Merchant marine. – Both for foreign and internal trade, the sea serves as a natural route. The Danish merchant fleet was composed in 1896 of 810 ships for 381,728 gross tons; today it includes 705 ships per ton. 1,088,006 of which: 496 steamboats per ton. 718.130.147 motor ships per ton. 353,391.62 sailing ships per ton. 16,485.
The share of the motor ships is noteworthy; the Danish navy was a pioneer in regards to the internal combustion engine, since the first motor ship built in the world for long voyages, the Selandia (1912), was launched in Denmark on behalf of the Ostasiatiske Kompagni, which still maintains it in operation. This company, which ensures freight and passenger services with the Far East, not only has a fleet composed exclusively of motor ships: 24 for 240,000 tons of capacity (from this point of view it is the sixth in the world), but is currently dedicated to a great constructive program, always keeping faith with the Diesel engine. Another large Danish company is Forenede Dampskibs – Selskab, whose fleet rises to 230,154 tons and which carries out freight and passenger services for Europe, Africa, America, etc.
The shipbuilding industry is active: in 1914 the Danish shipyards launched only tonnes. 23,815, while in 1930 they launched 156,000. Among the shipyards, the most important is the Burmeister and Wain, founded in 1893, which was the first to dedicate itself to the construction of motor ships. In order of importance, the other Danish shipyards are Elsinore – created in 1881 – Nakskov, Odesse, etc.
According to topschoolsintheusa, the Danish navy is prosperous; it has drawn great gains from the world conflict which have allowed considerable depreciation and substantial reserves: only in 1930 did the crisis begin to feel the effects. The prosperity of the armament results from the average dividend distributed in 1929: 8.6% against 8% in 1928. Invisible exports, in the form of freight earned by the Danish fleet in international trade operations, are around 175, 105, 105, 100 million crowns, respectively for the years 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928.
For the education of its officers, Denmark prefers sailing, and the sailing navy enjoys special facilities; there are two specific funds: the first for the granting of mortgage loans (up to 60% of the value of the ship) for the construction of sailing ships; the second for operating loans to owners of sailing ships. As for shipbuilding, in 1927 a guarantee system was adopted by the Treasury for loans to shipyards intended for the construction of ships ordered by foreign shipowners.
Most of the steam and motor ships come from Copenhagen, while the sailing ships come from Marstal island of Ærø and some other cities of the archipelago in S. of Funen. The movement of tonnage for all Danish ports amounted to approximately 13.8 million tonnes in 1926. In that year 10,471,996 tons were unloaded. of goods against 3,883,549 of tons. loaded. Of the imported goods 2 / 5 were from foreign ports, while they were receiving 4 / 5of the exported goods. 33,073 ships left for foreign countries in 1926 (10.4 million tons); of these 12,257 were Danish ships (4.9 million tons). Although inland navigation is not reserved for Danish vessels, only 3902 (326,200 tonnes) of the 62,413 vessels (5.4 million tonnes) were foreign. Denmark is rich in ports; almost every maritime city has its own port, where ships, even those of considerable draft, can land. The largest port in Denmark and in the North in general is Copenhagen, which can also accommodate the major ships coming through the Øre Sund; ships over 7 m. of draft directed to the ports of the Baltic cannot however pass to S. of Copenhagen: they are forced to take the route of the Great Belt. The conspicuous international and commercial situation of the capital is enhanced by its very important free port. In 1926 the imported goods amounted to 3.7 million, those exported to 1.5 million tons. Most of the transit trade goes through Copenhagen. Esbjerg, the only major port on the west coast of Jütland, has on average the largest exits in relation to its income (imported goods 0.5 million tonnes; exported goods 0.25 million tonnes). The other most notable ports are: Aalborg, Aarhus, Randers, I40rsens and Vejle, all in Jütland, Odense on the island of Funen and Nakskov on the island of Laaland. the only important port on the west coast of Jütland, it has on average the largest outputs in relation to its income (imported goods 0.5 million tons; exported goods 0.25 million tons). The other most notable ports are: Aalborg, Aarhus, Randers, I40rsens and Vejle, all in Jütland, Odense on the island of Funen and Nakskov on the island of Laaland. the only important port on the west coast of Jütland, it has on average the largest outputs in relation to its income (imported goods 0.5 million tons; exported goods 0.25 million tons). The other most notable ports are: Aalborg, Aarhus, Randers, I40rsens and Vejle, all in Jütland, Odense on the island of Funen and Nakskov on the island of Laaland.
Railways. – The railway network is very extensive; in 1928 it measured 55591 meters, of which 2647 were managed by the state. There are also 170 km. of lines for ferry – boats, which establish communications between Korsør-Nyborg, Fredericia-Strib, Masnedø-Orehoved, as well as between Zealand and Sweden and between Falster and Germany. The extension of the Danish railway network, when considered in relation to the surface, is surpassed only by that of Belgium, Switzerland, England and Germany. For freight transport, railways services compete badly with maritime and truck services. Denmark also has an excellent and extensive road network: in 1927 there were 7606.8 km. of roads (106 km. every 100 sq. km.).
Civil aviation. – It depends on the Ministry of Public Works, which controls it through a special committee. The service is provided by a single company, the “Danske Luftfarselskab”, which since 1928 has managed the Copenhagen-Hamburg line (daily service) and which in 1930 agreed with the German company “Lufthansa” for the management of the Malmö-Copenhagen line. -Berlin. In 1929, the Copenhagen-Hamburg line covered 504,600 km, carrying 1740 passengers and 35,980 kg. of goods. The main Danish air bases are: Copenhagen, military and customs airfield, with 4 hangars, and military airport (Christianshavn on the island of Seeland); also Aarhus, Kastrup, Toftlund, airports; Aalborg, Esbjerg, Frederikshavn, seaplane base; Odense, Ringsted, makeshift camps.
Denmark has excellent topographic maps: one to 20,000 (Maalebordsblade) in 842 sheets, one to 40,000 in 246 sheets, one to 100,000 in 65 sheets.
There is also a good geological map (Danmarks geologisk Undersøgelse) at 100 thousand.
