Military spending as a share of GDP in Denmark
Denmark: Military spending as a share of GDP was 1.0% in 2019. ▼ Falling
Latest (2019)
1.0%
Change on year
up 8.0%
World rank
116th
of 172 countries
All-time high
2.2%
in 1843
All-time low
0.3%
in 1933
Years of data
200
1816–2019
Military spending as a share of GDP in Denmark, 1816–2019
Source: Barnum et al. - Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2019, military spending as a share of gdp in Denmark stood at 1.0%.
The figure is up 8.0% on the previous year and down 5.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending as a share of gdp in Denmark peaked at 2.2% in 1843 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 1933.
That places Denmark 116th out of 172 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 200 years of available data.
Military spending as a share of GDP in Denmark, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1816 | 1.5% | — |
| 1817 | 1.3% | -14.6% |
| 1818 | 1.3% | -1.8% |
| 1819 | 1.3% | +5.4% |
| 1820 | 1.4% | +8.3% |
| 1821 | 1.5% | +4.4% |
| 1822 | 1.5% | -0.7% |
| 1823 | 1.6% | +8.6% |
| 1824 | 1.7% | +5.3% |
| 1825 | 1.6% | -4.6% |
| 1826 | 1.7% | +3.2% |
| 1827 | 1.7% | -0.2% |
| 1828 | 1.7% | +0.7% |
| 1829 | 1.8% | +9.4% |
| 1830 | 1.8% | -2.9% |
| 1831 | 2.0% | +10.8% |
| 1832 | 1.9% | -2.6% |
| 1833 | 2.0% | +3.7% |
| 1834 | 1.8% | -11.6% |
| 1835 | 1.7% | -4.3% |
| 1836 | 1.6% | -4.7% |
| 1837 | 1.7% | +7.2% |
| 1838 | 1.8% | +5.4% |
| 1839 | 1.8% | +1.4% |
| 1840 | 2.1% | +12.3% |
| 1841 | 2.1% | +3.2% |
| 1842 | 2.1% | -1.5% |
| 1843 | 2.2% | +4.9% |
| 1844 | 2.2% | -1.6% |
| 1845 | 2.0% | -6.8% |
| 1846 | 2.0% | -3.0% |
| 1847 | 1.9% | -3.1% |
| 1848 | 2.1% | +8.5% |
| 1849 | 0.9% | -58.0% |
| 1850 | 1.1% | +22.9% |
| 1851 | 1.6% | +47.2% |
| 1852 | 1.8% | +14.7% |
| 1853 | 2.0% | +10.2% |
| 1854 | 1.9% | -4.8% |
| 1855 | 1.8% | -2.3% |
| 1856 | 1.7% | -9.2% |
| 1857 | 1.6% | -3.7% |
| 1858 | 1.8% | +11.3% |
| 1859 | 1.9% | +3.9% |
| 1860 | 1.9% | +3.1% |
| 1861 | 1.7% | -12.9% |
| 1862 | 1.6% | -3.9% |
| 1863 | 1.4% | -15.9% |
| 1864 | 1.7% | +29.2% |
| 1865 | 1.2% | -33.6% |
| 1866 | 1.1% | -4.7% |
| 1867 | 1.1% | +2.7% |
| 1868 | 1.3% | +11.1% |
| 1869 | 1.3% | +3.7% |
| 1870 | 1.2% | -8.5% |
| 1871 | 1.2% | -1.8% |
| 1872 | 1.2% | +1.2% |
| 1873 | 1.3% | +12.3% |
| 1874 | 1.3% | -4.9% |
| 1875 | 1.3% | +4.6% |
| 1876 | 1.4% | +7.5% |
| 1877 | 1.3% | -11.9% |
| 1878 | 1.4% | +9.9% |
| 1879 | 1.2% | -9.8% |
| 1880 | 1.2% | -6.7% |
| 1881 | 1.2% | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 1.2% | +3.6% |
| 1883 | 1.2% | -2.2% |
| 1884 | 1.2% | +2.9% |
| 1885 | 1.1% | -10.5% |
| 1886 | 1.0% | -8.8% |
| 1887 | 0.9% | -10.0% |
| 1888 | 0.8% | -6.8% |
| 1889 | 0.9% | +10.5% |
| 1890 | 1.0% | +12.2% |
| 1891 | 0.9% | -13.1% |
| 1892 | 1.1% | +22.4% |
| 1893 | 1.1% | -0.7% |
| 1894 | 1.1% | -0.5% |
| 1895 | 1.1% | +1.8% |
| 1896 | 1.1% | -2.2% |
| 1897 | 1.0% | -7.0% |
| 1898 | 1.0% | -3.3% |
| 1899 | 0.9% | -3.2% |
| 1900 | 0.9% | -1.1% |
| 1901 | 0.9% | -5.6% |
| 1902 | 0.9% | -2.2% |
| 1903 | 0.8% | -5.5% |
| 1904 | 0.7% | -7.3% |
| 1905 | 0.8% | +3.3% |
| 1906 | 0.8% | -2.9% |
| 1907 | 0.7% | -4.6% |
| 1908 | 0.7% | +2.1% |
| 1909 | 0.8% | +8.3% |
| 1910 | 0.8% | +1.1% |
| 1911 | 0.8% | -0.4% |
| 1912 | 0.8% | -0.6% |
| 1913 | 0.8% | +1.6% |
| 1914 | 0.6% | -28.3% |
| 1915 | 0.7% | +26.5% |
| 1916 | 0.8% | +4.6% |
| 1917 | 0.8% | +6.6% |
| 1918 | 0.9% | +4.7% |
| 1919 | 0.7% | -13.0% |
| 1920 | 0.7% | -12.0% |
| 1921 | 0.8% | +15.5% |
| 1922 | 0.6% | -18.9% |
| 1923 | 0.5% | -20.8% |
| 1924 | 0.4% | -15.2% |
| 1925 | 0.4% | +7.8% |
| 1926 | 0.5% | +3.9% |
| 1927 | 0.4% | -4.2% |
| 1928 | 0.5% | +11.1% |
| 1929 | 0.5% | -7.6% |
| 1930 | 0.4% | -6.1% |
| 1931 | 0.4% | -6.2% |
| 1932 | 0.4% | -11.1% |
| 1933 | 0.3% | -8.6% |
| 1934 | 0.4% | +22.4% |
| 1935 | 0.4% | -1.5% |
| 1936 | 0.4% | +5.8% |
| 1937 | 0.5% | +17.9% |
| 1938 | 0.8% | +58.9% |
| 1939 | 1.0% | +31.5% |
| 1940 | 1.3% | +31.9% |
| 1945 | 1.2% | -9.9% |
| 1946 | 1.1% | -9.8% |
| 1947 | 1.0% | -5.6% |
| 1948 | 1.0% | -3.9% |
| 1949 | 1.2% | +16.4% |
| 1950 | 1.0% | -15.3% |
| 1951 | 1.1% | +12.8% |
| 1952 | 1.3% | +22.4% |
| 1953 | 1.6% | +22.2% |
| 1954 | 1.6% | -1.8% |
| 1955 | 1.5% | -4.4% |
| 1956 | 1.6% | +6.4% |
| 1957 | 1.6% | -5.4% |
| 1958 | 1.5% | -3.8% |
| 1959 | 1.3% | -14.5% |
| 1960 | 1.2% | -2.8% |
| 1961 | 1.3% | +5.0% |
| 1962 | 1.5% | +16.6% |
| 1963 | 1.5% | -4.2% |
| 1964 | 1.4% | -1.0% |
| 1965 | 1.5% | +4.8% |
| 1966 | 1.5% | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 1.5% | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 1.6% | +4.6% |
| 1969 | 1.5% | -7.2% |
| 1970 | 1.5% | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 1.5% | +4.2% |
| 1972 | 1.4% | -7.7% |
| 1973 | 1.3% | -6.7% |
| 1974 | 1.5% | +14.4% |
| 1975 | 1.6% | +5.0% |
| 1976 | 1.5% | -7.1% |
| 1977 | 1.6% | +6.2% |
| 1978 | 1.6% | +3.2% |
| 1979 | 1.7% | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 1.6% | -5.7% |
| 1981 | 1.5% | -5.0% |
| 1982 | 1.5% | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 1.4% | -5.1% |
| 1984 | 1.4% | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 1.4% | -4.1% |
| 1986 | 1.3% | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 1.4% | +5.4% |
| 1988 | 1.4% | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 1.4% | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 1.4% | -4.4% |
| 1991 | 1.3% | -4.7% |
| 1992 | 1.4% | +8.4% |
| 1993 | 1.4% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 1.4% | -4.0% |
| 1995 | 1.4% | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 1.3% | -4.4% |
| 1997 | 1.2% | -6.0% |
| 1998 | 1.2% | -4.9% |
| 1999 | 1.1% | -7.5% |
| 2000 | 1.0% | -9.3% |
| 2001 | 1.0% | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 1.0% | +4.0% |
| 2003 | 1.0% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 1.1% | +4.0% |
| 2005 | 1.0% | -6.2% |
| 2006 | 1.0% | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 1.0% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 1.1% | +6.4% |
| 2009 | 1.0% | -4.0% |
| 2010 | 1.1% | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 1.0% | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 1.1% | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 1.0% | -3.9% |
| 2014 | 0.9% | -8.1% |
| 2015 | 0.8% | -12.9% |
| 2016 | 0.8% | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 0.9% | +8.0% |
| 2018 | 0.9% | +8.2% |
| 2019 | 1.0% | +8.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1810s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.5% | 4 |
| 1820s | 1.6% | 1.4% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1830s | 1.8% | 1.6% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 1840s | 1.9% | 0.9% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 1850s | 1.7% | 1.1% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 1860s | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1870s | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1880s | 1.1% | 0.8% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 1890s | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.5% | 0.3% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1940s | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.3% | 6 |
| 1950s | 1.4% | 1.0% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.5% | 1.2% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.1% | 10 |
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)
- Services, value added (constant LCU), per capita 276,002 constant LCU per person (2025)
- GDP deflator (base year varies by country), annual growth rate 1.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), annual growth 9.02 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.8867 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per capita 68,250 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), annual growth 4.7 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per unit of GDP 5.87 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per capita 451,943 current LCU per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending as a share of gdp in Denmark?
- Military spending as a share of gdp in Denmark was 1.0% in 2019, according to Barnum et al. - Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending as a share of gdp recorded in Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 2.2% in 1843.
- What is the lowest military spending as a share of gdp recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 1933.
- How does Denmark rank for military spending as a share of gdp?
- Denmark ranks 116th out of 172 countries with data for 2019.
- Is military spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Denmark data come from?
- The figures come from Barnum et al. - Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 200 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Military spending measured as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).