Updated
Overview
Denmark and Finland are nearly matched in population: 6.01 million versus 5.65 million people (2025).
Denmark's economy is about 45% larger than Finland's, at $462.53B versus $317.04B.
Per person, Denmark is the wealthier of the two: $76,970 against $56,149 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Denmark | Finland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $462.53B | $317.04B | 2025 | $429.46B / $299.84B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $76,970 | $56,149 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 2.9% | 0.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 1.9% | Lower: 0.3% | 2025 | 1.4% / 1.6% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 5.5% | 9.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 92 | 85 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $6,992 | $5,760 | 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $7.04 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 6.01 million | 5.65 million | 2025 | 6.05 million / 5.55 million |
| Population growth | 0.5% | 0.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 41.3 yrs | 43.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.52 | 1.30 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 82.3 yrs | Higher: 82.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 89% | 75% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 100% | 94% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 43,094 km² | 338,424 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 139.4/km² | 16.7/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | Lower: 28 Mt | 30 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 4.7 t | 5.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $9.96B | $6.99B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 15,000 | 22,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Denmark is growing faster: 2.9% annual GDP growth versus 0.2%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 1.9% in Denmark and 0.3% in Finland.
Average monthly earnings favour Denmark: $6,992 against $5,760 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 41.3 (Denmark) and 43.2 (Finland).
Denmark is considerably more urbanized: 89% of people live in cities, against 75%.
Geography
By land area, Denmark is 87% smaller than Finland: 43,094 km² versus 338,424 km².
Both sit in the same broad region but do not share a border.
Denmark is far more densely settled: 139 people per km² against 17.
Military
Denmark spends about 45% more on defence than Finland: $9.96B versus $6.99B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Finland fields the larger armed forces: 22,000 personnel against 15,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Denmark bigger than Finland?
- Finland is larger by land area. Denmark covers 43,094 km² while Finland covers 338,424 km², so Finland is 7.9 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Denmark or Finland?
- Denmark has the larger population: 6.01 million versus 5.65 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Denmark richer than Finland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Denmark is richer: $76,970 against $56,149. Total GDP tells the same story: $462.53B for Denmark versus $317.04B for Finland.
- Who spends more on their military, Denmark or Finland?
- Denmark spends more: $9.96B versus $6.99B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).