Demographics of Denmark
This article is about the demographic features of the population of Denmark, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations, and other aspects of the population.

National demographics
Since 1980, the number of people of Danish descent, defined as having at least one parent who was born in Denmark and has Danish citizenship, has remained constant at around 5 million in Denmark, and nearly all the population growth from 5.1 up to the 2018 total of 5.8 million was due to immigration.[1]
According to 2021 figures from Statistics Denmark, 86%[2][3] of Denmark's population of over 5,840,045 was of Danish descent.[4][2] The remaining 14% were of a foreign background, defined as immigrants or descendants of recent immigrants. With the same definition, the most common countries of origin were Turkey, Poland, Germany, Iraq, Romania, Syria, Somalia, Iran, Afghanistan, and Yugoslavia and its successor states. More than 817,438 individuals (14%)[2][3] are migrants and their descendants (199,668 second generation migrants born in Denmark[3]).
Of these 817,438[2] immigrants and their descendants:
- 294,798 (36.1%)[3] have a Western background (Norway, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, UK, Poland, Romania and Iceland; definition: EU countries, non-EU Nordic countries, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland, Vatican State, Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand).
- 522,640 (63.9%)[3] have a non-Western background (Turkey, Romani, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Thailand and Somalia; all other countries).People of Danish descent as a proportion of the population regionally and nationally in 2021
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1870 | 1,784,741 | — |
1880 | 1,969,039 | +10.3% |
1890 | 2,172,380 | +10.3% |
1901 | 2,449,540 | +12.8% |
1911 | 2,747,076 | +12.1% |
1921 | 3,267,831 | +19.0% |
1930 | 3,550,656 | +8.7% |
1940 | 3,844,312 | +8.3% |
1950 | 4,281,275 | +11.4% |
1960 | 4,585,256 | +7.1% |
1970 | 4,937,579 | +7.7% |
1980 | 5,122,065 | +3.7% |
1990 | 5,135,409 | +0.3% |
2000 | 5,330,020 | +3.8% |
2010 | 5,534,738 | +3.8% |
2020 | 5,822,863 | +5.2% |
Source: Statistics Denmark 2020 estimate[5] |
Ethnic groups
Non-indiginous ethnic minorities include:
- Afghans
- Inuit (Greenlandic) from the territory of Greenland
- Turks
- Arabs (i.e. Palestinians, followed by Moroccans, Syrians, Lebanese, Yemenis, Egyptians, Iraqis and Jordanians)
- Vietnamese
- Thai
- Jews
- Chinese
- Pakistanis (including Pashtuns)
- Iranians
- Somalis
- Ethiopians
- Sudanese
- Indians
- Chileans (the most numerous of Latin American nationalities)
- Bosniaks
- Poles
- Albanians
- Bangladeshis
- Romani people
Historic minorities
Ethnic minorities in Denmark include a handful of groups:
- Approximately 15,000 people[7] in Denmark belong to a German minority traditionally referred to as hjemmetyskere meaning "domestic Germans" in Danish, and as Nordschleswiger in German. This minority of Germans hold Danish citizenship and self-identify as Germans. Many of them speak German or Low German as their home language. There are also several thousand German citizens and other ethnic Germans residing in Denmark with no historical connection to this group.
- An estimated 23,000 people[8] in Denmark proper are ethnic Faroese, while 19,000 Greenlanders reside permanently in Denmark.[9] Many of these use the Faroese and Greenlandic languages, respectively, as their first language. All residents of the Kingdom (viz. Denmark proper, the Faroe Islands and Greenland) holds Danish citizenship, unless they inherit or otherwise receive a foreign citizenship.
- The Danish Jews number around 6,000 in 2020 according to the organisation Jewish Community in Denmark, around 1,700 being card-carrying members of the organisation.[10]
- There are close to 10,000 Romani people in Denmark.[11]
Modern minorities
In the modern minorities counts first-generation immigrants, second-generation (Descendants in Danish statistics classification) and third-generation (Children of descendants in Danish classification). Children of descendants can be either of "Danish origin" (if both of their parents were born in Denmark with Danish citizenship) and of "foreign origin" (if one of their parents is a second-generation immigrant and another first-generation). Therefore, this table included all people of the respective background, people who are classified as of "foreign background" and third-generation immigrants, who classified as of "Danish origin".
Rank | Country of origin[12] | Population (2021)[13] | Population (2022) |
---|---|---|---|
1. | ![]() |
75,072 | 76,295 |
2. | ![]() ![]() |
49,369 | 52,008 |
3. | ![]() |
44,326 | 44,819 |
4. | ![]() ![]() |
35,141 | 36,751 |
5. | ![]() ![]() |
34,997 | 39,406 |
6. | ![]() |
34,217 | 34,703 |
7. | ![]() |
31,175 | 31,721 |
8. | ![]() |
30,435 | 31,082 |
9. | ![]() |
23,449 | 23,564 |
10. | ![]() |
22,408 | 23,113 |
11. | ![]() |
21,338 | 21,427 |
12. | ![]() |
19,957 | 20,370 |
13. | ![]() |
17,651 | 17,859 |
14. | ![]() |
17,481 | 17,574 |
15. | ![]() ![]() |
17,095 | 17,442 |
16. | ![]() |
16,307 | 16,476 |
17. | ![]() |
15,595 | 16,839 |
18. | ![]() ![]() |
15,231 | 15,982 |
19. | ![]() |
15,595 | 16,433 |
20. | ![]() |
14,841 | 15,350 |
Population groups | Year | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1981[14] | 1991[14] | 2001[14] | 2011[14] | 2021[14] | ||||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
![]() |
4,968,337 | 96.96% | 4,920,267 | 95.6% | 4,953,265 | 92.59% | 4,998,111 | 89.88% | 5,022,607 | 86% |
Immigrants | 136,229 | 2.65% | 189,649 | 3.68% | 308,674 | 5.77% | 428,904 | 7.71% | 617,770 | 10.57% |
![]() |
59,808 | 1.16% | 61,279 | 1.19% | 74,565 | 1.39% | 124,092 | 2.23% | 205,731 | 3.52% |
Europe outside EU-27 | 45,148 | 0.88% | 55,797 | 1.08% | 98,042 | 1.83% | 116,300 | 2.09% | 131,189 | 2.24% |
Africa | 5,033 | – | 9,710 | 0.18% | 28,190 | 0.52% | 33,135 | 0.59% | 46,376 | 0.79% |
North America | 6,312 | – | 6,525 | – | 7,008 | – | 9,068 | 0.16% | 10,890 | 0.18% |
South and Central America | 2,987 | – | 4,263 | – | 6,248 | – | 9,826 | 0.17% | 17,430 | 0.29% |
Asia | 16,200 | 0.31% | 50,556 | 0.98% | 91,731 | 1.71% | 133,261 | 2.39% | 202,625 | 3.46% |
Oceania | 571 | – | 811 | – | 1,314 | – | 2,277 | – | 2,905 | – |
Stateless | 9 | – | 373 | – | 367 | – | 480 | – | 352 | – |
Unknown | 170 | – | 335 | – | 1,209 | – | 465 | – | 272 | – |
Descendants | 19,423 | 0.37% | 36,553 | 0.71% | 87,273 | 1.63% | 133,613 | 2.40% | 199,668 | 3.41% |
![]() |
6,763 | 0.13% | 6,949 | 0.13% | 9,679 | 0.18% | 13,097 | 0.23% | 28,273 | 0.48% |
Europe outside EU-27 | 6,831 | 0.13% | 15,302 | 0.29% | 32,237 | 0.60% | 46,291 | 0.83% | 59,309 | 1.01% |
Africa | 895 | – | 2,414 | – | 10,258 | 0.19% | 16,608 | 0.29% | 25,188 | 0.43% |
North America | 985 | – | 926 | – | 1,004 | – | 929 | – | 1,029 | – |
South and Central America | 275 | – | 363 | – | 605 | – | 902 | – | 1,571 | – |
Asia | 3,535 | – | 10,420 | 0.20% | 33,045 | 0.61% | 55,260 | 0.99% | 83,815 | 1.43% |
Oceania | 93 | – | 88 | – | 129 | – | 149 | – | 196 | – |
Stateless | 29 | – | 56 | – | 109 | – | 237 | – | 154 | – |
Unknown | 17 | – | 35 | – | 207 | – | 140 | – | 133 | – |
Total | 5,123,989 | 100% | 5,146,469 | 100% | 5,349,212 | 100% | 5,560,628 | 100% | 5,840,045 | 100% |
Total fertility rate from 1850 to 1899
The total fertility rate is the number of children born per woman. It is based on fairly good data for the entire period. Sources: Our World In Data and Gapminder Foundation.[15]
Year | 1850 | 1851 | 1852 | 1853 | 1854 | 1855 | 1856 | 1857 | 1858 | 1859 | 1860[15] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total fertility rate in Denmark | 4.24 | 4.06 | 4.48 | 4.27 | 4.41 | 4.31 | 4.37 | 4.44 | 4.48 | 4.53 | 4.4 |
Year | 1861 | 1862 | 1863 | 1864 | 1865 | 1866 | 1867 | 1868 | 1869 | 1870[15] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total fertility rate in Denmark | 4.27 | 4.17 | 4.17 | 4.06 | 4.21 | 4.32 | 4.09 | 4.18 | 3.96 | 4.1 |
Year | 1871 | 1872 | 1873 | 1874 | 1875 | 1876 | 1877 | 1878 | 1879 | 1880[15] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total fertility rate in Denmark | 4.06 | 4.09 | 4.16 | 4.17 | 4.31 | 4.4 | 4.36 | 4.27 | 4.3 | 4.28 |
Year | 1881 | 1882 | 1883 | 1884 | 1885 | 1886 | 1887 | 1888 | 1889 | 1890[15] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total fertility rate in Denmark | 4.34 | 4.36 | 4.29 | 4.5 | 4.39 | 4.37 | 4.28 | 4.25 | 4.21 | 4.11 |
Year | 1891 | 1892 | 1893 | 1894 | 1895 | 1896 | 1897 | 1898 | 1899[15] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total fertility rate in Denmark | 4.18 | 4 | 4.16 | 4.1 | 4.09 | 4.11 | 4.02 | 4.08 | 4.01 |
Vital statistics since 1900
Data according to Statistics Denmark, which collects the official statistics for Denmark.[16]
Average population | Live births | Deaths | Nat. change | Crude birth rate (per 1000) | Crude death rate (per 1000) | Nat. change (per 1000) | Total fertility rate[fn 1] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1900 | 2,432,000 | 72,129 | 40,891 | 31,238 | 29.7 | 16.8 | 12.8 | 4.16 |
1901 | 2,463,000 | 73,219 | 38,786 | 34,425 | 29.7 | 15.7 | 14.0 | 4.14 |
1902 | 2,494,000 | 72,839 | 36,424 | 36,391 | 29.2 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 4.05 |
1903 | 2,525,000 | 72,351 | 36,956 | 35,403 | 28.7 | 14.6 | 14.0 | 3.96 |
1904 | 2,546,000 | 73,692 | 35,903 | 37,788 | 28.9 | 14.1 | 14.8 | 3.97 |
1905 | 2,574,000 | 73,082 | 38,598 | 34,484 | 28.4 | 15.0 | 13.4 | 3.87 |
1906 | 2,603,000 | 74,217 | 35,231 | 38,986 | 28.5 | 13.5 | 15.0 | 3.87 |
1907 | 2,635,000 | 74,324 | 37,275 | 37,049 | 28.2 | 14.1 | 14.1 | 3.81 |
1908 | 2,668,000 | 76,233 | 39,072 | 37,161 | 28.6 | 14.6 | 13.9 | 3.83 |
1909 | 2,702,000 | 76,301 | 35,837 | 40,464 | 28.2 | 13.3 | 15.0 | 3.78 |
1910 | 2,737,000 | 75,299 | 35,184 | 40,013 | 27.5 | 12.9 | 14.6 | 3.67 |
1911 | 2,770,000 | 73,933 | 37,236 | 36,697 | 26.7 | 13.4 | 13.2 | 3.60 |
1912 | 2,802,000 | 74,659 | 36,486 | 38,173 | 26.6 | 13.0 | 13.6 | 3.58 |
1913 | 2,833,000 | 72,475 | 35,364 | 37,111 | 25.6 | 12.5 | 13.1 | 3.43 |
1914 | 2,866,000 | 73,294 | 35,921 | 37,373 | 25.6 | 12.5 | 13.0 | 3.42 |
1915 | 2,901,000 | 70,192 | 37,174 | 33,018 | 24.2 | 12.8 | 11.4 | 3.23 |
1916 | 2,936,000 | 71,559 | 39,265 | 32,294 | 24.4 | 13.4 | 11.0 | 3.23 |
1917 | 2,972,000 | 70,306 | 39,224 | 31,082 | 23.7 | 13.2 | 10.5 | 3.11 |
1918 | 3,006,000 | 72,505 | 39,038 | 33,467 | 24.1 | 13.0 | 11.1 | 3.16 |
1919 | 3,041,000 | 68,722 | 39,590 | 29,132 | 22.6 | 13.0 | 9.6 | 2.96 |
1920 | 3,079,000 | 78,230 | 39,841 | 38,389 | 25.4 | 12.9 | 12.5 | 3.29 |
1921 | 3,283,000 | 78,815 | 36,215 | 42,600 | 24.0 | 11.0 | 13.0 | 3.11 |
1922 | 3,318,000 | 73,899 | 39,452 | 34,435 | 22.3 | 11.9 | 10.4 | 2.87 |
1923 | 3,352,000 | 74,827 | 37,903 | 36,924 | 22.3 | 11.3 | 11.0 | 2.85 |
1924 | 3,389,000 | 73,836 | 38,091 | 35,778 | 21.8 | 11.2 | 10.6 | 2.78 |
1925 | 3,425,000 | 71,897 | 37,083 | 34,814 | 21.0 | 10.8 | 10.2 | 2.66 |
1926 | 3,452,000 | 70,734 | 38,093 | 32,641 | 20.5 | 11.0 | 9.5 | 2.58 |
1927 | 3,475,000 | 68,024 | 40,190 | 27,834 | 19.6 | 11.6 | 8.0 | 2.44 |
1928 | 3,497,000 | 68,516 | 38,484 | 30,032 | 19.6 | 11.0 | 8.6 | 2.43 |
1929 | 3,518,000 | 65,297 | 39,486 | 25,913 | 18.6 | 11.2 | 7.4 | 2.30 |
1930 | 3,542,000 | 66,303 | 38,174 | 28,129 | 18.7 | 10.8 | 7.9 | 2.29 |
1931 | 3,569,000 | 64,266 | 40,578 | 23,688 | 18.0 | 11.4 | 6.6 | 2.20 |
1932 | 3,603,000 | 64,650 | 39,701 | 24,949 | 17.9 | 11.0 | 6.9 | 2.17 |
1933 | 3,633,000 | 62,780 | 38,287 | 24,493 | 17.3 | 10.5 | 6.7 | 2.10 |
1934 | 3,666,000 | 65,116 | 38,050 | 27,066 | 17.8 | 10.4 | 7.4 | 2.15 |
1935 | 3,695,000 | 65,223 | 40,816 | 24,407 | 17.7 | 11.0 | 6.6 | 2.12 |
1936 | 3,722,000 | 66,418 | 40,919 | 25,499 | 17.8 | 11.0 | 6.9 | 2.14 |
1937 | 3,749,000 | 67,440 | 40,442 | 26,998 | 18.0 | 10.8 | 7.2 | 2.16 |
1938 | 3,777,000 | 68,463 | 39,058 | 29,407 | 18.1 | 10.3 | 7.8 | 2.18 |
1939 | 3,805,000 | 67,914 | 38,535 | 29,379 | 17.8 | 10.1 | 7.7 | 2.16 |
1940 | 3,832,000 | 70,121 | 39,730 | 30,391 | 18.3 | 10.4 | 7.9 | 2.22 |
1941 | 3,863,000 | 71,306 | 39,756 | 31,550 | 18.5 | 10.3 | 8.2 | 2.24 |
1942 | 3,903,000 | 79,545 | 37,527 | 42,018 | 20.4 | 9.6 | 10.8 | 2.50 |
1943 | 3,949,000 | 84,319 | 37,982 | 46,337 | 21.4 | 9.6 | 11.7 | 2.65 |
1944 | 3,998,000 | 90,641 | 41,087 | 49,554 | 22.7 | 10.3 | 12.4 | 2.84 |
1945 | 4,045,000 | 95,062 | 42,298 | 52,764 | 23.5 | 10.5 | 13.0 | 2.98 |
1946 | 4,101,000 | 96,111 | 42,013 | 54,098 | 23.4 | 10.2 | 13.2 | 3.02 |
1947 | 4,146,000 | 91,714 | 40,043 | 51,671 | 22.1 | 9.7 | 12.5 | 2.90 |
1948 | 4,190,000 | 84,938 | 35,981 | 48,957 | 20.3 | 8.6 | 11.7 | 2.71 |
1949 | 4,230,000 | 79,919 | 37,793 | 42,126 | 18.9 | 8.9 | 10.0 | 2.58 |
1950 | 4,271,000 | 79,558 | 39,300 | 40,258 | 18.6 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 2.57 |
1951 | 4,304,000 | 76,559 | 37,960 | 38,599 | 17.8 | 8.8 | 9.0 | 2.50 |
1952 | 4,334,000 | 76,943 | 39,173 | 37,770 | 17.8 | 9.0 | 8.7 | 2.53 |
1953 | 4,369,000 | 78,261 | 39,350 | 38,911 | 17.9 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 2.60 |
1954 | 4,406,000 | 76,365 | 39,885 | 36,480 | 17.3 | 9.1 | 8.3 | 2.55 |
1955 | 4,439,000 | 76,845 | 38,789 | 38,056 | 17.3 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 2.58 |
1956 | 4,466,000 | 76,725 | 39,588 | 37,137 | 17.2 | 8.9 | 8.3 | 2.61 |
1957 | 4,488,000 | 75,264 | 41,730 | 33,534 | 16.8 | 9.3 | 7.5 | 2.57 |
1958 | 4,515,000 | 74,681 | 41,560 | 33,121 | 16.5 | 9.2 | 7.3 | 2.55 |
1959 | 4,547,000 | 73,928 | 42,159 | 31,769 | 16.3 | 9.3 | 7.0 | 2.52 |
1960 | 4,581,000 | 76,077 | 43,681 | 32,396 | 16.6 | 9.5 | 7.1 | 2.57 |
1961 | 4,610,000 | 76,439 | 43,310 | 33,129 | 16.6 | 9.4 | 7.2 | 2.55 |
1962 | 4,647,000 | 77,808 | 45,334 | 32,474 | 16.7 | 9.8 | 7.0 | 2.58 |
1963 | 4,684,000 | 82,413 | 45,773 | 36,640 | 17.6 | 9.8 | 7.8 | 2.64 |
1964 | 4,720,000 | 83,356 | 46,811 | 36,545 | 17.7 | 9.9 | 7.7 | 2.60 |
1965 | 4,758,000 | 85,796 | 47,884 | 37,912 | 18.0 | 10.1 | 8.0 | 2.61 |
1966 | 4,795,000 | 88,332 | 49,344 | 38,988 | 18.4 | 10.3 | 8.1 | 2.62 |
1967 | 4,836,000 | 81,410 | 47,836 | 33,574 | 16.8 | 9.9 | 6.9 | 2.35 |
1968 | 4,865,000 | 74,543 | 47,290 | 27,253 | 15.3 | 9.7 | 5.6 | 2.12 |
1969 | 4,891,000 | 71,298 | 47,943 | 23,355 | 14.6 | 9.8 | 4.8 | 2.00 |
1970 | 4,951,000 | 70,802 | 48,233 | 22,569 | 14.3 | 9.7 | 4.6 | 1.95 |
1971 | 4,963,000 | 75,359 | 48,858 | 26,501 | 15.2 | 9.8 | 5.3 | 2.04 |
1972 | 4,992,000 | 75,505 | 50,445 | 25,060 | 15.1 | 10.1 | 5.0 | 2.03 |
1973 | 5,022,000 | 71,895 | 50,526 | 21,369 | 14.3 | 10.1 | 4.3 | 1.9170 |
1974 | 5,045,000 | 71,327 | 51,637 | 19,690 | 14.1 | 10.2 | 3.9 | 1.8968 |
1975 | 5,060,000 | 72,071 | 50,895 | 21,176 | 14.2 | 10.1 | 4.1 | 1.9188 |
1976 | 5,073,000 | 65,267 | 54,001 | 11,266 | 12.9 | 10.6 | 2.2 | 1.7472 |
1977 | 5,088,000 | 61,878 | 50,485 | 11,393 | 12.2 | 9.9 | 2.2 | 1.6598 |
1978 | 5,104,000 | 62,036 | 52,864 | 9,172 | 12.2 | 10.4 | 1.8 | 1.6685 |
1979 | 5,117,000 | 59,464 | 54,654 | 4,810 | 11.6 | 10.7 | 0.9 | 1.6016 |
1980 | 5,123,000 | 57,293 | 55,939 | 1,354 | 11.2 | 10.9 | 0.3 | 1.5464 |
1981 | 5,122,000 | 53,089 | 56,359 | -3,270 | 10.4 | 11.0 | -0.6 | 1.4371 |
1982 | 5,118,000 | 52,658 | 55,368 | -2,710 | 10.3 | 10.8 | -0.5 | 1.4273 |
1983 | 5,114,000 | 50,822 | 57,156 | -6,334 | 9.9 | 11.2 | -1.2 | 1.3774 |
1984 | 5,112,000 | 51,800 | 57,109 | -5,309 | 10.1 | 11.2 | -1.0 | 1.4001 |
1985 | 5,114,000 | 53,749 | 58,378 | -4,629 | 10.5 | 11.4 | -0.9 | 1.4472 |
1986 | 5,121,000 | 55,312 | 58,100 | -2,788 | 10.8 | 11.3 | -0.5 | 1.4819 |
1987 | 5,127,000 | 56,221 | 58,136 | -1,915 | 11.0 | 11.3 | -0.4 | 1.4977 |
1988 | 5,130,000 | 58,844 | 58,984 | -127 | 11.5 | 11.5 | -0.0 | 1.5618 |
1989 | 5,133,000 | 61,351 | 59,397 | 2,047 | 12.0 | 11.6 | 0.4 | 1.6212 |
1990 | 5,140,000 | 63,433 | 60,926 | 2,545 | 12.3 | 11.9 | 0.5 | 1.6696 |
1991 | 5,154,000 | 64,358 | 59,581 | 4,777 | 12.5 | 11.6 | 0.9 | 1.6844 |
1992 | 5,170,000 | 67,726 | 60,821 | 6,905 | 13.1 | 11.8 | 1.3 | 1.7648 |
1993 | 5,189,000 | 67,369 | 62,809 | 4,560 | 13.0 | 12.1 | 0.9 | 1.7512 |
1994 | 5,205,000 | 69,666 | 61,099 | 8,567 | 13.4 | 11.7 | 1.6 | 1.8091 |
1995 | 5,228,000 | 69,771 | 63,127 | 6,644 | 13.3 | 12.1 | 1.3 | 1.8097 |
1996 | 5,262,000 | 67,638 | 61,043 | 6,595 | 12.9 | 11.6 | 1.3 | 1.7535 |
1997 | 5,284,000 | 67,648 | 59,898 | 7,750 | 12.8 | 11.3 | 1.5 | 1.7562 |
1998 | 5,301,000 | 66,174 | 58,453 | 7,721 | 12.5 | 11.0 | 1.5 | 1.7252 |
1999 | 5,322,000 | 66,220 | 59,179 | 7,041 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 1.3 | 1.7383 |
2000 | 5,340,000 | 67,084 | 57,998 | 9,086 | 12.6 | 10.9 | 1.7 | 1.7742 |
2001 | 5,359,000 | 65,458 | 58,355 | 7,103 | 12.2 | 10.9 | 1.3 | 1.7450 |
2002 | 5,375,000 | 64,075 | 58,610 | 5,465 | 11.9 | 10.9 | 1.0 | 1.7249 |
2003 | 5,391,000 | 64,599 | 57,574 | 7,025 | 12.0 | 10.7 | 1.3 | 1.7599 |
2004 | 5,405,000 | 64,609 | 55,086 | 9,523 | 12.0 | 10.2 | 1.8 | 1.7852 |
2005 | 5,419,000 | 64,282 | 54,962 | 9,320 | 11.9 | 10.1 | 1.7 | 1.8021 |
2006 | 5,437,000 | 64,984 | 55,477 | 9,507 | 12.0 | 10.2 | 1.7 | 1.8476 |
2007 | 5,461,000 | 64,082 | 55,604 | 8,478 | 11.7 | 10.2 | 1.6 | 1.8435 |
2008 | 5,494,000 | 65,038 | 54,591 | 10,447 | 11.8 | 9.9 | 1.9 | 1.8888 |
2009 | 5,523,000 | 62,818 | 54,872 | 7,946 | 11.4 | 9.9 | 1.4 | 1.8396 |
2010 | 5,548,000 | 63,411 | 54,368 | 9,043 | 11.4 | 9.8 | 1.6 | 1.8712 |
2011 | 5,571,000 | 58,998 | 52,516 | 6,482 | 10.6 | 9.4 | 1.2 | 1.7524 |
2012 | 5,591,000 | 57,916 | 52,325 | 5,591 | 10.4 | 9.4 | 1.0 | 1.7292 |
2013 | 5,614,000 | 55,844 | 52,428 | 3,416 | 9.9 | 9.3 | 0.6 | 1.6687 |
2014 | 5,659,000 | 56,870 | 51,340 | 5,530 | 10.1 | 9.1 | 1.0 | 1.6912 |
2015 | 5,707,000 | 58,205 | 52,555 | 5,650 | 10.2 | 9.2 | 1.0 | 1.7136 |
2016 | 5,749,000 | 61,614 | 52,824 | 8,790 | 10.7 | 9.2 | 1.5 | 1.7854 |
2017 | 5,781,000 | 61,272 | 53,261 | 8,011 | 10.6 | 9.2 | 1.4 | 1.7519 |
2018 | 5,806,000 | 61,476 | 55,232 | 6,244 | 10.6 | 9.5 | 1.1 | 1.7297 |
2019 | 5,823,000 | 61,167 | 53,958 | 7,209 | 10.5 | 9.3 | 1.2 | 1.6994 |
2020 | 5,840,045 | 60,937 | 54,645 | 6,292 | 10.4 | 9.4 | 1.0 | 1.6747 |
2021 | 5,873,420 | 63,473 | 57,152 | 6,321 | 10.8 | 9.7 | 1.1 | 1.7241 |
Note. Population as of 31 December.
In 2021, 79% of all births were to mothers of danish origin, 17% from immigrants and 4% from descendants of immigrants.
Current vital statistics
Period | Live births | Deaths | Natural increase |
---|---|---|---|
January - September 2020 | 46,391 | 40,291 | +6,100 |
January - September 2021 | 47,836 | 41,588 | +6,248 |
Difference | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
- Deaths for January - March 2021 =
14,287
- Deaths for January - March 2022 =
15,942
Life expectancy from 1775 to 2015
Sources: Our World In Data and the United Nations.
1775–1950
Years | 1775 | 1835 | 1836 | 1837 | 1838 | 1839 | 1840 | 1841 | 1842 | 1843 | 1844 | 1845 | 1846 | 1847 | 1848 | 1849 | 1850[18] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Life expectancy in Denmark | 33.0 | 38.4 | 40.0 | 41.5 | 43.1 | 41.9 | 41.1 | 42.6 | 42.5 | 43.9 | 44.0 | 43.4 | 40.4 | 40.4 | 40.8 | 39.5 | 43.5 |

Years | 1851 | 1852 | 1853 | 1854 | 1855 | 1856 | 1857 | 1858 | 1859 | 1860[18] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Life expectancy in Denmark | 44.5 | 43.0 | 38.5 | 44.7 | 46.1 | 46.7 | 42.5 | 40.0 | 44.4 | 45.1 |
Years | 1861 | 1862 | 1863 | 1864 | 1865 | 1866 | 1867 | 1868 | 1869 | 1870[18] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Life expectancy in Denmark | 47.6 | 47.6 | 47.2 | 40.2 | 39.8 | 42.9 | 44.9 | 45.6 | 46.1 | 46.0 |
Years | 1871 | 1872 | 1873 | 1874 | 1875 | 1876 | 1877 | 1878 | 1879 | 1880[18] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Life expectancy in Denmark | 46.1 | 47.2 | 47.5 | 46.0 | 44.4 | 45.8 | 47.3 | 47.5 | 46.2 | 44.8 |
Years | 1881 | 1882 | 1883 | 1884 | 1885 | 1886 | 1887 | 1888 | 1889 | 1890[18] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Life expectancy in Denmark | 48.3 | 46.7 | 48.5 | 48.5 | 49.6 | 49.0 | 48.7 | 46.7 | 47.8 | 47.2 |
Years | 1891 | 1892 | 1893 | 1894 | 1895 | 1896 | 1897 | 1898 | 1899 | 1900[18] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Life expectancy in Denmark | 46.8 | 47.4 | 47.1 | 49.4 | 50.8 | 52.9 | 51.8 | 53.1 | 50.6 | 51.9 |
Years | 1901 | 1902 | 1903 | 1904 | 1905 | 1906 | 1907 | 1908 | 1909 | 1910[18] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Life expectancy in Denmark | 52.6 | 54.7 | 54.8 | 55.7 | 54.3 | 56.5 | 56.1 | 54.9 | 57.4 | 58.0 |
Years | 1911 | 1912 | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 | 1920[18] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Life expectancy in Denmark | 57.0 | 58.0 | 58.9 | 58.5 | 58.4 | 56.9 | 57.3 | 56.3 | 57.0 | 57.6 |
Years | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930[18] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Life expectancy in Denmark | 61.7 | 60.6 | 61.2 | 61.1 | 61.9 | 61.7 | 61.2 | 61.9 | 61.9 | 62.3 |
Years | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940[18] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Life expectancy in Denmark | 61.8 | 62.7 | 63.6 | 64.1 | 62.9 | 63.5 | 64.0 | 65.0 | 65.8 | 66.3 |
Years | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950[18] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Life expectancy in Denmark | 66.0 | 67.1 | 67.4 | 66.4 | 66.1 | 67.2 | 68.5 | 70.1 | 70.1 | 70.3 |
1950–2015
Period | Life expectancy in Years |
Period | Life expectancy in Years |
---|---|---|---|
1950–1955 | 71.1 | 1985–1990 | 74.8 |
1955–1960 | 72.1 | 1990–1995 | 75.2 |
1960–1965 | 72.4 | 1995–2000 | 76.1 |
1965–1970 | 72.9 | 2000–2005 | 77.3 |
1970–1975 | 73.6 | 2005–2010 | 78.6 |
1975–1980 | 74.2 | 2010–2015 | 80.2 |
1980–1985 | 74.4 |
Source: UN World Population Prospects[19]
Religion
The Church of Denmark (Den danske folkekirke) is state-supported and, according to statistics from January 2022, accounts for the religious affiliation of 73.2% of the population.[20] Denmark has had religious freedom guaranteed since 1849 by the Constitution,[21] and numerous other religions are officially recognised,[22] including several Christian denominations, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu and other congregations as well as Forn Siðr, a revival of Scandinavian pagan tradition.[22] The Department of Ecclesiastical Affairs recognises roughly a hundred religious congregations for tax and legal purposes such as conducting wedding ceremonies.
Islam is the second largest religion in Denmark.[23] In 2020, an estimated 4.4% of the Danish population were Muslims.[24]
For historical reasons, there is a formal distinction between 'approved' (godkendte) and 'recognised' (anerkendte) congregations of faith.[22] The latter include 11 traditional denominations, such as Roman Catholics, the Reformed Church, the Mosaic Congregation, Methodists and Baptists, some of whose privileges in the country date hundreds of years back. These have the additional rights of having priests appointed by royal resolution and to christen/name children with legal effect.
Demographic statistics


Population
Denmark's population from 1769. From 1970 registerbased, and as of 1 January; not census.
Year | Population | Year | Population |
---|---|---|---|
1769 | 797,584 | ||
1787 | 841,806 | ||
1801 | 929,001 | ||
1834 | 1,230,964 | ||
1840 | 1,289,075 | ||
1845 | 1,356,877 | ||
1850 | 1,414,648 | ||
1855 | 1,507,222 | ||
1860 | 1,608,362 | ||
1870 | 1,784,741 | ||
1880 | 1,969,039 | ||
1890 | 2,172,380 | ||
1901 | 2,449,540 | ||
1906 | 2,588,919 | ||
1911 | 2,757,076 | ||
1916 | 2,921,362 | ||
1921 | 3,267,831 | ||
1925 | 3,434,555 | ||
1930 | 3,550,656 | ||
1935 | 3,706,349 | ||
1940 | 3,844,312 | ||
1945 | 4,045,232 | ||
1950 | 4,281,275 | ||
1955 | 4,448,401 | ||
1960 | 4,585,256 | ||
1965 | 4,767,597 | ||
1970 | 4,937,579 | ||
1971 | 4,950,598 | ||
1972 | 4,975,653 | ||
1973 | 5,007,538 | ||
1974 | 5,036,184 | ||
1975 | 5,054,410 |
- Source Statistics Denmark, "Folketal efter hovedlandsdele (summariske tal fra folketællinger)" (table FT)[25]
- To curb population decline, Denmark began subsidizing the Do it for Denmark advertising campaign in 2014.
Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2019.[26]
- One birth every 8 minutes
- One death every 9 minutes
- One net migrant every 34 minutes
- Net gain of one person every 24 minutes
Demographic statistics according to the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.[27]
- Population
- 5,809,502 (July 2018 est.)
- Age structure

- 0-14 years: 16.57% (male 493,829 /female 468,548)
- 15-24 years: 12.67% (male 377,094 /female 358,807)
- 25-54 years: 39.03% (male 1,147,196 /female 1,119,967)
- 55-64 years: 12.33% (male 356,860 /female 359,264)
- 65 years and over: 19.42% (male 518,200 /female 609,737) (2018 est.)
- Median age
- total: 41.9 years. Country comparison to the world: 35th
- male: 40.8 years
- female: 42.9 years (2018 est.)
- Birth rate

- 10.9 births/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 178th
- Death rate
- 9.3 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 55th
- Total fertility rate
- 1.78 children born/woman (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 152nd
- Mother's mean age at first birth
- 29.1 years (2015 est.)
- Population growth rate
- 0.59% (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 148th
- Net migration rate
- 2.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) Country comparison to the world: 46th
- Life expectancy at birth
- total population: 81 years (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 34th
- male: 79.1 years (2018 est.)
- female: 83.1 years (2018 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Danish (includes Greenlandic (who are predominantly Inuit) and Faroese) 86.3%, Turkish 1.1%, other 12.6% (largest groups are Polish, Syrian, German, Iraqi, and Romanian) (2018 est.)
note: data represent population by ancestry
- Religions
- Evangelical Lutheran (official) 74.8%, Muslim 5.3%, other (denominations of less than 1% each, include Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Serbian Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Baptist, and Buddhist) 19.9% (2017 est.)
- Dependency ratios
- total dependency ratio: 56 (2015 est.)
- youth dependency ratio: 26.3 (2015 est.)
- elderly dependency ratio: 29.7 (2015 est.)
- potential support ratio: 3.4 (2015 est.)
- Urbanization
- urban population: 87.9% of total population (2018)
- rate of urbanization: 0.51% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
- Major urban areas - population
- 1.321 million COPENHAGEN (capital) (2018)
- Sex ratio
- at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
- 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
- 15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
- 25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
- 55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
- 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
- total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
- School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
- total: 19 years (2014)
- male: 18 years (2014)
- female: 20 years (2014)
- Unemployment, youth ages 15–24
- total: 12% (2016 est.) Country comparison to the world: 109th
- male: 13.1% (2016 est.)
- female: 10.9% (2016 est.)
See also
Notes
- In fertility rates, 2.1 and above is a stable population and have been marked blue, 2 and below leads to an aging population and a reducing population.
References
- Parallelsamfund i Danmark / Økonomisk Analyse nr. 30. Ministry for economic affairs and the interior. February 2018. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
- "IMMIGRANTS AND THEIR DESCENDANTS". Dst.dk. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
- "Population and population projections". Statistics Denmark. Archived from the original on 30 October 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
- Note: Crude migration change (per 1000) is a trend analysis, an extrapolation based average population change (current year minus previous) minus natural change of the current year (see table vital statistics). As average population is an estimate of the population in the middle of the year and not end of the year.
- "Willkommen bei der deutschen Minderheit in Dänemark". Nordschleswig.dk. Archived from the original on 26 March 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - "Dansk jødisk historie". Mosaiske.dk. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- "Romaer til Danmark". Folkedrab.dk. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- Immigrants, Descentants and Children of Descentants
- "Immigrants and Descendants, 1 January 2020". Statistics Denmark.
- "Population 1. January by sex, age, ancestry, country of origin and citizenship – StatBank Denmark – data and statistics". www.statbank.dk. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
- Max Roser (2014), "Total Fertility Rate around the world over the last centuries", Our World In Data, Gapminder Foundation, archived from the original on 2019-01-19, retrieved 2019-01-18
- "Statistikbanken". Statistikbanken.dk. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
- "Live births and deaths by months".
- "Life expectancy". Our World in Data. Retrieved 2018-08-28.
- "World Population Prospects – Population Division – United Nations". Archived from the original on 2016-09-19. Retrieved 2017-07-15.
- Laveste antal udmeldinger af folkekirken i 15 år. News from Statistics Denmark, 17 February 2022.
- "Denmark – Constitution : Part VII – Section 70". Servat.unibe.ch. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
No person shall for reasons of his creed or descent be deprived of access to complete enjoyment of his civic and political rights, nor shall he for such reasons evade compliance with any common civic duty.
- Freedom of religion and religious communities in Denmark Archived 2012-02-05 at the Wayback Machine – The Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs – May 2006. Km.dk
- "Denmark Religions - Demographics". www.indexmundi.com. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
- "Hvor mange muslimer er der i Danmark?". Tjekdet.dk. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- "Statistikbanken". Statistikbanken.dk. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
- "Denmark Population 2019", World Population Review
- "World Factbook EUROPE : DENMARK", The World Factbook, July 12, 2018
This article incorporates public domain material from the CIA World Factbook document: "2009 edition".
External links
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