Denmark

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 2.65 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

strong public-sector TV presence, with Danmarks Radio (DR) operating 6 channels and TV2 operating roughly a half-dozen channels; private stations are available via satellite and cable feed; DR operates 4 FM radio stations, 10 digital audio stations, and 14 web-based radio stations; 140 commercial and 187 community (non-commercial) radio stations (2019)

Internet country code

.dk

Internet users

percent of population: 100% (2024 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 698,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 7.57 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 127 (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

milk, wheat, potatoes, barley, sugar beets, pork, rapeseed, rye, oats, chicken (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on food: 11.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

revenues: $149.393 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $136.662 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Current account balance

$55.901 billion (2024 est.) $40.061 billion (2023 est.) $46.488 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Economic overview

high-income, EU-member, trade-oriented Nordic economy; growth driven by pharmaceuticals, energy, and services; large share of employment in public sector; fixed exchange rate pegged to euro; strong fiscal position and declining public debt; tight labor market mitigated by migrant workers and higher retirement age

Exchange rates

Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 6.894 (2024 est.) 6.89 (2023 est.) 7.076 (2022 est.) 6.287 (2021 est.) 6.542 (2020 est.)

Exports

$299.405 billion (2024 est.) $276.646 billion (2023 est.) $283.37 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

packaged medicine, fish, vaccines, refined petroleum, pork (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Germany 13%, USA 10%, Sweden 9%, Netherlands 7%, China 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$429.457 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 45.5% (2023 est.) government consumption: 22.5% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.6% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.2% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 68% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -59.8% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 0.7% (2024 est.) industry: 24% (2024 est.) services: 64% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

29.3 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.6% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 24.5% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

$252.954 billion (2024 est.) $243.478 billion (2023 est.) $245.07 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

natural gas, cars, garments, packaged medicine, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

Germany 18%, Sweden 11%, Norway 10%, Netherlands 9%, China 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

12% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

wind turbines, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, shipbuilding and refurbishment, iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing, machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing, electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.4% (2024 est.) 3.3% (2023 est.) 7.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

3.21 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

12.4% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

35.3% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$440.558 billion (2024 est.) $424.937 billion (2023 est.) $414.592 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

3.7% (2024 est.) 2.5% (2023 est.) 1.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$73,700 (2024 est.) $71,500 (2023 est.) $70,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

0.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$108.405 billion (2024 est.) $109.371 billion (2023 est.) $96.073 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Taxes and other revenues

31.4% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

5.6% (2024 est.) 5.1% (2023 est.) 4.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 12.1% (2024 est.) male: 12.3% (2024 est.) female: 11.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Coal

consumption: 1.135 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 124,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 1.296 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 20.794 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 35.253 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 16.698 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 19.831 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.825 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 11.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 9.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 57.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 21.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

98.513 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

production: 2.021 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 2.309 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 8.388 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 8.612 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 29.534 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 63,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 151,000 bbl/day (2024 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 441 million barrels (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

29.915 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.54 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 22.535 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 4.841 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Climate

temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers

Environmental issues

air pollution, principally from vehicle and power-plant emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; water pollution from animal wastes and pesticides

Geoparks

total global geoparks and regional networks: 3 (2024) global geoparks and regional networks: Odsherred; South Fyn Archipelago; Vestjylland (2024)

International environmental agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protection

Land use

agricultural land: 65.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 59.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 5.6% (2023 est.) forest: 16% (2023 est.) other: 18.5% (2023 est.)

Methane emissions

energy: 49.7 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 236.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 54.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 5.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

10.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

6 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 382.787 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 45.076 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 506.487 million cubic meters (2022)

Urbanization

urban population: 88.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.54% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.911 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 35.4% (2022 est.)

Area

total : 43,094 sq km land: 42,434 sq km water: 660 sq km note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major islands of Sjaelland and Fyn) but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland

Area - comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts; about two-thirds the size of West Virginia

Climate

temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers

Coastline

7,314 km

Elevation

highest point: Store Mollehoj 171 m lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m mean elevation: 34 m

Geographic coordinates

56 00 N, 10 00 E

Geography - note

composed of the Jutland Peninsula and a group of more than 400 islands (Danish Archipelago); controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater Copenhagen

Irrigated land

2,420 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

total: 141 km border countries (2): Germany 140 km; Canada 1.3 km

Land use

agricultural land: 65.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 59.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 5.6% (2023 est.) forest: 16% (2023 est.) other: 18.5% (2023 est.)

Location

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes several major islands (Sjaelland, Fyn, and Bornholm)

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Natural hazards

flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, fish, arable land, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand

Population distribution

population centers tend to be along coastal areas, particularly in Copenhagen and the eastern side of the country's mainland

Terrain

low and flat to gently rolling plains

Administrative divisions

metropolitan Denmark - 5 regions ( regioner , singular - region ); Hovedstaden (Capital), Midtjylland (Central Jutland), Nordjylland (North Jutland), Sjaelland (Zealand), Syddanmark (Southern Denmark)

Capital

name: Copenhagen geographic coordinates: 55 40 N, 12 35 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October; note - applies to continental Denmark only, not to its North Atlantic components etymology: name derives from the Danish words k ber (merchant or buyer) and havn (harbor or port)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Denmark dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Constitution

history: several previous; latest adopted 5 June 1953 amendment process: proposed by the Folketing (Parliament) with consent of the government; passage requires approval by the next Folketing following a general election, approval by simple majority vote of at least 40% of voters in a referendum, and assent of the chief of state

Country name

conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark conventional short form: Denmark local long form: Kongeriget Danmark local short form: Danmark etymology: the name derives from the words Dane , a tribal name with unclear Germanic origins, and mark , a Danish word that refers to a march (borderland)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth A. HOWERY (since 5 November 2025) embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Kobenhavn 0 mailing address: 5280 Copenhagen Place, Washington DC 20521-5280 telephone: [45] 33-41-71-00 FAX: [45] 35-43-02-23 email address and website: CopenhagenACS@state.gov https://dk.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Jesper M ller S RENSEN (since 15 September 2023) chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470 email address and website: wasamb@um.dk https://usa.um.dk/en consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, Silicon Valley (CA)

Executive branch

chief of state: King FREDERIK X (since 14 January 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Mette FREDERIKSEN (since 27 June 2019) cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the monarch usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister note: Queen MARGRETHE II abdicated on 14 January 2024, the first Danish monarch to voluntarily abdicate since King ERIC III in 1146

Flag

description: red field with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the left history: referred to as the Dannebrog (Danish flag) and is one of the oldest national flags in the world; the origin of the design is unclear; one legend says that the banner fell from the sky during an early-13th-century battle and inspired the royal army to victory; in actuality, the flag may derive from a crusade banner note: Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the Faroe Islands subsequently adopted the shifted-cross design

Government type

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Independence

ca. 965 (unified and Christianized under Harald I GORMSSON); 5 June 1849 (became a parliamentary constitutional monarchy)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the court president and 18 judges) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the monarch upon the recommendation of the Minister of Justice, with the advice of the Judicial Appointments Council, a 6-member independent body of judges and lawyers; judges appointed for life with retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Special Court of Indictment and Revision; 2 High Courts; Maritime and Commercial Court; county courts

Legal system

civil law; judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch

legislature name: Parliament (Folketinget) legislative structure: unicameral chamber name: The Danish Parliament (Folketinget) number of seats: 179 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/1/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Social Democratic Party (50); Liberal Party (Venstre) (23); Moderates (M) (16); Socialist People's Party (SF) (15); Danish Democrats (Æ) (14); Liberal Alliance (14); Conservative People's Party (10); Unity List-Red-Green Alliance (9); Other (24) percentage of women in chamber: 43.6% expected date of next election: October 2026

National anthem(s)

title: "Der er et yndigt land" (There is a Lovely Country) lyrics/music: Adam Gottlob OEHLENSCHLAGER/Hans Ernst KROYER; Johannes EWALD/unknown history: adopted 1844; national anthem _____ title: Kong Christian stod ved h jen mast (King Christian Stood by the Lofty Mast) lyrics/music: Johannes EWALD/unknown history: adopted 1780; one of the oldest royal anthems in the world; used for events when Danish royalty is present; anthem has equal status with the national anthem note: Denmark is one of only two countries that has two national anthems of equal status (New Zealand is the other)

National coat of arms

Denmark s King Frederick VI adopted the national coat of arms in 1819; the crown of King Christian V, who ruled Denmark and Norway from 1670 to 1699, sits atop the shield, symbolizing royal and national authority; the three lions represent a strong and powerful country, with red lily pads in the shape of hearts that stand for strength, valor, and joy

National color(s)

red, white

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 12 (8 cultural, 4 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Denmark: Mounds, Runic Stones, and Church at Jelling (c); Roskilde Cathedral (c); Kronborg Castle (c); Wadden Sea (n); Stevns Klint (n); Christiansfeld, Moravian Church Settlement (c); Par force hunting landscape, North Zealand (c); Greenland: Ilulissat Icefjord (n); Kujataa, Norse and Inuit Farming (c); Aasivissuit Nipisat, Inuit Hunting Ground (c); Viking-Age Ring Fortresses (c); M ns Klint (n) note: includes three sites in Greenland

National holiday

Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) note: closest equivalent to a national holiday

National symbol(s)

lion, mute swan

Political parties

The Alternative or AP Conservative People's Party or DKF or C Danish People's Party or DF or O Denmark Democrats or E Green Left or SF or F (formerly Socialist People's Party or SF or F) Liberal Alliance or LA or I Liberal Party (Venstre) or V Moderates or M New Right Party or NB or D Red-Green Alliance (Unity List) or EL Social Democrats or SDP or A Social Liberal Party or SLP or B

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is part of the general political and economic integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973. The country has opted out of certain elements of the EU's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union and justice and home affairs issues. a 2022 referendum resulted in the removal of Denmark's 30-year opt-out on defense issues, now allowing Denmark to participate fully in the EU's Common Security and Defense Policy.

Military - note

the Danish Armed Forces (Forsvaret) have a variety of missions, including enforcing the country s sovereignty, monitoring Danish waters and airspace, search and rescue, environmental protection, host nation support for alliance partners, international peacekeeping, fulfilling Denmark s commitments to NATO, and providing assistance to the police for border control, guard tasks, air surveillance, and during national disasters and other emergencies NATO has been a cornerstone of Danish security and defense police since it joined in 1949 as one of the organization s original members under the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty); the Forsvaret regularly exercises with NATO allies and participates in a number of NATO missions, including its Enhanced Forward Presence in Eastern Europe, air policing in the Baltics, naval operations in the Baltic Sea and North Atlantic, and an advisory mission in Iraq; the Forsvaret leads NATO s Multinational Division North (inaugurated 2019), a headquarters based in Latvia that supports the defense planning of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and the coordination of regional military activities, including NATO s forward deployed forces; it also takes part in other international missions for Europe and the UN ranging from peacekeeping in Africa to protecting Europe's external borders by patrolling the Mediterranean Sea in support of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency; Denmark is a member of the EU and voted to join the EU s Common Defense and Security Policy in a 2022 referendum; the Forsvaret cooperates closely with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO; established 2009), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden in such areas as armaments, training and exercises, and operations; it also has a joint composite special operations command with Belgium and the Netherlands the Forsvaret has an Arctic Command to protect the sovereignty of Denmark in the Arctic region, including the Faroe Islands and Greenland, and conducts maritime pollution prevention, environmental monitoring, fishery inspections, search and rescue, and hydrographical surveys, plus support to governmental science missions; there is also a joint service Special Operations Command (SOKOM), which includes the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, an elite unit that patrols the most remote parts of northeast Greenland (2025)

Military and security forces

Danish Armed Forces (Forsvaret): Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air Force (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 17,000 active-duty military personnel (2025)

Military deployments

Denmark contributes air, ground, and naval forces to a variety of international missions, including grounds troops to NATO's forward defenses in Latvia (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Danish military inventory is comprised of modern European, Israeli, US, and domestically produced weapons and equipment; the Danish defense industry is active in the production of naval vessels, defense electronics, and subcomponents of larger weapons systems, such as the US F-35 fighter aircraft; the major warships of the Royal Danish Navy are produced domestically (2025)

Military expenditures

3.2% of GDP (2025 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service for men and women; draftees serve 11 months, including five months of basic training, followed by six months in an operational unit (2025) note 1: Denmark has had compulsory military service since 1849; conscripts are chosen by lottery; conscientious objectors can choose to instead serve 6 months in a non-military position, for example in Beredskabsstyrelsen (dealing with non-military disasters like fires, flood, pollution, etc.) or overseas foreign aid work note 2: women have been able serve in all military occupations, including combat arms, since 1988; military conscription was extended to women in June 2025

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.2% (male 496,793/female 471,018) 15-64 years: 62.9% (male 1,903,315/female 1,856,615) 65 years and over: 20.8% (2024 est.) (male 575,153/female 670,242)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 9.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 4.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

9.81 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 18: 0.7% (2021)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

54.3% (2024 est.)

Death rate

10.56 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 57.2 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 24.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 32.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.1 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

6.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 14.2% national budget (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

Danish (includes Greenlandic (who are predominantly Inuit) and Faroese) 84.2%, Turkish 1.1%, other 14.7% (largest groups are Polish, Romanian, Syrian, Ukrainian, German, and Iraqi) (2023 est.) note: data represent population by country of origin

Gross reproduction rate

0.73 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

9.5% of GDP (2022) 17.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.5 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority); note - English is the predominant second language major-language sample(s): Verdens Faktabog, den uundv rlig kilde til grundl ggende oplysninger. (Danish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 82.1 years (2024 est.) male: 80.2 years female: 84.1 years

Major urban areas - population

1.381 million COPENHAGEN (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

total: 42.2 years (2025 est.) male: 41 years female: 43.4 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

29.8 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

noun: Dane(s) adjective: Danish

Net migration rate

7.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

19.7% (2016)

Physician density

7.24 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Population

total: 6,051,491 (2025 est.) male: 3,001,698 female: 3,049,793

Population distribution

population centers tend to be along coastal areas, particularly in Copenhagen and the eastern side of the country's mainland

Population growth rate

0.64% (2025 est.)

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran (official) 71.4%, Muslim 4.3%, other/none/unspecified (denominations include Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Serbian Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Baptist, Buddhist, Church of Jesus Christ, Pentecostal, and nondenominational Christian) 24.3% (2024 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 18 years (2023 est.) male: 18 years (2023 est.) female: 19 years (2023 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 14.3% (2025 est.) male: 14.4% (2025 est.) female: 14.3% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.5 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 88.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.54% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 100,832 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 8,566 (2024 est.)

Airports

102 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

OY

Heliports

29 (2025)

Merchant marine

total: 715 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 15, container ship 132, general cargo 69, oil tanker 107, other 392

Ports

total ports: 69 (2024) large: 1 medium: 2 small: 30 very small: 36 ports with oil terminals: 33 key ports: Abenra, Alborg, Arhus, Assens, Augustenborg, Bandholm, Esbjerg, Faborg, Fredericia, Frederikshavn, Haderslev, Holstebro-Stuer, Kalundborg, Kobenhavn, Kolding, Korsor, Marstal, Middelfart, Naestved, Nakskov, Nyborg, Nykobing, Odense, Randers, Ronne, Rudkobing, Sakskobing, Skagen Havn, Sonderborg, Stubbekobing, Studstrup, Svendborg, Vejle

Railways

total: 2,682 km (2020) 876 km electrified