📜 A long story
Denmark, 1800 → today
Denmark grew from 1 million in 1800 to 5.95 million; a newborn can expect 43.5 more years of life than in 1835, and output per person is 25× its 1820 level, adjusted for inflation.
Told with long-run reconstructions, not the yearly series used elsewhere on the site: each chapter names its source. Scroll to move through the years.
☺ Chapter 1 · Population
How many people live there?
1800
In 1800, about 1 million people lived in Denmark.
1900
2.57 million people.
2.6× the 1800 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1876.
1950
4.27 million people.
1.7× the 1900 level
2023
5.95 million people, the latest year in this series.
1.4× the 1950 level
Reached 5 times the 1800 level in 1973.
Long-run series: before 1950, reconstructions by HYDE and Gapminder, filled in between benchmark years by those sources. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
✚ Chapter 2 · Life expectancy
How long do people live?
1835
In 1835, a newborn in Denmark could expect to live 38.4 years, on average.
1900
51.9 years.
+14 years since 1835
Passed 40 years in 1836.
Passed 50 years in 1895.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 7.8 years between 1861 and 1865 (47.6 years → 39.8 years).
1950
70.3 years.
+18 years since 1900
Passed 60 years in 1921.
Passed 70 years in 1948.
2023
81.9 years, the latest year in this series.
+12 years since 1950
Passed 80 years in 2012.
Long-run series: before 1950, historical estimates (Riley, Clio Infra, Human Mortality Database), only for years they cover.
◎ Chapter 3 · GDP per person (PPP)
How much is produced per person?
1820
In 1820, Denmark produced about Int$2,030 per person, in 2011 prices.
1900
Int$4,810.
2.4× the 1820 level
Reached twice the 1820 level in 1891.
1950
Int$11,100.
2.3× the 1900 level
Reached 5 times the 1820 level in 1949.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 24% between 1939 and 1941 (Int$9,550 → Int$7,290).
2022
Int$50,700, the latest year in this series.
4.6× the 1950 level
Reached 10 times the 1820 level in 1971.
Reached 20 times the 1820 level in 2004.
Long-run series (Maddison Project) in 2011 international dollars: adjusted for inflation, so not the same unit as today’s PPP figure. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
❦ Chapter 4 · CO₂ per person
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
1843
In 1843, fossil fuels and industry in Denmark emitted about 0.1 t of CO₂ per person.
1900
2 t.
21× the 1843 level
Reached twice the 1843 level in 1848.
Reached 5 times the 1843 level in 1865.
Reached 10 times the 1843 level in 1882.
Reached 20 times the 1843 level in 1899.
1950
5.2 t.
2.6× the 1900 level
Reached 50 times the 1843 level in 1943.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 39% between 1915 and 1921 (3.4 t → 2.1 t).
2024
4.8 t, the latest year in this series.
about the same as in 1950
Long-run series: fossil CO₂ emitted within each country’s borders (Global Carbon Budget); early estimates are less certain. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
☕ Chapter 5 · Years of schooling
How long do people go to school?
1870
In 1870, people aged 15–64 in Denmark had spent 2.5 years in school, on average.
1900
2.8 years.
+0.39 years since 1870
1950
5.6 years.
+2.8 years since 1900
Passed 4 years in 1930.
2015
11.7 years, the latest year in this series.
+6.1 years since 1950
Passed 6 years in 1965.
Passed 8 years in 1975.
Passed 10 years in 1990.
Passed 12 years in 2010.
Long-run series (Lee & Lee, Barro & Lee) for people aged 15–64, every 5 years until 2015: a different age group than today’s figure (25 and older).