Fishing. – Fishing provided work for 1.2% of the population in 1925. Although Denmark is a marine nation, it has no specialized fleet; it is therefore only fished with small motor boats and generally in coastal waters. The 1926 campaign yielded 76 million kg. of fish for a value of 36 million crowns for the pleuronectids alone, and of 25 mil. kg. (value 15 mil. crowns) of cod (Gadus morrhua), 28 mil. kg. of hake (Gadus aeglefinus) for a value of 7 mil. of crowns, 15 mil. kg. of herring and mackerel (value 15 million crowns); 4.5 mil. kg. of eels (value 6.5 million crowns). There are also lobsters and shrimps; in the Lim fjord fishing for oysters is exploited. The export (mostly to England and Germany) far exceeds the import (especially of salted fish from Faroe, Iceland and Norway). In 1925 the export amounted to 25 mil. of crowns, the import to only 5 million.
Minerals. – According to topschoolsintheusa, Denmark is very poor in minerals. Jurassic coal from Bornholm and tertiary coal from Jütland have little economic value due to their large water and ash content: they were also used during the World War. Even the production of peat increased substantially during that time (1918: 2, 1 / 4mil. of tons, i.e. 31% of total fuels in Denmark) and was successfully used in industry; now it serves almost exclusively for household purposes. Instead, the production of limestone and clay is quite important; the lime of the Stevns bryozoans is used for building stones, while the other qualities of clay are used for furnaces (calcina). Senonian clay is mainly used for the manufacture of cement, and is excavated for this purpose near Aalborg and in the Mariager Fjord. In 1926 there were 51 lime and clay quarries, with a production of about 5 mil. of crowns, while the seven cement factories produced 569 million kg. of cement for a value of 21.4 mil. of crowns; 10 mil. of these represented the value of the exported goods. The numerous species of tertiary and quaternary clay form the basis for the brick industry. In 1926 there were 272 kilns, which produced goods worth 30 mil. of crowns. Bornholm kaolin is not pure enough for porcelain making; however, it works together with clay for the local pottery industry. The clay from the Mors island is used for the manufacture of light bricks. The granite found in Bornholm is used for paving and as a building stone. Mors island is used for the manufacture of light bricks. The granite found in Bornholm is used for paving and as a building stone. Mors island is used for the manufacture of light bricks. The granite found in Bornholm is used for paving and as a building stone.
Industry. – According to the tables of 1921, industries and trades supported 28% of the entire population; employers and workers amounted to 942,234 people. In 1870 the percentage was 20% and the workers formed the great majority. The development of industries is also continuously increasing in Denmark. Those that use agricultural products are more important. There is also a growing tendency to work with imported raw materials; this development is facilitated by prices, which, due to sea transport, are relatively low. On the other hand, industries are damaged by the fact that Denmark is even invaded by foreign products. They come from countries abundant in raw materials and can be sold at low prices due to the lack of protective duties. Agriculture, which is the country’s greatest asset, requires free trade and Denmark has enjoyed it for a century. Since Denmark has neither the coal nor the hydraulic power needed by the industries, large quantities of coal have to be imported.
The most important groups of industries, divided according to the number of their workers, are the following:
The first group includes especially the industries which employ the raw materials of agriculture, namely mills, bakeries, sugar refineries, breweries and spirits, dairies, slaughterhouses, etc., as well as the margarine and tobacco industries. The latter two employ 1322 and 7615 workers respectively and work with imported raw materials. It is remarkable that oil mills export oil but not waste products, which are fed to livestock. The clothing group includes tailors and the like, but not the textile industry which employs 10,523 people in 6252 businesses. The great development of the metallurgical industry is based on the fact that agricultural and nautical machinery, as well as the ships themselves, are manufactured in Denmark; and motor ships of domestic manufacture are especially appreciated. The country also stands out for its chemicals and the leather and paper industries. The art porcelain industry is also worthy of special mention.
