kraks vejviser 1939 handelsvejviser

11

DANISH EXPORT TRADE

The Kingdom of Denmark though one of tlie smaller countries in Europe plays a large and important part in world economy by virtue of its geographical situation and by reason of its highly developed trade. Denimark is a lowland country favourable for agriculture, the high standard of which is well known all over the world. Less known is it perhaps, that Denmark posesses a manufacturing industry which gives employ- ment to about the same percentage of the population as does the agriculturael industry. This is due to a large extent to the existing correllation between agriculture and industry, but the Danes have also successfully ex- ploited the favourable geographical situation of the coun­ try, forming as it does a connecting link between several of rlie leading countries in the world, and a trade has been developed which, in proportion to the size of the country and its population, is harger than that of any other European state. The exchange 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 5.777,000 some 876,000 of whoin 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 then the following decades have witnessed a substantial and continuous development of Danish trade. The world-embracing ooncern: The East Asiatic Com- pany of Copenhagen was founded in the year of 1897, and the share capital of this 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 dif ferent parts of the world. The opening 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 headquarters 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:

Total imports Mill. Kr.

Total exports Mill. Kr. 162

1885 ...........

................. 249

1895 ........... .........:.... 1905 ........... ................. 623 1915 ........... ................. 855 1936 .......... ................. 1486 1937 ........... ................. 1702

364

269 554 721 1380

1607 The total quantity of goods imported in 1957 amounted to 11,7 mili. tons, and the total exports during the same year amounted to 2,4 miil. 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 considerable quantities and exports refined agricultural products on a large scale. The following figures for the year 1937 indicate the total values of Danish exports to, and imports from the countries with which Denmark does most trade: Mill. Kr.

Mill. Kr. France .......................... 40 Switzerland .................. 57 Poland &Danzig .. 52 Brazil ........................... 30 Italy ............................. 22 U. S. S. R. (in Eu­ rope) ......................... 18 Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania .................. 17 Dutch East Indies .. 15 Denmark.

Great Britain ........... 1267 Germany ................... 705 Sweden ...................... 216 United States of America ................. 122 Norway ...................... 118 Netherlands ................. 84 Belgium ....................... 79 Finland ........................ o2 Argentine ..................... 49

Agriculture About 75 % of the total area of Denmark is under cultivation, and some 9 % is covered with forests and plantations. During the period from 1866 to 1929 the cul- tivated acreage has been inereased by 440,000 hectares and the woodland acreage by 190,000 hectares. From what has been stated above regarding the natural conditions of the 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 the world grain market, thé Danish farmers, who, had hitherto rnainly cultivated grain, now promptly and with unique adaptitude took up the intensive production of raw materials for the food jindustry for export. Since the year 1880 the harvest yield in Denmark has more tlran doubled, and during the same period the number of head of horned cattle has doubled. There are now five times as