Population growth in Denmark
From 1960 to 2021 the population of Denmark increased from 4.58 million to 5.86 million people. This is a growth of 27.9 percent in 61 years. The highest increase in Denmark was recorded in 1966 with 0.81 percent. The biggest decrease in 1982 with -0.07 percent.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 160.2 percent.
The average age in Denmark rose by 1.05 years from 2012 to 2021 from 40.95 to 42.00 years (median value).
Around 88 percent of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 0.6 percent annually.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
Back to overview: Denmark
Population development in Denmark since 1960
(Data in millions of inhabitants) On average, 2.0 people live together per household in Denmark.| Year | Population Denmark | Change Denmark | Birth rate | Death rate | Population World | Change World | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 4.61 M | 0.70 % | 16.6 ‰ | 9.4 ‰ | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |
| 1962 | 4.65 M | 0.78 % | 16.7 ‰ | 9.8 ‰ | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |
| 1963 | 4.68 M | 0.79 % | 17.6 ‰ | 9.8 ‰ | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |
| 1964 | 4.72 M | 0.80 % | 17.7 ‰ | 9.9 ‰ | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |
| 1965 | 4.76 M | 0.78 % | 18.0 ‰ | 10.1 ‰ | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |
| 1966 | 4.80 M | 0.81 % | 18.4 ‰ | 10.3 ‰ | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |
| 1967 | 4.84 M | 0.79 % | 16.8 ‰ | 9.9 ‰ | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |
| 1968 | 4.86 M | 0.61 % | 15.3 ‰ | 9.7 ‰ | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |
| 1969 | 4.89 M | 0.55 % | 14.6 ‰ | 9.8 ‰ | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |
| 1970 | 4.93 M | 0.75 % | 14.4 ‰ | 9.8 ‰ | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |
| 1971 | 4.96 M | 0.70 % | 15.2 ‰ | 9.8 ‰ | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |
| 1972 | 4.99 M | 0.57 % | 15.1 ‰ | 10.1 ‰ | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |
| 1973 | 5.02 M | 0.61 % | 14.3 ‰ | 10.1 ‰ | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |
| 1974 | 5.05 M | 0.47 % | 14.1 ‰ | 10.2 ‰ | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |
| 1975 | 5.06 M | 0.29 % | 14.2 ‰ | 10.1 ‰ | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |
| 1976 | 5.07 M | 0.25 % | 12.9 ‰ | 10.6 ‰ | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |
| 1977 | 5.09 M | 0.31 % | 12.2 ‰ | 9.9 ‰ | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1978 | 5.10 M | 0.31 % | 12.2 ‰ | 10.4 ‰ | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1979 | 5.12 M | 0.25 % | 11.6 ‰ | 10.7 ‰ | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |
| 1980 | 5.12 M | 0.12 % | 11.2 ‰ | 10.9 ‰ | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1981 | 5.12 M | -0.03 % | 10.4 ‰ | 11.0 ‰ | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |
| 1982 | 5.12 M | -0.07 % | 10.3 ‰ | 10.8 ‰ | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |
| 1983 | 5.11 M | -0.07 % | 9.9 ‰ | 11.2 ‰ | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1984 | 5.11 M | -0.05 % | 10.1 ‰ | 11.2 ‰ | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1985 | 5.11 M | 0.04 % | 10.5 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1986 | 5.12 M | 0.13 % | 10.8 ‰ | 11.3 ‰ | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |
| 1987 | 5.13 M | 0.13 % | 11.0 ‰ | 11.3 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1988 | 5.13 M | 0.05 % | 11.5 ‰ | 11.5 ‰ | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |
| 1989 | 5.13 M | 0.06 % | 12.0 ‰ | 11.6 ‰ | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |
| 1990 | 5.14 M | 0.16 % | 12.3 ‰ | 11.9 ‰ | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |
| 1991 | 5.15 M | 0.26 % | 12.5 ‰ | 11.6 ‰ | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |
| 1992 | 5.17 M | 0.33 % | 13.1 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |
| 1993 | 5.19 M | 0.33 % | 13.0 ‰ | 12.1 ‰ | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |
| 1994 | 5.21 M | 0.34 % | 13.4 ‰ | 11.7 ‰ | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |
| 1995 | 5.23 M | 0.52 % | 13.3 ‰ | 12.1 ‰ | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |
| 1996 | 5.26 M | 0.57 % | 12.9 ‰ | 11.6 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
| 1997 | 5.28 M | 0.42 % | 12.8 ‰ | 11.3 ‰ | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |
| 1998 | 5.30 M | 0.36 % | 12.5 ‰ | 11.0 ‰ | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |
| 1999 | 5.32 M | 0.33 % | 12.4 ‰ | 11.1 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
| 2000 | 5.34 M | 0.33 % | 12.6 ‰ | 10.9 ‰ | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |
| 2001 | 5.36 M | 0.36 % | 12.2 ‰ | 10.9 ‰ | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |
| 2002 | 5.38 M | 0.32 % | 11.9 ‰ | 10.9 ‰ | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |
| 2003 | 5.39 M | 0.27 % | 12.0 ‰ | 10.7 ‰ | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |
| 2004 | 5.40 M | 0.26 % | 12.0 ‰ | 10.3 ‰ | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |
| 2005 | 5.42 M | 0.28 % | 11.9 ‰ | 10.1 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | |
| 2006 | 5.44 M | 0.33 % | 12.0 ‰ | 10.2 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2007 | 5.46 M | 0.44 % | 11.7 ‰ | 10.2 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2008 | 5.49 M | 0.59 % | 11.8 ‰ | 9.9 ‰ | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2009 | 5.52 M | 0.54 % | 11.4 ‰ | 9.9 ‰ | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2010 | 5.55 M | 0.45 % | 11.4 ‰ | 9.8 ‰ | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2011 | 5.57 M | 0.41 % | 10.6 ‰ | 9.4 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2012 | 5.59 M | 0.38 % | 10.4 ‰ | 9.4 ‰ | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2013 | 5.61 M | 0.42 % | 10.0 ‰ | 9.3 ‰ | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2014 | 5.64 M | 0.51 % | 10.1 ‰ | 9.1 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2015 | 5.68 M | 0.71 % | 10.2 ‰ | 9.2 ‰ | 7,405 M | 1.97 % | |
| 2016 | 5.73 M | 0.78 % | 10.8 ‰ | 9.2 ‰ | 7,492 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2017 | 5.76 M | 0.65 % | 10.6 ‰ | 9.2 ‰ | 7,578 M | 1.15 % | |
| 2018 | 5.79 M | 0.50 % | 10.6 ‰ | 9.5 ‰ | 7,662 M | 1.10 % | |
| 2019 | 5.81 M | 0.36 % | 10.5 ‰ | 9.3 ‰ | 7,743 M | 1.06 % | |
| 2020 | 5.83 M | 0.29 % | 10.4 ‰ | 9.4 ‰ | 7,821 M | 1.01 % | |
| 2021 | 5.86 M | 0.43 % | 10.8 ‰ | 9.8 ‰ | 7,888 M | 0.86 % |
Birth and death rate in Denmark
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. For example, the year 2021 in the graph: The population in Denmark increased by about 25,300 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 9.8 per 1,000 people (~ 57,100 deaths) and the birth rate was 10.8 per 1,000 people (~ 63,000 births). As a result, around 19,400 inhabitants have to be added by migration from other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 53,548 in Denmark. The number of births was 59,861 annually.
The changes in births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Birth rate Death rate
Comparison of the global population density
Quality of life 2023 in country comparison
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