Rural population growth (annual %) in Denmark
Denmark: Rural population growth (annual %) was -0.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in Denmark, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Denmark recorded -0.8% for rural population growth in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.3% on the previous year and down 323.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in Denmark peaked at 1.0% in 2016 and was at its lowest, -2.2%, in 1975.
That places Denmark 160th out of 210 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Rural population growth (annual %) in Denmark, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | -1.4% | — |
| 1962 | -1.5% | +2.8% |
| 1963 | -1.6% | +6.9% |
| 1964 | -1.7% | +5.3% |
| 1965 | -1.8% | +5.9% |
| 1966 | -1.8% | +2.1% |
| 1967 | -1.9% | +3.0% |
| 1968 | -2.1% | +10.5% |
| 1969 | -2.1% | +2.3% |
| 1970 | -1.9% | -11.6% |
| 1971 | -1.9% | +3.1% |
| 1972 | -2.1% | +10.4% |
| 1973 | -2.1% | -0.6% |
| 1974 | -2.2% | +3.1% |
| 1975 | -2.2% | +0.1% |
| 1976 | -1.9% | -11.5% |
| 1977 | -1.7% | -14.2% |
| 1978 | -1.5% | -6.7% |
| 1979 | -1.4% | -8.0% |
| 1980 | -1.3% | -10.3% |
| 1981 | -1.1% | -11.0% |
| 1982 | -1.1% | -2.8% |
| 1983 | -1.1% | -2.3% |
| 1984 | -1.0% | -7.4% |
| 1985 | -0.8% | -18.7% |
| 1986 | -0.6% | -27.1% |
| 1987 | -0.4% | -25.7% |
| 1988 | -0.3% | -25.9% |
| 1989 | -0.1% | -72.2% |
| 1990 | 0.1% | -236.9% |
| 1991 | 0.1% | +14.7% |
| 1992 | 0.1% | -3.1% |
| 1993 | 0.1% | -34.2% |
| 1994 | 0.1% | -24.5% |
| 1995 | 0.2% | +263.1% |
| 1996 | 0.3% | +26.1% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | -34.3% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | +7.0% |
| 1999 | 0.3% | +26.5% |
| 2000 | 0.3% | +20.4% |
| 2001 | -0.2% | -170.7% |
| 2002 | -0.4% | +85.2% |
| 2003 | -0.5% | +25.2% |
| 2004 | -1.8% | +223.5% |
| 2005 | -1.8% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | -1.4% | -20.3% |
| 2007 | -0.8% | -41.5% |
| 2008 | -0.6% | -30.4% |
| 2009 | -0.8% | +38.1% |
| 2010 | -0.3% | -57.7% |
| 2011 | -1.8% | +438.3% |
| 2012 | -0.2% | -87.8% |
| 2013 | -2.0% | +811.3% |
| 2014 | -0.6% | -70.0% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | -158.2% |
| 2016 | 1.0% | +176.9% |
| 2017 | -2.0% | -298.6% |
| 2018 | -0.3% | -86.9% |
| 2019 | -0.5% | +101.9% |
| 2020 | 0.0% | -107.4% |
| 2021 | 0.2% | +535.1% |
| 2022 | -0.3% | -220.6% |
| 2023 | -0.7% | +132.7% |
| 2024 | -0.8% | +10.2% |
| 2025 | -0.8% | +5.3% |
Denmark compared with similar countries
- Denmark's -0.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is -0.3%, 2.8× the median. (77 countries reporting)
- Denmark's -0.8% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is -0.4%, 1.8× the median. (55 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population growth (annual %) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | -811.3% | -0.2% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | +535.1% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| 2011 | -438.3% | -0.3% | -1.8% |
| 2017 | -298.6% | 1.0% | -2.0% |
| 1995 | +263.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 1990 | +236.9% | -0.1% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -1.8% | -2.1% | -1.4% | 9 |
| 1970s | -1.9% | -2.2% | -1.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.8% | -1.3% | -0.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.8% | -1.8% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.6% | -2.0% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.4% | -0.8% | 0.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Denmark
More agriculture & rural data for Denmark
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 37.33 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0117 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 900.07 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.7939 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1115 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.2% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.9% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in Denmark?
- Rural population growth in Denmark was -0.8% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 1.0% in 2016.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.2% in 1975.
- How does Denmark rank for rural population growth?
- Denmark ranks 160th out of 210 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is down 323.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Denmark data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Annual rural population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear rural population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.