Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Denmark
Denmark: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 6.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Denmark, 1973–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Denmark recorded 6.4% for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 4.1% on the previous year and up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Denmark peaked at 11.4% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 0.9%, in 1973.
Denmark ranks 72nd of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 53 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Denmark, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 0.9% | — |
| 1974 | 5.0% | +456.0% |
| 1975 | 5.1% | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 5.5% | +8.0% |
| 1977 | 6.4% | +16.1% |
| 1978 | 5.8% | -9.4% |
| 1979 | 7.2% | +23.6% |
| 1980 | 7.0% | -2.3% |
| 1981 | 11.4% | +63.3% |
| 1982 | 10.0% | -12.5% |
| 1983 | 9.7% | -2.6% |
| 1984 | 8.9% | -9.0% |
| 1985 | 7.8% | -12.1% |
| 1986 | 6.0% | -22.6% |
| 1987 | 6.1% | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 6.5% | +6.5% |
| 1989 | 8.1% | +25.6% |
| 1990 | 8.3% | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 9.1% | +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 | 6.1% | +20.7% |
| 2025 | 6.4% | +4.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.1% | 0.9% | 7.2% | 7 |
| 1980s | 8.2% | 6.0% | 11.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.5% | 5.0% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.6% | 3.7% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.6% | 5.0% | 7.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.5% | 4.4% | 6.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Denmark
- 69 Canada 6.8% compare
- 70 Sao Tome and Principe 6.7% compare
- 71 Luxembourg 6.5% compare
- 73 Costa Rica 6.3% compare
- 74 Grenada 6.3% compare
- 75 Belgium 6.2% compare
More work & labour data for Denmark
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.1261 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.1196 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.1326 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.51 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.3351 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,829 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 485.03 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,899 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,964 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,863 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Denmark?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Denmark was 6.4% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 11.4% in 1981.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9% in 1973.
- How does Denmark rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Denmark ranks 72nd 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 up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Denmark data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national 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. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.