Government spending vs. GDP in Denmark
Denmark: Government spending vs. GDP was 81.79 billion constant 2015 US$ in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
81.79 billion constant 2015 US$
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
27th
of 166 countries
All-time high
81.79 billion constant 2015 US$
in 2025
All-time low
25.55 billion constant 2015 US$
in 1966
Years of data
60
1966–2025
Government spending vs. 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 constant 2015 US$.
Analysis
Denmark recorded 81.79 billion constant 2015 US$ for government spending vs. gdp in 2025. That is the highest value across all 60 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.5% on the previous year and up 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending vs. gdp in Denmark peaked at 81.79 billion constant 2015 US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, 25.55 billion constant 2015 US$, in 1966.
Denmark ranks 27th of 166 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 60 years of available data.
Government spending vs. GDP in Denmark, year by year
| Year | constant 2015 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 25.55 billion constant 2015 US$ | — |
| 1967 | 27.59 billion constant 2015 US$ | +8.0% |
| 1968 | 29.18 billion constant 2015 US$ | +5.8% |
| 1969 | 31.23 billion constant 2015 US$ | +7.0% |
| 1970 | 33.17 billion constant 2015 US$ | +6.2% |
| 1971 | 35.20 billion constant 2015 US$ | +6.1% |
| 1972 | 36.76 billion constant 2015 US$ | +4.4% |
| 1973 | 37.44 billion constant 2015 US$ | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 38.05 billion constant 2015 US$ | +1.6% |
| 1975 | 37.72 billion constant 2015 US$ | -0.9% |
| 1976 | 39.35 billion constant 2015 US$ | +4.3% |
| 1977 | 39.99 billion constant 2015 US$ | +1.6% |
| 1978 | 42.58 billion constant 2015 US$ | +6.5% |
| 1979 | 44.83 billion constant 2015 US$ | +5.3% |
| 1980 | 46.29 billion constant 2015 US$ | +3.3% |
| 1981 | 46.93 billion constant 2015 US$ | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 48.46 billion constant 2015 US$ | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 48.41 billion constant 2015 US$ | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 47.59 billion constant 2015 US$ | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 48.65 billion constant 2015 US$ | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 49.03 billion constant 2015 US$ | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 49.98 billion constant 2015 US$ | +1.9% |
| 1988 | 49.94 billion constant 2015 US$ | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 49.49 billion constant 2015 US$ | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 48.73 billion constant 2015 US$ | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 49.54 billion constant 2015 US$ | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 49.87 billion constant 2015 US$ | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 51.99 billion constant 2015 US$ | +4.3% |
| 1994 | 53.05 billion constant 2015 US$ | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 54.20 billion constant 2015 US$ | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 55.86 billion constant 2015 US$ | +3.1% |
| 1997 | 56.14 billion constant 2015 US$ | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 57.88 billion constant 2015 US$ | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 59.77 billion constant 2015 US$ | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 61.53 billion constant 2015 US$ | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 62.70 billion constant 2015 US$ | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 64.04 billion constant 2015 US$ | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 64.20 billion constant 2015 US$ | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 65.19 billion constant 2015 US$ | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 66.07 billion constant 2015 US$ | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 67.78 billion constant 2015 US$ | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 68.58 billion constant 2015 US$ | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 70.83 billion constant 2015 US$ | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 72.91 billion constant 2015 US$ | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 74.10 billion constant 2015 US$ | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 73.67 billion constant 2015 US$ | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 74.29 billion constant 2015 US$ | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 74.29 billion constant 2015 US$ | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 75.78 billion constant 2015 US$ | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 77.33 billion constant 2015 US$ | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 77.37 billion constant 2015 US$ | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 78.12 billion constant 2015 US$ | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 78.45 billion constant 2015 US$ | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 79.22 billion constant 2015 US$ | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 77.74 billion constant 2015 US$ | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 81.55 billion constant 2015 US$ | +4.9% |
| 2022 | 79.62 billion constant 2015 US$ | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 79.81 billion constant 2015 US$ | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 80.57 billion constant 2015 US$ | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 81.79 billion constant 2015 US$ | +1.5% |
Denmark compared with similar countries
- Denmark's 81.79 billion constant 2015 US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 41.36 billion constant 2015 US$, 2.0× the median. (60 countries reporting)
- Denmark's 81.79 billion constant 2015 US$ is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 20.68 billion constant 2015 US$, 4.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 28.39 billion constant 2015 US$ | 25.55 billion constant 2015 US$ | 31.23 billion constant 2015 US$ | 4 |
| 1970s | 38.51 billion constant 2015 US$ | 33.17 billion constant 2015 US$ | 44.83 billion constant 2015 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 48.48 billion constant 2015 US$ | 46.29 billion constant 2015 US$ | 49.98 billion constant 2015 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 53.70 billion constant 2015 US$ | 48.73 billion constant 2015 US$ | 59.77 billion constant 2015 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 66.38 billion constant 2015 US$ | 61.53 billion constant 2015 US$ | 72.91 billion constant 2015 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.26 billion constant 2015 US$ | 73.67 billion constant 2015 US$ | 79.22 billion constant 2015 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 80.18 billion constant 2015 US$ | 77.74 billion constant 2015 US$ | 81.79 billion constant 2015 US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Denmark
- 24 Israel 102.06 billion constant 2015 US$ compare
- 25 Switzerland 94.53 billion constant 2015 US$ compare
- 26 Austria 91.11 billion constant 2015 US$ compare
- 28 Thailand 76.00 billion constant 2015 US$ compare
- 29 South Africa 71.62 billion constant 2015 US$ compare
- 30 Philippines 70.26 billion constant 2015 US$ compare
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)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 30.70 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0723 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 5,136 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 18.24 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 121.54 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.043 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 3,052 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 17.85 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending vs. gdp in Denmark?
- Government spending vs. gdp in Denmark was 81.79 billion constant 2015 US$ 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 government spending vs. gdp recorded in Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 81.79 billion constant 2015 US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest government spending vs. gdp recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.55 billion constant 2015 US$ in 1966.
- How does Denmark rank for government spending vs. gdp?
- Denmark ranks 27th out of 166 countries with data for 2025.
- Is government spending vs. gdp rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Government spending vs. GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
General government final consumption expenditure includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). Both measures are expressed in constant 2015 US$.