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Fertility & birth rates in Denmark and Iceland

Updated on by Georank team

Denmark has an annual birth rate of 9.7 births per 1,000 people, compared to 11 for Iceland. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 1.5 in Denmark and 1.59 in Iceland — 6% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -41.6% in Denmark and by -62.9% in Iceland — in 1960, it was 2.57 and 4.29, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Denmark is ranked 151/196 by birth rate compared to 132/196 for Iceland.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 30.1 years in Denmark, compared to 28.8 years in Iceland.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 31.8 in Denmark — it's 31 in Iceland.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 1.14 in Denmark vs 3.37 in Iceland.
  • In Denmark, 21.5% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 23.7% in Iceland.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was -0.01% in Denmark and +0.44% in Iceland.

Birth rate data compared

Denmark Iceland
Fertility rate 1.5 1.59
Birth rate 9.7 11
Birth rate rank 151/196 132/196
Age at first childbirth 30.1 years 28.8 years
Average age at childbearing 31.8 years 31 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 1 2.82
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 57.4 68.4
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 18.5 20.4
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 21.5% 23.7%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 59.9% n/a
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 95.3% 97.4%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.004% 0.003%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 0.18% 0.13%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 0.3% 0.19%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 0.34% 0.26%
Population change due to births and deaths -595 +1,730
Natural population change rank 163/196 138/196
Natural population change rate -0.01% +0.44%
Population growth +0.51% +2.86%
Population growth rank 133/197 21/197
Life expectancy 82.2 years 83.2 years

Fertility rate in Denmark vs Iceland chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Denmark was 1.5 children per woman in 2023, compared to 1.59 in Iceland in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

Check Denmark vs Iceland population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Denmark
Factual

UN forecast
Iceland
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Denmark Iceland
1960 2.57 4.29
1961 2.55 3.88
1962 2.55 3.98
1963 2.67 3.99
1964 2.6 3.88
1965 2.61 3.73
1966 2.62 3.59
1967 2.35 3.28
1968 2.12 3.06
1969 2 2.99
1970 1.95 2.81
1971 2.04 2.92
1972 2.03 3.09
1973 1.92 2.94
1974 1.9 2.66
1975 1.92 2.65
1976 1.75 2.52
1977 1.66 2.31
1978 1.67 2.35
1979 1.6 2.49
1980 1.55 2.48
1981 1.44 2.33
1982 1.43 2.27
1983 1.38 2.24
1984 1.4 2.08
1985 1.45 1.93
1986 1.48 1.92
1987 1.5 2.06
1988 1.56 2.26
1989 1.62 2.19
1990 1.67 2.3
1991 1.68 2.18
1992 1.76 2.21
1993 1.75 2.22
1994 1.81 2.14
1995 1.8 2.08
1996 1.75 2.12
1997 1.75 2.04
1998 1.72 2.05
1999 1.73 1.99
2000 1.77 2.08
2001 1.74 1.95
2002 1.72 1.93
2003 1.76 1.99
2004 1.78 2.04
2005 1.8 2.05
2006 1.85 2.08
2007 1.84 2.09
2008 1.89 2.15
2009 1.84 2.23
2010 1.87 2.2
2011 1.75 2.02
2012 1.73 2.04
2013 1.67 1.93
2014 1.69 1.93
2015 1.71 1.8
2016 1.79 1.74
2017 1.75 1.71
2018 1.73 1.71
2019 1.7 1.74
2020 1.68 1.72
2021 1.72 1.82
2022 1.55 1.59
2023 1.5 1.59
2024 1.51 1.57
2025 1.51 1.55
2026 1.51 1.54
2027 1.52 1.53
2028 1.52 1.53
2029 1.52 1.53
2030 1.53 1.52
2031 1.53 1.52
2032 1.53 1.52
2033 1.53 1.53
2034 1.53 1.53
2035 1.54 1.53
2036 1.54 1.53
2037 1.54 1.53
2038 1.54 1.53
2039 1.54 1.54
2040 1.55 1.54
2041 1.55 1.54
2042 1.55 1.54
2043 1.55 1.54
2044 1.56 1.54
2045 1.56 1.54
2046 1.56 1.55
2047 1.56 1.55
2048 1.56 1.55
2049 1.56 1.55
2050 1.56 1.56

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Denmark
Factual

UN forecast
Iceland
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Denmark Iceland
1960 25.2% 34.9%
1961 24.7% 35%
1962 24.2% 34.9%
1963 24% 34.9%
1964 23.8% 34.7%
1965 23.8% 34.5%
1966 23.8% 34.3%
1967 23.8% 34%
1968 23.7% 33.6%
1969 23.5% 33.2%
1970 23.3% 32.6%
1971 23.1% 32.1%
1972 23% 31.6%
1973 22.9% 31.2%
1974 22.7% 30.7%
1975 22.6% 30.1%
1976 22.4% 29.5%
1977 22.1% 29%
1978 21.8% 28.4%
1979 21.3% 27.9%
1980 20.8% 27.5%
1981 20.3% 27.2%
1982 19.7% 26.9%
1983 19.2% 26.7%
1984 18.8% 26.5%
1985 18.4% 26.2%
1986 18.1% 25.9%
1987 17.7% 25.6%
1988 17.5% 25.2%
1989 17.2% 25%
1990 17.1% 25%
1991 17% 24.8%
1992 17% 24.8%
1993 17.1% 24.8%
1994 17.2% 24.7%
1995 17.4% 24.4%
1996 17.6% 24.1%
1997 17.9% 23.9%
1998 18.1% 23.6%
1999 18.3% 23.4%
2000 18.5% 23.3%
2001 18.7% 23.2%
2002 18.8% 23%
2003 18.8% 22.8%
2004 18.8% 22.5%
2005 18.8% 22.1%
2006 18.7% 21.5%
2007 18.5% 21.1%
2008 18.4% 20.9%
2009 18.2% 20.9%
2010 18% 20.9%
2011 17.8% 20.8%
2012 17.6% 20.7%
2013 17.3% 20.6%
2014 17.1% 20.4%
2015 16.9% 20.2%
2016 16.8% 19.9%
2017 16.7% 19.6%
2018 16.6% 19.2%
2019 16.4% 18.9%
2020 16.3% 18.7%
2021 16.2% 18.6%
2022 16% 18.4%
2023 15.9% 18.1%
2024 15.7% 17.8%
2025 15.6% 17.5%
2026 15.5% 17.3%
2027 15.4% 17.1%
2028 15.4% 17%
2029 15.4% 16.8%
2030 15.4% 16.7%
2031 15.4% 16.6%
2032 15.3% 16.5%
2033 15.2% 16.3%
2034 15.2% 16.1%
2035 15.1% 15.9%
2036 15% 15.6%
2037 15% 15.4%
2038 15% 15.2%
2039 15% 15%
2040 14.9% 14.8%
2041 14.9% 14.7%
2042 14.9% 14.5%
2043 14.8% 14.4%
2044 14.8% 14.2%
2045 14.7% 14.1%
2046 14.7% 14%
2047 14.6% 13.9%
2048 14.6% 13.8%
2049 14.5% 13.7%
2050 14.5% 13.6%

Children aged 0-14 make up 15.7% of the population in Denmark and 17.8% in Iceland in 2024, compared to 17.1% and 25% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Denmark and Iceland compared.

Natural population change in Denmark vs Iceland by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +0.09% in Denmark and +0.57% in Iceland. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Denmark
Iceland

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Denmark Iceland
1960 32,515 3,758
1961 33,205 3,312
1962 32,070 3,465
1963 36,539 3,490
1964 36,832 3,459
1965 37,596 3,442
1966 38,858 3,305
1967 33,363 3,021
1968 27,243 2,841
1969 23,481 2,766
1970 22,673 2,576
1971 26,801 2,782
1972 24,958 3,241
1973 21,092 3,121
1974 19,676 2,776
1975 20,746 2,965
1976 11,667 2,951
1977 11,703 2,551
1978 9,187 2,727
1979 4,605 2,980
1980 1,537 2,966
1981 -3,073 2,677
1982 -2,559 2,736
1983 -6,649 2,702
1984 -5,623 2,539
1985 -4,603 2,221
1986 -2,561 2,384
1987 -1,538 2,360
1988 0 2,847
1989 2,053 2,832
1990 2,056 3,058
1991 4,639 2,733
1992 6,722 2,898
1993 4,670 2,875
1994 8,850 2,713
1995 6,280 2,354
1996 6,842 2,447
1997 7,927 2,305
1998 7,956 2,357
1999 6,919 2,192
2000 9,078 2,475
2001 6,967 2,365
2002 5,376 2,243
2003 7,007 2,317
2004 9,188 2,425
2005 9,755 2,433
2006 9,787 2,491
2007 8,192 2,617
2008 10,438 2,825
2009 8,285 3,026
2010 8,876 2,862
2011 6,685 2,521
2012 5,592 2,566
2013 3,931 2,169
2014 5,644 2,324
2015 5,683 1,952
2016 9,165 1,711
2017 8,071 1,854
2018 6,373 1,975
2019 6,977 2,163
2020 5,831 2,199
2021 5,857 2,534
2022 -1,180 1,719
2023 -595 1,730

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Denmark vs Iceland

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 4 deaths per 100,000 live births in Denmark, compared to 3 deaths in Iceland.

Denmark
Iceland
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Denmark Iceland
1985 12 11
1986 12 15
1987 12 13
1988 13 11
1989 13 14
1990 12 13
1991 12 11
1992 12 12
1993 12 10
1994 12 9
1995 12 13
1996 11 7
1997 10 8
1998 9 8
1999 9 7
2000 9 7
2001 9 6
2002 9 7
2003 8 6
2004 8 6
2005 8 5
2006 7 5
2007 7 5
2008 7 4
2009 7 5
2010 7 5
2011 6 4
2012 6 4
2013 5 4
2014 5 4
2015 5 4
2016 5 3
2017 5 3
2018 5 4
2019 4 4
2020 4 12
2021 8 5
2022 6 5
2023 4 3

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 0.34% in Denmark and 0.26% in Iceland. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Denmark
Iceland

Probability that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five

Year Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births
Denmark Iceland
1960 2.5% 2.14%
1961 2.45% 2.11%
1962 2.38% 2.07%
1963 2.3% 2.02%
1964 2.21% 1.97%
1965 2.11% 1.92%
1966 2.01% 1.85%
1967 1.9% 1.79%
1968 1.81% 1.72%
1969 1.73% 1.66%
1970 1.66% 1.6%
1971 1.58% 1.54%
1972 1.49% 1.48%
1973 1.39% 1.41%
1974 1.31% 1.35%
1975 1.23% 1.29%
1976 1.17% 1.22%
1977 1.11% 1.15%
1978 1.06% 1.09%
1979 1.03% 1.03%
1980 1% 0.97%
1981 0.98% 0.92%
1982 0.96% 0.87%
1983 0.96% 0.83%
1984 0.96% 0.79%
1985 0.97% 0.75%
1986 0.97% 0.73%
1987 0.97% 0.7%
1988 0.96% 0.67%
1989 0.93% 0.65%
1990 0.89% 0.63%
1991 0.84% 0.61%
1992 0.79% 0.58%
1993 0.74% 0.56%
1994 0.69% 0.54%
1995 0.65% 0.52%
1996 0.63% 0.49%
1997 0.6% 0.47%
1998 0.59% 0.45%
1999 0.57% 0.42%
2000 0.56% 0.4%
2001 0.55% 0.38%
2002 0.54% 0.36%
2003 0.52% 0.34%
2004 0.5% 0.33%
2005 0.48% 0.31%
2006 0.46% 0.3%
2007 0.45% 0.29%
2008 0.43% 0.28%
2009 0.42% 0.27%
2010 0.41% 0.27%
2011 0.41% 0.27%
2012 0.41% 0.26%
2013 0.41% 0.26%
2014 0.41% 0.26%
2015 0.41% 0.26%
2016 0.4% 0.26%
2017 0.4% 0.26%
2018 0.39% 0.27%
2019 0.38% 0.27%
2020 0.37% 0.27%
2021 0.36% 0.27%
2022 0.35% 0.26%
2023 0.34% 0.26%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Denmark vs Iceland
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