Population and Demographics of Denmark
An aging population · 20.87% aged 65 or older in 2024
Denmark's latest population change is +0.49% a year, with the 2050 medium scenario above the 2024 total. At 1.5 children per woman, fertility adds context to a population in which 63.43% are aged 15 to 64. The medium projection reaches 6.12 million in 2050, placing the mid-century total 2.5% above 2024.
Population Over Time in Denmark
Denmark's population stood at 5.340M in 2000 and 5.977M in 2024, equivalent to a +11.9% change over that period. The UN medium projection places 2050 at 6.125M, about 2.5% above the 2024 reference point. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
Age composition is an important part of Denmark's demographic picture in 2024. People aged 65 or older account for 20.87% of the population, versus 15.70% under age 15; 63.43% are 15 to 64. Older adults outnumber children in these broad age bands.
Population by broad age group
Denmark's 2024 population is 50.3% female and 49.7% male in the World Bank series. The split is close to even.
Female and male population share
Females made up 50.3% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 49.7% males.
What Is Shaping Population Change
Current momentum in Denmark combines +0.49% population change with fertility at 1.5, within a population where the under-15 and 65-plus shares differ by 5.17 percentage points.
The 2024 total in Denmark stands 11.9% above the 2000 reference, and the 2050 medium path differs from 2024 by +2.5%; interpreting the components of that change requires evidence not supplied by the aggregate series.
2024 estimate for Denmark. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
Denmark vs. World
The world comparison highlights three contrasts for Denmark. Annual change is +0.49% versus +0.87% globally, fertility is 1.5 versus 2.25, and median age is 41 versus 30.6 years.
| Indicator | Denmark | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +0.49% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 1.5 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 41 | 30.6 | 2024 |
All three comparison rows use 2024 values from the same harmonized country table. That table attributes its demographic series to UN World Population Prospects 2024, so no different-year values are mixed into this comparison.
Key Takeaways
The 2024 total is 5,977,412 people. Annual change in the same harmonized table is +0.49%.
The 2024 age structure is 15.70% under 15, 63.43% aged 15 to 64 and 20.87% aged 65 or older.
The World Bank 2024 sex-share series is 50.3% female and 49.7% male.
On the medium path, 2050 reaches 6.125M, a +2.5% shift from the 2024 level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Denmark?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for Denmark is 5,977,412 people.
Is the population of Denmark growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, Denmark's population is growing, with annual change of +0.49%.
What percentage of the population of Denmark is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 20.87% of Denmark's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of Denmark in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts Denmark's 2050 population at 6,124,838.
What is the fertility rate in Denmark?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for Denmark is 1.5 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.