Did you know?
| indicator | value | unit |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5.8 | mil. |
| Visitors per year | 20.6 | mil. |
| Renewable energy | 24.4 | % |
How’s Life?
Denmark performs well in many dimensions of well-being relative to most countries in the Better Life Index. Denmark outperforms the average in jobs, education, health, environmental quality, social connections, civic engagement and life satisfaction. These assessments are based on available selected data.
Money, while it cannot buy happiness, is an important means to achieving higher living standards. In Denmark, the average household net-adjusted disposable income per capita is USD 33 774 a year, more than the OECD average of USD 30 490 a year.
In terms of employment, about 74% of people aged 15 to 64 in Denmark have a paid job, above the OECD employment average of 66%. Some 77% of men are in paid work, compared with 71% of women. In Denmark, 1% of employees work very long hours in paid work, much below the OECD average of 10%, with 2% of men working very long hours in paid work compared with almost 0% of women.
Good education and skills are important requisites for finding a job. In Denmark, 82% of adults aged 25-64 have completed upper secondary education, higher than the OECD average of 79%. However, completion varies between men and women, as 80% of men have successfully completed high school compared with 83% of women. In terms of the quality of the education system, the average student scored 501 in reading literacy, maths and science in the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). This score is higher than the OECD average of 488. On average in Denmark, girls outperformed boys by 9 points, above the average OECD gap of 5 points.
In terms of health, life expectancy at birth in Denmark is around 82 years, one year higher than the OECD average of 81 years. Life expectancy for women is 86 years, compared with 79 for men. The level of atmospheric PM2.5 – tiny air pollutant particles small enough to enter and cause damage to the lungs – is 10 micrograms per cubic meter, below the OECD average of 14 micrograms per cubic meter. In Denmark, 93% of people say they are satisfied with the quality of their water, higher than the OECD average of 84%.
Concerning the public sphere, there is a strong sense of community and high levels of civic participation in Denmark, where 95% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in time of need, more than the OECD average of 91%. Voter turnout, a measure of citizens' participation in the political process, was 85% during recent elections, higher than the OECD average of 69%. Social and economic status can affect voting rates; voter turnout for the top 20% of the population is an estimated 87% and for the bottom 20% it is an estimated 83%.
When asked to rate their general satisfaction with life on a scale from 0 to 10, Danes gave it a 7.5 grade on average, higher than the OECD average of 6.7.
For more information on estimates and years of reference, see FAQ section and BLI database.
Topics
OECD in Action
OECD Economic Surveys: Denmark
OECD’s periodic surveys of the Danish economy. Each edition surveys the major challenges faced by the country, evaluates the short-term outlook, and makes specific policy recommendations. Special chapters take a more detailed look at specific challenges. Extensive statistical information is included in charts and graphs.
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Denmark in Detail
Housing – Denmark expand
Key Findings
Living in satisfactory housing conditions is one of the most important aspects of people's lives. Housing is essential to meet basic needs, such as shelter, but it is not just a question of four walls and a roof. Housing should offer a place to sleep and rest where people feel safe and have privacy and personal space; somewhere they can raise a family. All of these elements help make a house a home. And of course there is the question whether people can afford adequate housing.
Housing costs take up a large share of the household budget and represent the largest single expenditure for many individuals and families, by the time you add up elements such as rent, gas, electricity, water, furniture or repairs. In Denmark, households on average spend 23% of their gross adjusted disposable income on keeping a roof over their heads, above the OECD average of 20%.
In addition to housing costs it is also important to examine living conditions, such as the average number of rooms shared per person and whether households have access to basic facilities. The number of rooms in a dwelling, divided by the number of persons living there, indicates whether residents are living in crowded conditions. Overcrowded housing may have a negative impact on physical and mental health, relations with others and children's development. In addition, dense living conditions are often a sign of inadequate water and sewage supply. In Denmark, the average home contains 1.9 rooms per person, more than the OECD average of 1.7 rooms per person. In terms of basic facilities, 99.5% of dwellings in Denmark contain private access to an indoor flushing toilet, more than the OECD average of 97%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Decent housing in old age
Danish housing benefits help pensioners maintain a decent standard of living into old age. The benefit does not take wealth into account and pensioners who own their home are still eligible. If the beneficiary owns their home the supplement is provided on a loan basis, which must be paid back if their home is sold. The maximum benefit for old age pensioners reached DKK 44 844 per year in 2015, compared to the standard benefit of DKK 41 928.
Old age pensioners may also qualify for a separate heating supplement. The heating supplement is means-tested against income, excluding wealth, to support those that need it most. Nearly 290 000 old age pensioners received the housing benefit and 167 000 received the heating supplement in 2013.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-beingIndicators
Income – Denmark expand
Key Findings
While money may not buy happiness, it is an important means to achieving higher living standards and thus greater well-being. Higher economic wealth may also improve access to quality education, health care and housing.
Household net adjusted disposable income is the amount of money that a household earns each year after taxes and transfers. It represents the money available to a household for spending on goods or services. In Denmark, the average household net adjusted disposable income per capita is USD 33 774 a year, higher than the OECD average of USD 30 490.
Household net wealth is the total value of a household's financial and non-financial worth, such as money or shares held in bank accounts, the principal residence, other real estate properties, vehicles, valuables and other non-financial assets (e.g other consumer durables). In Denmark, the average household net wealth is estimated at USD 149 864, lower than the OECD average of USD 323 960.
For more information on estimates and years of reference, see FAQ section and BLI database.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-beingIndicators
Jobs – Denmark expand
Key Findings
Having a job brings many important benefits, including: providing a source of income, improving social inclusion, fulfilling one's own aspirations, building self-esteem and developing skills and competencies. In Denmark, 74% of the working-age population aged 15 to 64 has a paid job. This figure is higher than the OECD employment average of 66%.
Unemployed persons are defined as those who are not currently working but are willing to do so and actively searching for work. Long-term unemployment can have a large negative effect on feelings of well-being and self-worth and result in a loss of skills, further reducing employability. In Denmark, the percentage of the labour force that has been unemployed for a year or longer is currently at about 0.9%, lower than the OECD average of 1.3%.
The wages and other monetary benefits that come with employment are an important aspect of job quality. Danish people earn 58 430 per year on average, more than the OECD average of USD 49 165.
Another essential factor of employment quality is job security, in terms of expected loss of earnings when someone becomes unemployed. This includes how likely you are to lose your job, how long you are likely to remain unemployed and how much financial assistance you can expect from government. Workers facing a high risk of job loss are more vulnerable, especially in countries with smaller social safety nets. In Denmark, workers face an expected 4.5% loss of earnings if they become unemployed, lower than the OECD average of 5.1%.
For more information on estimates and years of reference, see FAQ section and BLI database
Better Policies for Better Lives
The flexicurity labour market model
The Danish flexicurity model, which was largely developed through the 1990s, is characterised by three core elements: flexible rules for hiring and dismissals, generous replacement rates of unemployment insurance benefits and substantial spending on active labour market policies. The main advantage of flexicurity is that it limits the financial risk to both employers and employees. The high degree of flexibility allows companies to make quick adjustments to their work force in the different phases of the business cycle, and in hiring inexperienced youth.
The flexicurity model performed well in the two decades leading up to the global crisis and early assessment of its performance during the downturn also points to robust outcomes. At the same time, there has been only a small increase in structural unemployment in the wake of the downturn. However, the Danish flexicurity system is expensive, as Denmark’s share of GDP spent on active labour market policies was the largest among the OECD countries in 2013.
Coaching for entrepreneurs from ethnic minorities
The Ethnic Coach for Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurs project aims to overcome a lack of trust in the public support system by providing advice from professional coaches from the same ethnic group as the participant. The role of the coach is to help the entrepreneur adjust to the regulatory and social norms of the new country, and to build and strengthen ethnic minority social and entrepreneurial networks. Coaches help clarify and strengthen business plans and needs, then refer the entrepreneur to training and other advisory services in the local area. Once the business is launched, coaches continue to support the entrepreneurs as they develop and grow their business.
In recent years, nearly 100 ethnic minority entrepreneurs have been assisted annually. The scheme won the European Trailblazer Award in 2006 and was selected as a European best practice in the Interreg IVC project, Enspire EU (Entrepreneurial inspiration for the European Union) in 2011.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-being OECD Job Quality DatabaseIndicators
Community – Denmark expand
Key Findings
Humans are social creatures. The frequency of our contact with others and the quality of our personal relationships are thus crucial determinants of our well-being.
A strong social network, or community, can provide emotional support during both good and bad times as well as provide access to jobs, services and other material opportunities. In Denmark, 95% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, more than the OECD average of 91%.
A weak social network can result in limited economic opportunities, a lack of contact with others, and eventually, feelings of isolation. Socially isolated individuals face difficulties integrating into society as a contributing member and fulfilling personal aspirations.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-being OECD Insights: Human CapitalIndicators
Education – Denmark expand
Key Findings
A well-educated and well-trained population is essential for a country's social and economic well-being. Education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. Having a good education greatly improves the likelihood of finding a job and earning enough money. Danes can expect to go through 19.3 years of education between the ages of 5 and 39, more than the OECD average of 18 years.
Graduating from upper secondary education has become increasingly important in all countries, as the skills needed in the labour market are becoming more knowledge-based. High-school graduation rates therefore provide a good indication of whether a country is preparing its students to meet the minimum requirements of the job market. In Denmark, 82% of adults aged 25-64 have completed upper secondary education, higher than the OECD average of 79%.
But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies. In 2018, PISA focused on examining students’ reading ability, skills in maths and level in sciences, as research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school.
The average student in Denmark scored 501 in reading literacy, maths and sciences, above the OECD average of 488. The best-performing school systems manage to provide high-quality education to all students.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-beingIndicators
Environment – Denmark expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Denmark, PM2.5 levels are 10 micrograms per cubic meter, lower than the OECD average of 14 micrograms per cubic meter and at the annual guideline limit set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Denmark, 93% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average of 84%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Bicycle city
The City of Copenhagen has, as do many other Danish towns, a long tradition for cycling policies, investing in dedicated cycle lanes and bridges. Copenhagen City has 346 km of dedicated cycling tracks and 48 000 bicycle parking spaces throughout the city. 35% of Copenhagen residents cycle to work or education regularly. Around 55 % of all school children in Copenhagen cycle to school on a regular basis. Currently, more than 1.2 million km are covered by cyclists in Copenhagen every day. Copenhagen has developed a new dedicated bicycling strategy, aiming by 2015 to have 50% of its citizens commuting by bicycle on a daily basis, as a contribution to the city’s climate strategy.
The most innovative policy initiative to facilitate this goal is to build "cycle super highways" for fast, long distance bike commuting, with few or no traffic lights. An 11 mile-long cycle superhighway between Copenhagen and Albertslund, a western suburb, is the first of 26 routes scheduled to be built, which are designed to encourage more people to commute to and from Copenhagen by bicycle. For the superhighway project, Copenhagen and 21 local governments teamed up to ensure that there were contiguous, standardised bike routes into the capital, across distances of up to 14 miles.
Another measure is that stoplight signals have been adjusted so that "green waves" at primary traffic routes now favour the cyclists' 20 km/h and not the car speed. As many as 93% of cyclists think Copenhagen is either a very good, good or satisfactory city in which to cycle. The cycle-friendly fame of Copenhagen has led to other city cycling initiative adopters such as New York naming their biking lanes "Copenhagen lanes". The cycling strategy also has significant economic gains for the city.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-being OECD Environmental Outlook to 2050Indicators
Governance – Denmark expand
Key Findings
Trust in government is essential for social cohesion and well-being. High voter turnout is a measure of citizens' participation in the political process. In the most recent elections for which data are available, voter turnout in Denmark was 85% of those registered. This figure is much higher than the OECD average of 69%.
Broader public engagement in the decision-making process is also important for holding the government to account and maintaining confidence in public institutions. The formal process for public engagement in developing laws and regulations is one way to measure the extent to which people can become involved in government decisions on key issues that affect their lives. In Denmark, the level of stakeholder engagement in developing regulations is 2.0 (on a scale between 0 and 4); lower than the OECD average of 2.1.
For more information on estimates and years of reference, see FAQ section and BLI database.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Hearing the voices of the elderly
Senior Citizens' Councils (SCC) are voluntary nationwide organisations that exist in each of Denmark's 98 municipalities. Each Council is elected on a democratic basis, by local senior citizens (over 60 years of age). City government councils are obliged to consult the local SCC before a final decision is made on any issue relevant to the elderly population. Each SCC is also a member of the National Association of Senior Citizens Councils, providing national political representation in relation to national politics and to other NGOs. The Association is completely neutral when it comes to political party matters and focuses primarily on supporting SCCs.
Inclusive policy making
MindLab is a cross-governmental innovation unit which involves citizens and businesses in co-creating new solutions for society. MindLab works with service users, citizens and other stakeholders at early planning stages of service delivery. For example, MindLab worked with users to test the use of mobile devices for tax returns. After collecting their feedback government plans were changed and costly service mistakes were avoided. Three ministries and one municipality take part and collaborate with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Interior. MindLab helps decision makers view things from an 'outside-in perspective,' seeing the issue from the point of view of the citizen to co-create better ideas.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-being Regulatory Policy Outlook: DenmarkIndicators
Health – Denmark expand
Key Findings
Most OECD countries have enjoyed large gains in life expectancy over the past decades, thanks to improvements in living conditions, public health interventions and progress in medical care. Life expectancy at birth in Denmark stands at just above 81 years, in line with the OECD average. Higher life expectancy is generally associated with higher health care spending per person, although many other factors have an impact on life expectancy (such as living standards, lifestyles, education and environmental factors).
When asked, "How is your health in general?" just above 70% of people in Denmark reported to be in good health, more than the OECD average of 68%. Despite the subjective nature of this question, answers have been found to be a good predictor of people's future health care use. Gender, age and social status may affect answers to this question.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Digitising health records
Denmark provides a good example of the successful implementation of a national electronic health records system. Widely used by primary care physicians, electronic health records are linked nationally allowing physicians to communicate directly with health care providers. The transition to electronic health care was phased in gradually until MedCom, an independent non-profit organisation, was established to oversee and expand the programme. To deter the creation of parallel or incompatible information systems, a single electronic form was created for all communications from primary care physicians. The consolidation of health care information system governance has also facilitated the effective use of data, and improved the co-ordination of activities and goals across central and regional authorities.
Promoting a healthy diet
A policy initiative to promote a healthy lifestlye and encourage customers to buy more vegetables was introduced in 12 Danish supermarkets over 2015-16. Packs of pre-cut vegetables were placed beside minced meat to encourage people to add them to their meal. The idea that the simple exposure of a healthier option beside regular purchases is based on previous behavioural studies showing that the type of meat people pick in the cold counter often impacts the rest of the meal. The initiative produced very positive results, with a 61.3% increase in the purchase of pre-cut vegetables per customer, with the sales of minced meat also rising, by 32%, suggesting that people will eat a more balanced meal as long as the options are made easily and readily available.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-beingIndicators
Life Satisfaction – Denmark expand
Key Findings
Happiness or subjective well-being can be measured in terms of life satisfaction, the presence of positive experiences and feelings, and the absence of negative experiences and feelings. Such measures, while subjective, are a useful complement to objective data to compare the quality of life across countries.
Life satisfaction measures how people evaluate their life as a whole rather than their current feelings. When asked to rate their general satisfaction with life on a scale from 0 to 10, Danes on average gave it a 7.5 grade, much higher than the OECD average of 6.7.
Better Policies for Better Lives
The Good Life index
The region of Southern Denmark has developed a metric of "Good Life" to monitor well-being in the region and its municipalities. The 40 indicators are organised into 2 categories: community conditions and individuals' perception of their own life.
Once a year, citizens are asked to assess their own level of well-being, both in general and in terms of different well-being dimensions (such as health, relationships, etc.). The remaining surveys are dedicated to different themes regarding the Good Life and regional development. An extensive national health survey, "How are you?" ("Hvordan har du det?"), is also conducted regionally every four years by the health department of the region of Southern Denmark.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-beingIndicators
Safety – Denmark expand
Key Findings
Personal security is a core element for the well-being of individuals. Do you feel safe out walking, alone at night, for example? In Denmark, 85% of people say that they feel safe walking alone at night, much more than the OECD average of 74%.
The homicide rate (the number of murders per 100 000 inhabitants) is a more reliable measure of a country's safety level because, unlike other crimes, murders are usually always reported to the police. According to the latest OECD data, Denmark's homicide rate is 0.5, lower than the OECD average of 2.6.
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How's Life?: Measuring Well-beingIndicators
Work-Life Balance – Denmark expand
Key Findings
Finding a suitable balance between work and life is a challenge for all workers, especially working parents. The ability to successfully combine work, family commitments and personal life is important for the well-being of all members in a household. Governments can help to address the issue by encouraging supportive and flexible working practices, making it easier for parents to strike a better balance between work and home life.
An important aspect of work-life balance is the amount of time a person spends at work. Evidence suggests that long work hours may impair personal health, jeopardise safety and increase stress. In Denmark, about 1% of employees work very long hours in paid work, much less than the OECD average of 10%.
The more people work, the less time they have to spend on other activities, such as time with others, leisure activities, eating or sleeping. The amount and quality of leisure time is important for people's overall well-being, and can bring additional physical and mental health benefits. In Denmark, full-time workers devote more of their day on average, to personal care (eating, sleeping, etc.) and leisure (socialising with friends and family, hobbies, games, computer and television use, etc.) than the OECD average of 15 hours.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Flexible jobs
Danish Flexjobs were introduced to accommodate employees that work at a different pace or need shorter hours. Under these agreements employers pay their workers based on the effective work done. Depending on their wage level workers may also qualify for an additional supplement. Flexjob agreements are granted for a period of five years and then eligibility is reassessed. At this point municipalities sometimes grant workers over 40 years old with a permanent place in a Flexjob.
The Aalborg University Hospital uses Flexjob agreements to lessen the workload of older workers. Employees over the age of 58 can reduce their hours while receiving the same pension contributions from their employer. They can also request special job appraisals, fixed hours, and apply to be relieved of weekend and extra holiday work. Older workers with chronic diseases can request lighter duty. The hospital has also set up a welfare team to improve physical and mental conditions at work, prevent absenteeism due to sickness or exclusion, and avoid occupational injuries.