Kraks Vejviser 1938 Handelsregister

Il

DANISH EXPORT TRADE

The Kingdom of Denmark though one of the smaller countries in Europe plays a large and important part in world economy by virtue of its geograpliical situation and by reason of its highly developed trade. Denimark is a lowland country favourable for agriculture, but, unlike England, France and Poland she lias no coal, nor does slic possess the huge resources of water power of countries like Norway, Switzerland and Austria; much less the oilfields of Nortli America, Caucasus and Romania. The power resources in this country represented by peat, wood for fuel, water and wind, normally furnish barely about 3 % of the requirements, and with respect to minerals the country is equally poor. The Danish soil yields no iron or other metals, potash or other Chemical products of importance. Neither does the country produce cotton, oleiferous seeds, rubber, tobacco etc. Although Denmark to a marked degree is devoid oif natural sources of wealth in the way of anineralia the Danish people has proved itself capable of making up for this handicap by evolving a scientifically carried out process of amelioration of Danish agricultural Products and also of raw materials and semi - manu- factured goods imported from countries more favoured by nature. The Danish people has also successfully ex- ploited the favourable geograpliical situation of the coun­ try, forming as it does a connecting link between several of the leading countries in the world, and a trade has been developed which, in proportion to the size of the country and its - population, is larger than that of any other European state. The excliange of goods consequent hereupon has made possible a highly developed industry and trade, and the production of quality goods in an increasing number of lines, is cal- culated to satisfy the most fastidious demands of the wide range of consumers catered for. The total population of Denmark is about 5,748,000 some 858,000 of wliom live in the capital Copenhagen, on the island of Zealand, and a similar number in the 80 provincial towns. Danish Foreign Trade. Danish merchants have from the earliest times taken an active part in the world’s trade, and as far back as in 1616 an East-Indian company was established in Co­ penhagen. This was followed by the formation of a number of other trading companies, of which the Asiatic company, founded in the year 1732, acquired the greatest importance, but was subsequently obliged to suspend its operations in 1843. The war lasting from 1807—14 practi­ cally destroyed the trade of Copenhagen for many years, and the revival only commenced during the period of 1830—40; since tlien the following decades have witnessed a substantial and continuous development of Danish trade. The world-einbracing concern: The East Asiatic Com­ pany of Copenhagen was founded in the year of 1897, and the share capital of tins company now amounts to 50,000,000 Kroner. In the course of time the concern has established a number of affiliated companies comprising shipping, ship-building and various other undertakings

in connexion with forestry and plantation activities in dustry and trade, in different parts of the world. The opcning of the Copenhagen Free Port in 1894 naturally resulted in practically all transit trade moving via Copenhagen. Numerous important commercial firms and joint stock companies have their licadquarters at Copenhagen, although the construction and extension of provincial ports has given rise to the establishment of comparatively large business concerns in other Danish ports. The development of Denmark’s foreign trade during the last fifty years appears from the following figures: 1905 ............. ................ 1915 ............. ................ 855 1936 ............. ................ 1486 1380 The total quantity of goods imported in 1936 amounted to 11,4 mili. tons, and the total exports during the same year amounted to 2,1 mil! tons. The average value of these exports was 5 times nigher than that of the imports, which is accounted for by the faet that Den­ mark imports erude heavy raw materials in considerlble quantities and exports refined agricultural products on a large scale. The following figures for the vear 1936 indicate the total values of Danish exports to, and imports from the countries with which Denmark does most trade: Mill. Kr. Mill Kr. Great Britain ....... 1287 France .................... 36 Germany ................ 656 Poland & Danzig .. 55 Sweden .................... 185 Switzerland ............. 30 Norwav ................ 97 Argentine ............... 29 United States of Brazil ...................... 24 America ............. 91 Estonia, Latvia and Netherlands ............ 62 Lithuania ............. 16 Belgium ................... 51 Czecho-Slovakia . .. 14 Finland ................... 47 Dutcli East Indies .. 13 U. S. S. R. (in Eu- rope) .................... 57 Agriculture in Denmark. About 75 % of the total area of Denmark is under cultivation, and some 8,5 % is covered with forests and plantations. During the period from 1866 to 1929 the cul- tivated acreage has been inereased by 440,0.00 hectares and the woodland acreage by 190,000 hectares. From what has been stated above regarding the natural conditions of tlie country it follows that agriculture would become the leading industry in the modern trade development, or what may be termed the industrial revo­ lution in Denmark. The decisive change took place in the period between 1870 and 1890 when, as a consequence of the unfavourable development of prices on tlie world grain market, the Danish farmers, who had hitherto mainly cultivated grain, now promptly and with unique adaptitude took up the intensive production of raw materials for the food industry for export. Since the year 1880 the harvest yield in Denmark has doubled, and during the same period the number of head of horned cattle has more than doubled. There are now six times as 623 Totil imports Total exports 1885 ............. 1895 ............ Mill. Kr. ................ 249 Mill. Kr. 162 269 554 721