Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Denmark
Denmark: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) was 5.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Denmark, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Denmark stood at 5.5%.
That represents a change of up 3.2% on the previous year and down 11.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Denmark peaked at 10.7% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 3.7%, in 2008.
Denmark ranks 85th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Denmark, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 9.1% | — |
| 1992 | 9.0% | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 10.7% | +18.7% |
| 1994 | 8.0% | -25.0% |
| 1995 | 7.0% | -13.0% |
| 1996 | 6.8% | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 5.4% | -21.1% |
| 1998 | 5.0% | -6.7% |
| 1999 | 5.1% | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 4.5% | -12.9% |
| 2001 | 4.2% | -7.0% |
| 2002 | 4.3% | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 5.4% | +26.3% |
| 2004 | 5.2% | -3.6% |
| 2005 | 4.8% | -7.2% |
| 2006 | 3.9% | -19.3% |
| 2007 | 3.8% | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 3.7% | -3.1% |
| 2009 | 6.4% | +74.0% |
| 2010 | 7.7% | +20.9% |
| 2011 | 7.8% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 7.8% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 7.4% | -5.3% |
| 2014 | 6.9% | -6.2% |
| 2015 | 6.3% | -9.3% |
| 2016 | 6.0% | -4.6% |
| 2017 | 5.8% | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 5.1% | -12.0% |
| 2019 | 5.0% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 5.6% | +12.5% |
| 2021 | 5.1% | -10.3% |
| 2022 | 4.4% | -12.5% |
| 2023 | 5.1% | +14.9% |
| 2024 | 5.4% | +5.2% |
| 2025 | 5.5% | +3.2% |
Denmark compared with similar countries
- Denmark's 5.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 5.0%, 1.1× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Denmark's 5.5% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.6%, 100% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +74.0% | 3.7% | 6.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.4% | 5.0% | 10.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 4.6% | 3.7% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.6% | 5.0% | 7.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.2% | 4.4% | 5.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Denmark
More education data for Denmark
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 50,935 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 2,888 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 94,481 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 88,072 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 522,143 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 432,238 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.8558 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0723 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Denmark?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Denmark was 5.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 10.7% in 1993.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.7% in 2008.
- How does Denmark rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Denmark ranks 85th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Denmark data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.