External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Denmark
Denmark: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP was 11.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Denmark, 1966–2025
Source: National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Denmark recorded 11.0% for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in 2025. That is the highest value across all 60 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.5% on the previous year and up 69.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Denmark peaked at 11.0% in 2025 and was at its lowest, -4.5%, in 1976.
That places Denmark 23rd out of 191 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Denmark, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | -1.6% | — |
| 1967 | -2.1% | +31.7% |
| 1968 | -1.4% | -33.2% |
| 1969 | -2.1% | +49.9% |
| 1970 | -2.8% | +36.5% |
| 1971 | -2.0% | -28.5% |
| 1972 | -0.4% | -79.8% |
| 1973 | -1.9% | +363.8% |
| 1974 | -3.4% | +76.9% |
| 1975 | -1.0% | -71.3% |
| 1976 | -4.5% | +372.3% |
| 1977 | -3.6% | -21.3% |
| 1978 | -2.2% | -37.9% |
| 1979 | -2.4% | +7.3% |
| 1980 | -0.5% | -81.0% |
| 1981 | 1.4% | -413.2% |
| 1982 | 0.9% | -35.5% |
| 1983 | 2.2% | +143.1% |
| 1984 | 1.7% | -24.2% |
| 1985 | 0.8% | -53.8% |
| 1986 | -0.2% | -125.7% |
| 1987 | 2.1% | -1130.7% |
| 1988 | 3.5% | +68.8% |
| 1989 | 3.8% | +9.3% |
| 1990 | 5.6% | +46.3% |
| 1991 | 6.2% | +11.9% |
| 1992 | 6.9% | +11.0% |
| 1993 | 7.5% | +9.1% |
| 1994 | 5.9% | -21.3% |
| 1995 | 4.7% | -20.5% |
| 1996 | 5.7% | +20.3% |
| 1997 | 4.4% | -23.0% |
| 1998 | 3.1% | -29.5% |
| 1999 | 6.0% | +95.1% |
| 2000 | 6.7% | +11.9% |
| 2001 | 7.1% | +6.3% |
| 2002 | 6.8% | -4.1% |
| 2003 | 6.8% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 5.6% | -16.9% |
| 2005 | 5.4% | -5.0% |
| 2006 | 3.9% | -26.4% |
| 2007 | 2.7% | -30.3% |
| 2008 | 3.5% | +26.4% |
| 2009 | 4.6% | +32.6% |
| 2010 | 6.8% | +47.6% |
| 2011 | 6.2% | -9.4% |
| 2012 | 5.8% | -5.8% |
| 2013 | 6.2% | +7.4% |
| 2014 | 6.5% | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 6.5% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 6.0% | -7.1% |
| 2017 | 6.5% | +7.3% |
| 2018 | 5.2% | -20.4% |
| 2019 | 6.0% | +16.6% |
| 2020 | 5.6% | -6.1% |
| 2021 | 6.1% | +8.0% |
| 2022 | 9.5% | +56.2% |
| 2023 | 9.0% | -5.4% |
| 2024 | 10.2% | +13.7% |
| 2025 | 11.0% | +7.5% |
Denmark compared with similar countries
- Denmark's 11.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.2%, 4.9× the median. (72 countries reporting)
- Denmark's 11.0% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.8%, 14.2× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +1130.7% | -0.2% | 2.1% |
| 1981 | +413.2% | -0.5% | 1.4% |
| 1976 | -372.3% | -1.0% | -4.5% |
| 1973 | -363.8% | -0.4% | -1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -1.8% | -2.1% | -1.4% | 4 |
| 1970s | -2.4% | -4.5% | -0.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.6% | -0.5% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.6% | 3.1% | 7.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.3% | 2.7% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.2% | 5.2% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.6% | 5.6% | 11.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Denmark
More economy & growth data for Denmark
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.9574 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.4 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 5 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0149 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 1,148 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -0.0121 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0109 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 838.16 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0075 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Denmark?
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Denmark was 11.0% in 2025, according to National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 11.0% in 2025.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was -4.5% in 1976.
- How does Denmark rank for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Denmark ranks 23rd out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is up 69.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Denmark data come from?
- The figures come from National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Exports of goods and services minus imports of goods and services divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage.