Military expenditure in Denmark
Denmark: Military expenditure was 68.67 billion current LCU in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
68.67 billion current LCU
Change on year
up 22.4%
World rank
75th
of 168 countries
All-time high
68.67 billion current LCU
in 2024
All-time low
1.11 billion current LCU
in 1960
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Military expenditure in Denmark, 1960–2024
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2024, military expenditure in Denmark stood at 68.67 billion current LCU. That is the highest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 22.4% on the previous year and up 201.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Denmark peaked at 68.67 billion current LCU in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.11 billion current LCU, in 1960.
That places Denmark 75th out of 168 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure in Denmark, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.11 billion current LCU | — |
| 1961 | 1.18 billion current LCU | +6.0% |
| 1962 | 1.55 billion current LCU | +31.4% |
| 1963 | 1.65 billion current LCU | +6.4% |
| 1964 | 1.76 billion current LCU | +6.8% |
| 1965 | 1.97 billion current LCU | +11.9% |
| 1966 | 2.08 billion current LCU | +5.4% |
| 1967 | 2.25 billion current LCU | +8.1% |
| 1968 | 2.59 billion current LCU | +15.2% |
| 1969 | 2.64 billion current LCU | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 2.97 billion current LCU | +12.4% |
| 1971 | 3.19 billion current LCU | +7.7% |
| 1972 | 3.39 billion current LCU | +6.0% |
| 1973 | 3.52 billion current LCU | +4.0% |
| 1974 | 4.46 billion current LCU | +26.8% |
| 1975 | 5.36 billion current LCU | +20.0% |
| 1976 | 5.71 billion current LCU | +6.7% |
| 1977 | 6.38 billion current LCU | +11.7% |
| 1978 | 7.29 billion current LCU | +14.3% |
| 1979 | 8.04 billion current LCU | +10.3% |
| 1980 | 9.12 billion current LCU | +13.3% |
| 1981 | 10.30 billion current LCU | +13.0% |
| 1982 | 11.67 billion current LCU | +13.3% |
| 1983 | 12.57 billion current LCU | +7.8% |
| 1984 | 13.04 billion current LCU | +3.7% |
| 1985 | 13.34 billion current LCU | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 13.33 billion current LCU | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 14.65 billion current LCU | +9.9% |
| 1988 | 15.62 billion current LCU | +6.6% |
| 1989 | 15.96 billion current LCU | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 16.40 billion current LCU | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 17.09 billion current LCU | +4.2% |
| 1992 | 17.13 billion current LCU | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 17.39 billion current LCU | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 17.29 billion current LCU | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 17.47 billion current LCU | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 17.90 billion current LCU | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 18.52 billion current LCU | +3.5% |
| 1998 | 19.07 billion current LCU | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 19.43 billion current LCU | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 19.34 billion current LCU | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 21.02 billion current LCU | +8.7% |
| 2002 | 21.27 billion current LCU | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 21.07 billion current LCU | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 21.44 billion current LCU | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 20.80 billion current LCU | -3.0% |
| 2006 | 23.17 billion current LCU | +11.4% |
| 2007 | 22.73 billion current LCU | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 24.41 billion current LCU | +7.4% |
| 2009 | 23.25 billion current LCU | -4.7% |
| 2010 | 25.33 billion current LCU | +8.9% |
| 2011 | 24.26 billion current LCU | -4.2% |
| 2012 | 25.62 billion current LCU | +5.6% |
| 2013 | 23.68 billion current LCU | -7.6% |
| 2014 | 22.77 billion current LCU | -3.9% |
| 2015 | 22.63 billion current LCU | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 24.19 billion current LCU | +6.9% |
| 2017 | 24.96 billion current LCU | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 28.79 billion current LCU | +15.3% |
| 2019 | 29.93 billion current LCU | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 31.96 billion current LCU | +6.8% |
| 2021 | 33.16 billion current LCU | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 38.73 billion current LCU | +16.8% |
| 2023 | 56.08 billion current LCU | +44.8% |
| 2024 | 68.67 billion current LCU | +22.4% |
Denmark compared with similar countries
- Denmark's 68.67 billion current LCU is above the median for high income countries, which is 14.02 billion current LCU, 4.9× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Denmark's 68.67 billion current LCU is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7.91 billion current LCU, 8.7× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +44.8% | 38.73 billion current LCU | 56.08 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.88 billion current LCU | 1.11 billion current LCU | 2.64 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.03 billion current LCU | 2.97 billion current LCU | 8.04 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.96 billion current LCU | 9.12 billion current LCU | 15.96 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.77 billion current LCU | 16.40 billion current LCU | 19.43 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.85 billion current LCU | 19.34 billion current LCU | 24.41 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.22 billion current LCU | 22.63 billion current LCU | 29.93 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.72 billion current LCU | 31.96 billion current LCU | 68.67 billion current LCU | 5 |
Countries ranked near Denmark
More public sector data for Denmark
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Democracy 7 (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected 1 (2025)
- Elected parliament 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Denmark?
- Military expenditure in Denmark was 68.67 billion current LCU in 2024, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 68.67 billion current LCU in 2024.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.11 billion current LCU in 1960.
- How does Denmark rank for military expenditure?
- Denmark ranks 75th out of 168 countries with data for 2024.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is up 201.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Denmark data come from?
- The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Military expenditure in local currency at current prices (by calendar year)