Denmark — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Denmark, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Denmark was 5.53% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 10.72% in 1993. The lowest was 3.68% in 2008 (about 1.5× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -1.45% per year.
Denmark ranks 85 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 45%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 5.58%, so Denmark sits below it. It peaked in 1993 and has fallen 48% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 12%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 26 of 49 economies; Azerbaijan (5.46%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 74% in 2009. That is 2% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 61st of 187 in 1991 → 130th of 187 in 2000 → 80th of 187 in 2010 → 107th of 187 in 2020 → 80th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.53% | +0.2 pp |
| 2024 | 5.36% | +0.3 pp |
| 2023 | 5.09% | +0.7 pp |
| 2022 | 4.43% | -0.6 pp |
| 2021 | 5.07% | -0.6 pp |
| 2020 | 5.64% | +0.6 pp |
| 2019 | 5.02% | -0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 5.13% | -0.7 pp |
| 2017 | 5.83% | -0.2 pp |
| 2016 | 5.99% | -0.3 pp |
| 2015 | 6.28% | -0.6 pp |
| 2014 | 6.93% | -0.5 pp |
| 2013 | 7.38% | -0.4 pp |
| 2012 | 7.8% | +0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 7.77% | +0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 7.75% | +1.3 pp |
| 2009 | 6.41% | +2.7 pp |
| 2008 | 3.68% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 3.8% | -0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 3.9% | -0.9 pp |
| 2005 | 4.83% | -0.4 pp |
| 2004 | 5.2% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 5.4% | +1.1 pp |
| 2002 | 4.27% | +0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 4.16% | -0.3 pp |
| 2000 | 4.48% | -0.7 pp |
| 1999 | 5.14% | +0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 5.04% | -0.4 pp |
| 1997 | 5.4% | -1.4 pp |
| 1996 | 6.84% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 6.99% | -1.0 pp |
| 1994 | 8.04% | -2.7 pp |
| 1993 | 10.72% | +1.7 pp |
| 1992 | 9.03% | -0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 9.1% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Denmark’s Unemployment in 1992?
9.03% (1992). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Denmark’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -39.2% in total — about 1.5% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 5.53%; 2024: 5.36%; 2023: 5.09%; 2022: 4.43%; 2021: 5.07%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.