Life expectancy at birth oecd in Denmark
Denmark: Life expectancy at birth oecd was 81.5 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
81.5
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
18th
of 49 countries
All-time high
81.6
in 2020
All-time low
72.4
in 1960
Years of data
56
1960–2021
Life expectancy at birth oecd in Denmark, 1960–2021
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Denmark recorded 81.5 for life expectancy at birth oecd in 2021.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and up 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth oecd in Denmark peaked at 81.6 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 72.4, in 1960.
Denmark ranks 18th of 49 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Life expectancy at birth oecd in Denmark, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 72.4 | — |
| 1967 | 72.6 | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 73 | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 73.2 | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 73.3 | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 73.3 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 73.4 | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 73.6 | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 73.9 | +0.4% |
| 1975 | 74.2 | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 73.8 | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 74.7 | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 74.5 | -0.3% |
| 1979 | 74.3 | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 74.2 | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 74.3 | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 74.7 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 74.5 | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 74.7 | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 74.5 | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 74.7 | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 74.8 | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 74.9 | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 74.9 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 74.9 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 75.3 | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 75.3 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 75.2 | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 75.5 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 75.3 | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 75.7 | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 76.1 | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 76.5 | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 76.6 | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 76.9 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 77 | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 77.1 | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 77.4 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 77.8 | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 78.3 | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 78.4 | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 78.4 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 78.8 | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 79 | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 79.3 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 79.9 | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 80.2 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 80.4 | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 80.7 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 80.8 | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 80.9 | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 81.1 | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 81 | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 81.5 | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 81.6 | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 81.5 | -0.1% |
Denmark compared with similar countries
- Denmark's 81.5 is above the median for high income countries, which is 81.4, 1.0× the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Denmark's 81.5 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 81, 1.0× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 72.8 | 72.4 | 73.2 | 4 |
| 1970s | 73.9 | 73.3 | 74.7 | 10 |
| 1980s | 74.62 | 74.2 | 74.9 | 10 |
| 1990s | 75.64 | 74.9 | 76.6 | 10 |
| 2000s | 77.91 | 76.9 | 79 | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.58 | 79.3 | 81.5 | 10 |
| 2020s | 81.55 | 81.5 | 81.6 | 2 |
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 life expectancy at birth oecd in Denmark?
- Life expectancy at birth oecd in Denmark was 81.5 in 2021, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth oecd recorded in Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 81.6 in 2020.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth oecd recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was 72.4 in 1960.
- How does Denmark rank for life expectancy at birth oecd?
- Denmark ranks 18th out of 49 countries with data for 2021.
- Is life expectancy at birth oecd rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.0%. 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 Life expectancy at birth oecd. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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