the Parliament, in June 1989, 46.1 per cent
of the Danish electorate participated in the ballot.

Denmark and the OECD

     Denmark has been a member of the OEEC and later of the Organisation for
Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, since its establishment thus
taking part in efforts to further economic growth and raise living standards
both in the OECD's member nations and in other countries.

     The first Secretary General of OECD was former Danish Finance Minister,
Professor Thorkil Kristensen.

Denmark and the Council of Europe

     As with most of the other West European countries, Denmark is a member
of the Council of Europe and a signatory of the Council's Convention on Human
Rights, conceived to safeguard individual human rights and fundamental
freedoms.