Denmark - background market data

Population — 5.4 million. Language, Danish.

Government — a coalition led by Liberal Party prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen since November 2001.

Economy — In macro-economic terms, Denmark is a thoroughly modern market economy. It is a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus. The Danish Krone remains relatively stable, ‘pegged’ as it is to the euro. GDP growth for 2002 was 1.8 per cent, but only around 0.5 per cent for 2003. For 2004 it probably averaged at 1.5 per cent, but the forecasts are better for 2005. Inflation is currently in check at 2.1 per cent and interest rates remain very low, which has buoyed property prices and underpins consumer confidence. Unemployment is also low at around six per cent. Danish GDP per capita is currently around DKr 230,000 (E 31,000), which is not far off the average national wage.

Currency — DKr: UK £1=DKr 10.8283, US $1=DKr 5.83655.

Boating Geography — Denmark’s coastline measures some 7,314km. Beyond a myriad of small islands, its 43,000km2 of sovereign territory can be viewed as four key geographical blocks. The biggest of these is the mainland peninsula known as Jutland. There are the three main island masses of Funen, Lolland and Zealand to the east. Zealand nuzzles up close to Sweden’s southwest coast where the recently opened Oresund Bridge now links Danish capital Copenhagen with Swedish city Malmö. A fifth island of reasonable size is Bornholm, which lies some 40km off the south-east coast of Sweden and quite a long way from the rest of the country. The new East Bridge across the Great Belt, the longest suspension bridge in Europe, recently joined Jutland and Funen with Zealand, easing the domestic travel situation markedly. It is generally believed that pleasure boat activity is split roughly 50:50 between Jutland and the islands, with Zealand by far the wealthiest and hence busiest in terms of boating.

Boat Park — According to recent estimates, which one has to say sound a little on the high side, there are 366,000 boats in Denmark. That gives a respectable per capita boat-ownership figure of almost 15. Breaking the boat park down gives around 220,000 outboard-powered motorboats, 25,000 inboard-engined motorboats, 53,000 sailboats, and around 68,000 ‘others’, which include inflatables, sailboards and personal watercraft.

Restrictions — A voluntary boat registration scheme is in place and there is no user licensing. The total number of berths is estimated at 70,000.

Market Outlook — Danes are some of the wealthiest people per capita in Europe and, although relatively small in European terms, the Danish marine leisure market has been riding high for quite a few years, principally on the back of consumer confidence buoyed by low interest rates. The Danish industry is very active internationally and is currently thriving in line with the overall marine leisure industry picture throughout Europe.