Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Denmark
Denmark: Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth was 3.84 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
3.84
Change on year
up 2.4%
World rank
191st
of 236 countries
All-time high
6.21
in 1979
All-time low
1.33
in 1869
Years of data
189
1835–2023
Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Denmark, 1835–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Denmark stood at 3.84.
That represents a change of up 2.4% on the previous year and down 4.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Denmark peaked at 6.21 in 1979 and was at its lowest, 1.33, in 1869.
That places Denmark 191st out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 189 years of available data.
Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Denmark, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1835 | 3.55 | — |
| 1836 | 3.17 | -10.7% |
| 1837 | 3.1 | -2.2% |
| 1838 | 2.5 | -19.4% |
| 1839 | 1.59 | -36.4% |
| 1840 | 2.52 | +58.5% |
| 1841 | 1.77 | -29.8% |
| 1842 | 3.07 | +73.4% |
| 1843 | 2.49 | -18.9% |
| 1844 | 2.22 | -10.8% |
| 1845 | 2.47 | +11.3% |
| 1846 | 2.44 | -1.2% |
| 1847 | 2.42 | -0.8% |
| 1848 | 2.96 | +22.3% |
| 1849 | 4.01 | +35.5% |
| 1850 | 3.27 | -18.5% |
| 1851 | 3.31 | +1.2% |
| 1852 | 2.71 | -18.1% |
| 1853 | 2.53 | -6.6% |
| 1854 | 3.07 | +21.3% |
| 1855 | 1.92 | -37.5% |
| 1856 | 2.15 | +12.0% |
| 1857 | 1.83 | -14.9% |
| 1858 | 2.05 | +12.0% |
| 1859 | 2.41 | +17.6% |
| 1860 | 1.74 | -27.8% |
| 1861 | 2.74 | +57.5% |
| 1862 | 1.82 | -33.6% |
| 1863 | 1.92 | +5.5% |
| 1864 | 2.5 | +30.2% |
| 1865 | 1.92 | -23.2% |
| 1866 | 1.46 | -24.0% |
| 1867 | 1.77 | +21.2% |
| 1868 | 1.62 | -8.5% |
| 1869 | 1.33 | -17.9% |
| 1870 | 1.93 | +45.1% |
| 1871 | 1.76 | -8.8% |
| 1872 | 1.34 | -23.9% |
| 1873 | 1.34 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 2.66 | +98.5% |
| 1875 | 1.9 | -28.6% |
| 1876 | 1.92 | +1.1% |
| 1877 | 1.94 | +1.0% |
| 1878 | 1.52 | -21.6% |
| 1879 | 2.15 | +41.4% |
| 1880 | 1.89 | -12.1% |
| 1881 | 1.96 | +3.7% |
| 1882 | 1.84 | -6.1% |
| 1883 | 2.11 | +14.7% |
| 1884 | 1.67 | -20.9% |
| 1885 | 2.4 | +43.7% |
| 1886 | 1.64 | -31.7% |
| 1887 | 1.94 | +18.3% |
| 1888 | 1.88 | -3.1% |
| 1889 | 2.62 | +39.4% |
| 1890 | 2.32 | -11.5% |
| 1891 | 2.19 | -5.6% |
| 1892 | 2.82 | +28.8% |
| 1893 | 2.42 | -14.2% |
| 1894 | 2.33 | -3.7% |
| 1895 | 2.64 | +13.3% |
| 1896 | 3.24 | +22.7% |
| 1897 | 3.12 | -3.7% |
| 1898 | 2.94 | -5.8% |
| 1899 | 3.48 | +18.4% |
| 1900 | 3.32 | -4.6% |
| 1901 | 3.77 | +13.6% |
| 1902 | 3.07 | -18.6% |
| 1903 | 3.12 | +1.6% |
| 1904 | 3.43 | +9.9% |
| 1905 | 2.81 | -18.1% |
| 1906 | 3.04 | +8.2% |
| 1907 | 2.78 | -8.6% |
| 1908 | 2.84 | +2.2% |
| 1909 | 3.02 | +6.3% |
| 1910 | 3.2 | +6.0% |
| 1911 | 3.44 | +7.5% |
| 1912 | 2.69 | -21.8% |
| 1913 | 2.49 | -7.4% |
| 1914 | 3.29 | +32.1% |
| 1915 | 2.98 | -9.4% |
| 1916 | 3.25 | +9.1% |
| 1917 | 2.46 | -24.3% |
| 1918 | 2.14 | -13.0% |
| 1919 | 1.63 | -23.8% |
| 1920 | 1.51 | -7.4% |
| 1921 | 1.53 | +1.3% |
| 1922 | 1.41 | -7.8% |
| 1923 | 1.79 | +27.0% |
| 1924 | 1.92 | +7.3% |
| 1925 | 1.49 | -22.4% |
| 1926 | 1.72 | +15.4% |
| 1927 | 1.34 | -22.1% |
| 1928 | 1.82 | +35.8% |
| 1929 | 1.59 | -12.6% |
| 1930 | 1.91 | +20.1% |
| 1931 | 2.02 | +5.8% |
| 1932 | 1.48 | -26.7% |
| 1933 | 1.71 | +15.5% |
| 1934 | 2.13 | +24.6% |
| 1935 | 1.92 | -9.9% |
| 1936 | 2.16 | +12.5% |
| 1937 | 2.41 | +11.6% |
| 1938 | 2.14 | -11.2% |
| 1939 | 2.24 | +4.7% |
| 1940 | 1.91 | -14.7% |
| 1941 | 2.2 | +15.2% |
| 1942 | 2.03 | -7.7% |
| 1943 | 1.98 | -2.5% |
| 1944 | 1.99 | +0.5% |
| 1945 | 2.22 | +11.6% |
| 1946 | 1.8 | -18.9% |
| 1947 | 2.21 | +22.8% |
| 1948 | 2.73 | +23.5% |
| 1949 | 2.55 | -6.6% |
| 1950 | 2.42 | -5.0% |
| 1951 | 2.45 | +1.0% |
| 1952 | 2.76 | +12.9% |
| 1953 | 2.59 | -6.1% |
| 1954 | 2.92 | +12.6% |
| 1955 | 3.07 | +5.3% |
| 1956 | 3.31 | +7.7% |
| 1957 | 3.33 | +0.6% |
| 1958 | 3.54 | +6.4% |
| 1959 | 3.29 | -7.3% |
| 1960 | 3.56 | +8.3% |
| 1961 | 3.82 | +7.4% |
| 1962 | 4.12 | +7.8% |
| 1963 | 4.07 | -1.2% |
| 1964 | 4.51 | +10.8% |
| 1965 | 4.45 | -1.2% |
| 1966 | 4.58 | +2.7% |
| 1967 | 4.73 | +3.5% |
| 1968 | 4.79 | +1.2% |
| 1969 | 4.84 | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 5.05 | +4.3% |
| 1971 | 5.36 | +6.0% |
| 1972 | 5.41 | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 5.56 | +2.8% |
| 1974 | 5.88 | +5.8% |
| 1975 | 5.72 | -2.7% |
| 1976 | 5.77 | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 5.95 | +3.1% |
| 1978 | 5.91 | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 6.21 | +5.1% |
| 1980 | 6 | -3.3% |
| 1981 | 6.11 | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 6.05 | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 6.1 | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 5.97 | -2.2% |
| 1985 | 5.95 | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 5.76 | -3.1% |
| 1987 | 6.04 | +4.8% |
| 1988 | 5.59 | -7.4% |
| 1989 | 5.77 | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 5.71 | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 5.5 | -3.6% |
| 1992 | 5.41 | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 5.17 | -4.3% |
| 1994 | 5.32 | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 5.11 | -3.9% |
| 1996 | 5.21 | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 4.91 | -5.7% |
| 1998 | 4.93 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 4.68 | -5.1% |
| 2000 | 4.68 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 4.54 | -3.0% |
| 2002 | 4.54 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 4.71 | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 4.69 | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 4.5 | -4.1% |
| 2006 | 4.61 | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 4.4 | -4.6% |
| 2008 | 4.43 | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 4.2 | -5.4% |
| 2010 | 4.22 | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 4.12 | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 3.96 | -3.8% |
| 2013 | 4.02 | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 4.1 | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 3.92 | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 3.85 | -1.7% |
| 2017 | 4.03 | +4.7% |
| 2018 | 3.94 | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 3.99 | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 3.92 | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 3.73 | -5.0% |
| 2022 | 3.75 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 3.84 | +2.4% |
Denmark compared with similar countries
- Denmark's 3.84 is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.98, 77% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Denmark's 3.84 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.4, 71% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Denmark changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1874 | +98.5% | 1.34 | 2.66 |
| 1842 | +73.4% | 1.77 | 3.07 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1830s | 2.78 | 1.59 | 3.55 | 5 |
| 1840s | 2.64 | 1.77 | 4.01 | 10 |
| 1850s | 2.52 | 1.83 | 3.31 | 10 |
| 1860s | 1.88 | 1.33 | 2.74 | 10 |
| 1870s | 1.85 | 1.34 | 2.66 | 10 |
| 1880s | 1.99 | 1.64 | 2.62 | 10 |
| 1890s | 2.75 | 2.19 | 3.48 | 10 |
| 1900s | 3.12 | 2.78 | 3.77 | 10 |
| 1910s | 2.76 | 1.63 | 3.44 | 10 |
| 1920s | 1.61 | 1.34 | 1.92 | 10 |
| 1930s | 2.01 | 1.48 | 2.41 | 10 |
| 1940s | 2.16 | 1.8 | 2.73 | 10 |
| 1950s | 2.97 | 2.42 | 3.54 | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.35 | 3.56 | 4.84 | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.68 | 5.05 | 6.21 | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.94 | 5.59 | 6.11 | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.19 | 4.68 | 5.71 | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.53 | 4.2 | 4.71 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.01 | 3.85 | 4.22 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.81 | 3.73 | 3.92 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Denmark
More health data for Denmark
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -3.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.1019 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 31 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.4524 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0247 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.4338 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.026 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Denmark?
- Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Denmark was 3.84 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest difference in female and male life expectancy at birth recorded in Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 6.21 in 1979.
- What is the lowest difference in female and male life expectancy at birth recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.33 in 1869.
- How does Denmark rank for difference in female and male life expectancy at birth?
- Denmark ranks 191st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is difference in female and male life expectancy at birth rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Denmark data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 189 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).