Destinations › Europe · The Destination Index · universal template · every figure sourced
Denmark.
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes several major islands (Sjaelland, Fyn, and Bornholm). 43,094 sq km and 6,009,169 people, 7,314 km of coastline, temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers.
Region · EuropePopulation · ~6,009,169Languages · Danish, with Faroese, Greenlandic and GermanEco Index · 70/100 · Passable
The Eco Index across 12 pillars · scored 0 to 5 · World Bank, OWID, WHO/UNICEF JMP, FiBL, Protected Planet, IUCN, UNESCO (2023-24)
Conservation
Wildlife
Water
Food & farming
Organic & clean
Climate & energy
Waste
Health
Heritage
Ownership
Governance
Future
The History of Denmark.
Danish living heritage is comparatively modest within a highly secular, modernised society. Traditional spillemand fiddle music and folkedans survive mainly through revival groups and folk high schools.
Where the name comes from
From Old Norse Danmǫrk, the march or borderland of the Danes. The first element is usually traced to a word for flat land. Source: national and regional toponymic records.
The land itself: low and flat, rising to gently rolling plains. Its high point is Møllehøj, 171 m. Source: national mapping and survey records.
Where it starts
Bogs that kept everything
Reindeer hunters followed the retreating ice around 12,500 years ago. Maglemose and Ertebolle communities left shell middens, bows, dugouts and some of the earliest fishing gear in northern Europe. Farming arrived around 3900 BC and thousands of megalithic tombs were raised. The Trundholm sun chariot, a bronze horse drawing a gilded sun disc made around 1400 BC, and the Egtved girl, buried in an oak coffin with her clothing and hair intact, both survived because Danish bogs preserve what elsewhere rots away.
How it got here
Vikings, runestones, colonies
Between about 800 and 1050 Danish ships reached England, Ireland, Normandy and the Baltic, and towns such as Ribe and Hedeby became trading centres. The runestones at Jelling, raised around 965, record the unification of Denmark and its conversion to Christianity. Absolute monarchy became constitutional in 1849. In 1917 Denmark sold its Caribbean colonies to the United States, closing an Atlantic slave-trading history it had formally abolished in 1803.
The timeline
c. 12,500 BC
After the ice.
Reindeer hunters follow the retreating ice into what is now Denmark. ↗
c. 9000 to 6000 BC
Maglemose and Ertebolle.
Coastal and forest communities leave shell middens, bows, dugouts and some of the earliest fishing gear in northern Europe. ↗
c. 3900 BC onward
Farming and long barrows.
Farming arrives, and thousands of megalithic tombs are raised across the country. ↗
c. 1400 BC
The Trundholm sun chariot.
A bronze horse drawing a gilded sun disc, found in a bog on Zealand, is among the finest objects of the Nordic Bronze Age. ↗
c. 1370 BC
The Egtved girl.
A young woman buried in an oak coffin, with her clothing, hair and a bronze belt disc preserved. ↗
c. 800 to 1050
The Viking age.
Danish ships reach England, Ireland, Normandy and the Baltic, and towns such as Ribe and Hedeby become trading centres. ↗
c. 965
The Jelling stones.
Runestones at Jelling record the unification of Denmark and its conversion to Christianity. ↗
1849
Constitution.
The Grundlov of 1849 turns an absolute monarchy into a constitutional one, with a parliament and guaranteed freedoms. It was signed without a revolution, unlike most of Europe in that year. ↗
1917
Selling the West Indies.
Denmark sells its Caribbean colonies to the United States, ending an Atlantic slave-trading history it had formally abolished in 1803. ↗
Around 15.8% of Denmark's land area is protected (World Bank/Protected Planet, 2024) and roughly 18% of territorial waters carry marine protection on paper. Enforcement is uneven: NGOs including Oceana and ClientEarth have challenged bottom trawling inside Danish marine protected areas, and a 2024 government agreement to restrict trawling still excludes the Wadden Sea. A separate 2024 political agreement aims to raise strictly protected nature to 20% of the land.
Is wild Denmark protected? 16.4% of the land is, against a 30% target for 2030
Recorded in Denmark and named in the open record. Endemic status is stated per species, not implied by this list.
Very few
Ve
Denmark has low endemism after glaciation
De
Centuries of cultivation
Ce
The watchlist
ThreatenedOryctolagus cuniculusEndangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Denmark in GBIF occurrence data (mammal).
ThreatenedAquila nipalensisEndangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Denmark in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedGwynne's Mining Bee (Andrena bicolor)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Denmark in GBIF occurrence data (insect).
ThreatenedViola tricolorEndangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Denmark in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedAnguilla anguillaCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Denmark in GBIF occurrence data (species).
ThreatenedRock grenadier (Coryphaenoides rupestris)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Denmark in GBIF occurrence data (species).
ThreatenedAlewife (Alosa alosa)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Denmark in GBIF occurrence data (species).
ThreatenedBaltic Sturgeon (Acipenser sturio)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Denmark in GBIF occurrence data (species).
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Denmark. GBIF holds 18 verified occurrence records.
Anguilla anguilla
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Denmark. GBIF holds 300 verified occurrence records.
Rock grenadier (Coryphaenoides rupestris)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Denmark. GBIF holds 2 verified occurrence records.
Alewife (Alosa alosa)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Denmark. GBIF holds 1 verified occurrence records.
Species named here are drawn from GBIF occurrence records for Denmark filtered to the IUCN Red List threatened categories. Species are listed where GBIF holds occurrence records for them in this country. Record counts are not published here because the figure cannot be reproduced from a public GBIF query.
Botanical garden in Capital Region of Denmark, mapped and named in the open record for Denmark. OpenStreetMap.
Water and Ocean in Denmark.
Denmark draws its drinking water almost entirely from groundwater aquifers, abstracted and lightly treated rather than chlorinated, and 96.7% of the population uses safely managed drinking water (World Bank/WHO-UNICEF JMP, 2020). Supply is reliable and locally sourced, though nitrate and pesticide contamination from intensive farming has forced some well closures. Tap water is safe to drink nationwide.
Does Denmark have enough fresh water? Yes, with headroom
99.9% of people here have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Tap water is safe for a visitor nearly everywhere.
Cleanest water: Groundwater is clean nationwide; excellent Blue Flag bathing water on Bornholm and the north Jutland coast.
How much fresh water does Denmark have, per person?
1,016 m³
Denmark
1,000 m³
the UN “water scarce” line
Denmark withdraws about 934 million cubic metres of fresh water a year (2022). That is 25.3% of the fresh water actually available to it, which FAO counts as medium water stress. Of what is taken, farming takes 54%, homes and towns 41%, industry 5%. Source: FAO AQUASTAT.
What are the rules on Denmark beaches?
✓Tap water: Drinkable.
✓Plastic rules: EU single-use plastics ban in force since 2021 (straws, cutlery, plates, cotton buds, polystyrene food containers); nationwide deposit-return (pant) on bottles and cans..
✓Solo travel: rated easy on the record for this destination.
✕Marine protection: 18.3% of the sea is protected. The 30x30 pledge for 2030 is not met yet.
Where does the sewage go?
98.9%
of people have safely managed sanitation
98.9% of people here use a safely managed sanitation service, meaning waste is contained, emptied and treated rather than reaching the ground or the sea untreated (2024, World Bank / WHO-UNICEF JMP, SDG 6.2.1). That is close to universal coverage.
How is the sea around Denmark doing?
One cross-section, every answer measured.
Surface
What the coast carries
Cool and windy; summer nights are long, winter days very short.
Nearshore
Protected water
18.3% of territorial waters are protected, against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Cleanest
Where the water is cleanest
Groundwater is clean nationwide; excellent Blue Flag bathing water on Bornholm and the north Jutland coast..
The record
Measured
Denmark draws its drinking water almost entirely from groundwater aquifers, abstracted and lightly treated rather than chlorinated, and 96.7% of the population uses safely managed drinking water (World Bank/WHO-UNICEF JMP, 2020). Supply is reliable and locally sourced, though nitrate and pesticide contamination from intensive farming has forced some well closures.
Sea protected
18.3%
Against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Threatened species
61
Mammals, birds, fish and higher plants on the IUCN list.
Cleanest water
here
Groundwater is clean nationwide; excellent Blue Flag bathing water on Bornholm and the north Jutland coast..
Is the tap water safe in Denmark?
99.9% of people have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Renewable fresh water works out at about 1,016 cubic metres per person a year (World Bank).
How hard is the water supply being pushed?
Of every 10 buckets nature refills, 2 are already taken. Withdrawals run at 15.6% of what Denmark renews internally each year (2022, World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT). That is inside the 25% mark generally treated as water stress, so the supply has headroom.
When is the best time to visit Denmark? Tap your month.
Tap your month.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
.
How much fresh water does Denmark actually have?
Nature renews about 1,016 cubic metres of fresh water per person per year here. That ranks Denmark 60 of 208 countries measured, putting it in the drier half of the world. The UN treats anything under 1,000 cubic metres as water scarce, and this is above that line. World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT.
Food imports were about 14% of merchandise imports in 2024 (World Bank), and Denmark is one of Europe's largest net food exporters, sending roughly three quarters of its agricultural output abroad. Around 60% of the country's land is farmed, producing pork, dairy, cereals and fish well beyond domestic needs. Self-sufficiency in staple production is very high.
Where does the food in Denmark come from?
14.0% imported
about US$18,474m a year
On the plate: Rye bread (rugbrod), potatoes, root vegetables, cabbage, apples and summer berries.
How often each food is on the plate
Share of people eating each one regularly. These overlap, so they do not add up to 100%.
Potatoes51%
Root vegetables42%
Cabbage33%
Apples24%
Summer berries15%
1 of 10
bites are imported
The island buys in more food energy than it eats. About US$18,474m a year leaves the country to pay for it. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
About 13.6% of everything Denmark buys in from abroad is food, roughly 1 in every 10 imported items on the dock (2025, World Bank). Farming itself is 1.2% of the economy and 65.5% of the land is agricultural, of which 59.1% is arable. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
What is killing people in Denmark? The imported diet.
Cause of death, and the diet behind it.
Non-communicable diseases, all combined87.7%
Diabetes6.4%
Adults living with overweight or obesity. 44.9%.
Can Denmark feed itself?
59.1%
Arable land
65.5%
Agricultural land
53,392
Farmers
5,844,033
Arable acres
1.2%
Agriculture, share of GDP
Harvest: Main harvest late summer to autumn (August to October); berries and early vegetables through summer.
Feeding itself
Food imports were about 14% of merchandise imports in 2024 (World Bank), and Denmark is one of Europe's largest net food exporters, sending roughly three quarters of its agricultural output abroad. Around 60% of the country's land is farmed, producing pork, dairy, cereals and fish well beyond domestic needs.
Certification
About 11.4% of Denmark's farmland was under organic production in 2023 (Eurostat/EEA), among the highest shares in the EU. Denmark introduced the world's first state organic label in 1989 and has one of the highest organic shares of retail food sales anywhere.
Water for crops
Denmark draws its drinking water almost entirely from groundwater aquifers, abstracted and lightly treated rather than chlorinated, and 96.7% of the population uses safely managed drinking water (World Bank/WHO-UNICEF JMP, 2020). Supply is reliable and locally sourced, though nitrate and pesticide contamination from intensive farming has forced some well closures.
Why the organic number looks like that. Certified-organic farmland is not separately reported for Denmark, and that is a certification gap rather than proof nothing is grown cleanly. What the official land record does show: 65.5% of the country is agricultural land and 59.1% is arable (2023, World Bank). Certification is paid for per farm per year by a foreign body, which prices out smallholders, so the organic number reads worse than the practice.
What actually grows here
WheatPotatoesBarleySugar beetsRapeseedRyeOats
The food that already fits
The plant-based kitchen here is not an import. By tonnage, the largest crops grown in Denmark are wheat, barley, potatoes, sugar beet, rape or colza seed and rye (FAO, FAOSTAT crop production, 2024). That is what the land itself puts on a plate.
Denmark runs one of the cleanest power grids in Europe, with about 93% of its electricity from low-carbon sources and wind alone supplying more than 60% (Low Carbon Power, 2025). With no nuclear generation, that low-carbon share is almost entirely renewable, though it includes a large biomass component. Its Climate Act is legally binding and commits the country to cut emissions 70% by 2030 and reach climate neutrality by 2045 (State of Green). The main reservation is that territorial emissions remain about 4.75 tonnes of CO2 per person in 2024, above the very low emitters, and reliance on imported wood biomass carries its own sustainability questions (Our World in Data).
What powers Denmark?
Renewable 94.2%Fossil 5.8%
Climate pollution per person
The safe amount, what the planet can absorb
2 tonnes
One person here
4.28 tonnes
The world average, for comparison
4.7 tonnes
The worst it ever got
11.58 tonnes
The grid
Denmark runs one of the cleanest power grids in Europe, with about 93% of its electricity from low-carbon sources and wind alone supplying more than 60% (Low Carbon Power, 2025). With no nuclear generation, that low-carbon share is almost entirely renewable, though it includes a large biomass component.
Pollution
Air is very clean: Denmark was one of only seven countries to meet the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023 (IQAir). The EU single-use plastics ban is in force (straws, cutlery, plates, polystyrene food containers), litter is low, and a deposit-return pant scheme drives very high bottle and can returns.
Water stress
Denmark draws its drinking water almost entirely from groundwater aquifers, abstracted and lightly treated rather than chlorinated, and 96.7% of the population uses safely managed drinking water (World Bank/WHO-UNICEF JMP, 2020). Supply is reliable and locally sourced, though nitrate and pesticide contamination from intensive farming has forced some well closures.
What pollutes most here
1The gridThe share of electricity still generated from fossil fuel.11.6%
2IndustryIntensive pig and dairy farming drives nitrogen and ammonia pollution and coastal eutrophication, and pressures groundwater..named
3AirModelled annual mean against a WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.5
4On the recordAir is very clean: Denmark was one of only seven countries to meet the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023 (IQAir).
What has Denmark promised on climate?
Net zero, whole economy2050
Electricity renewable today79% (2021)
Land protected, against a 30% target16.4% by 2025
Sea protected, against a 30% target27.1% by 2025
The net-zero target year on file with Climate Watch is 2050, status: in law; in policy document. Measured against it, 79% of electricity is already renewable (2021, World Bank), so 21% of the grid is still to be converted. The pledge on file is measured here against what has actually been delivered, not taken on its own (UNFCCC NDC Registry, CBD Kunming-Montreal Target 3).
The biggest line item
One return flight against a whole year of living.
A resident's entire year4.28 t CO2e
Safe-climate budget, per year2 t CO2e
Sydney return, economy2.89 t CO2e
Singapore return, economy1.8 t CO2e
Johannesburg return, economy1.66 t CO2e
Los Angeles return, economy1.63 t CO2e
New York return, economy1.11 t CO2e
How much CO2 does flying to Denmark emit?
Tap where you would fly from. One return flight, economy.
Every prompt runs on a machine in a building on somebody’s grid. What that costs the planet depends less on the prompt than on what is burning to power it. Here is what would power one in Denmark.
Data centres
37
Registered colocation and interconnection facilities, PeeringDB, 2026
Grid renewable
94.2 %
What a machine here runs on.
What powers a data centre in Denmark?
Running AI here is about as clean as it currently gets.
Renewable 94.2%Fossil 5.8%
Cooling water. Every one of those halls runs on the national grid, which is 79% renewable today (World Bank). A data centre is only as clean as the electricity behind it, so the same figure that decides this country's climate score also decides the footprint of the AI running inside it. Cooling water use is not separately published by facility, and no operator here reports it.
The rules. Denmark has 37 colocation and interconnection facilities on the public PeeringDB register, concentrated in Copenhagen (7), Taastrup (2), Lyngby (2), alongside 8 internet exchanges (DIX, Netnod Copenhagen GREEN -- MTU9K, STHIX - Copenhagen, Netnod Copenhagen BLUE -- MTU9K). Named sites include Digital Realty Copenhagen CPH1-3, GlobalConnect Taastrup 1 (CPH1), Telia Telehouse Copenhagen, Telia Copenhagen (Ørestad/OSD).
Where the cables land. 34 landing points · Alsgarde, Blaabjerg, Bogense, Brondby
15% residents to 85% visitors across a year. 33,093,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 6,009,169 people who live here (2025, World Bank / UN Tourism).
Where a visitor dollar goes in Denmark
15,595k
Visitors a year
2.6
Visitors per resident
How deep in debt is Denmark?· for every $100 Denmark earns in a year, it owes…
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · the 1993 peak
$ 79The worst year on the IMF record. Denmark owed $79 for every $100 it earned.
IMF World Economic Outlook, 1993signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · today
$ 27What is owed now, for every $100 of national income (2026).
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · projected 2031
$ 30The IMF's own forecast has this rising to $30 by 2031.
IMF World Economic Outlook projection, 2031signed, the forecast
For every $100 Denmark earns in a year, it owes $27 (2026, IMF World Economic Outlook). The interest on that is paid before schools, clinics or coastline get their turn.
Where does a tourist dollar actually go in Denmark?
Play one tourist dollar around the board. Every square is a measured fact from this page.
START!
1
GO: a visitor lands
$100 goes on the table. 33,093,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 6,009,169 residents, 5.5 visitors for every resident (World Bank / UN Tourism).
$100 in play
2
The bed
Who owns the largest places to stay in Denmark is not published in the records we can check, so this square is left open rather than guessed. Where a listing names its owner, it is shown in the ownership table below.
not published
3
The plate
Food is only 13.6% of everything Denmark imports (2025, World Bank), so most of a meal is bought from producers inside the country. Eating what the land here actually grows, wheat, potatoes, barley, sugar beets, rapeseed, rye, oats, keeps that money with the grower.
mostly home-grown
4
The power
79% of the electricity is renewable (2021, World Bank), so the energy on the bill is mostly generated inside the country rather than shipped in.
made at home
5
What actually stays
Of the two parts of a visitor's bill that can be measured here, the plate and the power stay inside Denmark. This is not an economy where a visitor's money drains away, and the board is shorter for it.
most of it
6
Pay the bank first
Denmark owes $27 for every $100 it earns (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). The interest is paid before anything else on this board.
$27 per $100
7
A spread hand
The largest single export, pharmaceuticals, is 16.2% of the total (2023, UN Comtrade). No one shock can take the whole board.
top export 16.2%
8
Community chest
Tourism earns 4.5% of everything Denmark makes from exports (2018, World Bank / UN Tourism). That is how much of the economy depends on the game continuing.
4.5% of exports
9
The flight
Getting here is usually the biggest single line on the bill. From Sydney a return economy seat is 2.89 t CO2, on the UK Government's published conversion factors. It is the one part of the trip this board cannot reduce.
2.89 t CO2
10
Back to GO
The economy turns over about US$504 billion a year (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). Every lap of this board is a choice about how much of it stays.
US$504bn
GDPUS$462.5bn
Agriculture, share of GDP1.2%
Visitors a year15,595,000
Visitors per resident2.6
Residents~6,009,169
Agriculture
Farming is 1.2% of the economy. Food imports were about 14% of merchandise imports in 2024 (World Bank), and Denmark is one of Europe's largest net food exporters, sending roughly three quarters of its agricultural output abroad.
Natural materials
Denmark has a living wool-knitting and textile tradition and a design culture built around natural materials such as wool and linen, though most raw fibre is now imported. Everyday single-use culture is comparatively low, supported by a deposit-return system and widespread reusables.
Energy
Denmark runs one of the cleanest power grids in Europe, with about 93% of its electricity from low-carbon sources and wind alone supplying more than 60% (Low Carbon Power, 2025). With no nuclear generation, that low-carbon share is almost entirely renewable, though it includes a large biomass component.
Who owns the biggest hotels in Denmark?
By rooms · company records and press.
Guldsmeden Babette · ~98 roomsIndependentnot published
Guldsmeden Manon les Suites · ~87 roomsIndependentnot published
SOFS Boutique Hotel · ~25 roomsIndependentnot published
Belle Guldsmeden · ~19 roomsIndependentnot published
Guldsmeden 66 Carlton · ~74 roomsIndependentnot published
Guldsmeden Axel · ~212 roomsIndependentnot published
Visitors, over time
201528,209k
201628,692k
201730,736k
201830,801k
201933,093k
202015,595k
International tourism receipts run at about US$9.10 billion in 2018 (World Bank / UN Tourism). That is 4.5% of everything the country earns from exports.
How much of your money actually stays here?
Tap the holiday you are planning.
All-inclusive resortForeign-owned hotel and tourist restaurantsLocally owned stay and local restaurantsGuesthouse, markets and public transport
Resort guest, villa renter, family, nomad or backpacker. The honest playbook for each, from the same sourced numbers.
Already booked a resort? · the rescue list
Five swaps that move your money back on-island
1. Eat where the country eats Choose kitchens cooking what the land here grows, wheat, potatoes, barley, sugar beets, rapeseed, rye and oats, over an imported menu. The checked list →
2. Book with a local operator Never the lobby desk. The margin on a tour is the part that stays. Eco tours →
3. Stay somewhere locally owned Ownership decides where the room rate books. Eco stays →
4. Use the transport residents use Excellent trains, buses and inter-island ferries; cities are exceptionally cycle-friendly, with cycling the default in Copenhagen.
5. Buy the craft, not the souvenir Natural-materials work made here pays the maker directly; imported gifts pay a shipping line.
swipe →
First time here
Denmark pairs the world's highest share of wind electricity, near universal safe groundwater and strong recycling with an intensively farmed landscape that leaves its wild nature and marine protection under strain.
Best time: Late spring to summer for long days and mild weather; spring and autumn for Sort Sol murmurations.
Getting around
Excellent trains, buses and inter-island ferries; cities are exceptionally cycle-friendly, with cycling the default in Copenhagen.
Transport is where the fare either stays or leaves.
Eating here
The everyday plate that actually grows here is wheat, potatoes, barley, sugar beets, rapeseed, rye and oats. Ordering those keeps the money with the grower and cuts the imported share of the meal.
Eating what the country grows is the cheapest way to cut the import bill.
Good to know
Cash is nearly obsolete; DKK. Bikes outnumber cars in Copenhagen.
Rate my hotel. Tap yours for the honest verdict.
Ownership from company records and press.
Guldsmeden BabetteGuldsmeden Manon les SuitesSOFS Boutique HotelBelle GuldsmedenGuldsmeden 66 CarltonGuldsmeden Axel
.
Who owns the big hotels
Guldsmeden BabetteIndependent · 98 rooms
Guldsmeden Manon les SuitesIndependent · 87 rooms
SOFS Boutique HotelIndependent · 25 rooms
Belle GuldsmedenIndependent · 19 rooms
Guldsmeden 66 CarltonIndependent · 74 rooms
Guldsmeden AxelIndependent · 212 rooms
None of the 6 properties listed here publishes who ultimately owns it, so no claim is made either way. Ownership is what decides how much of a room rate stays in the country, which is why we show it when a listing states it.
Society and Governance in Denmark.
How well is Denmark actually run?
Governance, measured · World Bank WGI
Four measured answers, none of them opinion. Averaged across corruption control, delivery and accountability, Denmark scores 91 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That is a state that generally does what it says it will do, which is what makes a climate pledge worth reading.
How well is Denmark run? · each scored out of 100, higher is better
Clean government, scored 94 of 100
Control of corruption scores 94.2 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That puts it in the cleanest quarter of governments measured.
94
Freedom and rights, scored 90 of 100
Voice and accountability, which measures free expression, free media and the ability to choose a government, scores 90 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Citizens here can question their government openly.
90
Government effectiveness, scored 89 of 100
Government effectiveness, which measures the quality of public services and how well policy is actually delivered, scores 88.5 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Delivery is rated among the strongest measured.
89
Income equality, scored 30 of 100
The Gini index of income inequality reads 29.9 (2023, World Bank). Zero is perfect equality and 100 is one person holding everything. Below 40 is the level usually treated as manageable, and Denmark sits inside it.
30
LGBTQ+ status: HighSolo female travel: EasyIndustry to avoid: Intensive pig and dairy farming drives nitrogen and ammonia pollution and coastal eutrophication, and pressures groundwater.
What is daily life in Denmark really like? Measured
Getting around, breathing, throwing away, learning. The honest checklist.
TransportAirWaterWastePower
✓How you get around Excellent trains, buses and inter-island ferries; cities are exceptionally cycle-friendly, with cycling the default in Copenhagen.
✓Air quality, measured Modelled annual mean 5. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³.
✓Where the air is cleanest Rural west Jutland and the North Sea coast; the island of Bornholm.
✓Tap water Drinkable
✓What to drink Excellent tap water nationwide.
✓Plastic rules EU single-use plastics ban in force since 2021 (straws, cutlery, plates, cotton buds, polystyrene food containers); nationwide deposit-return (pant) on bottles and cans.
✓Sockets and voltage Type C/F, 230V
Made in Denmark.
Denmark has a living wool-knitting and textile tradition and a design culture built around natural materials such as wool and linen, though most raw fibre is now imported. Everyday single-use culture is comparatively low, supported by a deposit-return system and widespread reusables. Every step of processing done at home is value that stops leaving the country.
What Denmark actually sells the world
The single biggest thing Denmark sells the world is pharmaceuticals, 16.2% of all exports in 2023 (about US$20.80 billion, UN Comtrade). The next four are machinery and mechanical appliances at 12.4%, electrical machinery and electronics at 7.0%, mineral fuels and oils at 4.7%, optical, medical and precision instruments at 3.7%.
Sells now · 16.2% of exports
Pharmaceuticals
Pharmaceuticals is 16.2% of everything Denmark sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$20.80 billion. UN Comtrade.
Sells now · 12.4% of exports
Machinery and mechanical appliances
Machinery and mechanical appliances is 12.4% of everything Denmark sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$15.97 billion. UN Comtrade.
Sells now · 7.0% of exports
Electrical machinery and electronics
Electrical machinery and electronics is 7.0% of everything Denmark sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$8.96 billion. UN Comtrade.
Sells now · 4.7% of exports
Mineral fuels and oils
Mineral fuels and oils is 4.7% of everything Denmark sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$6.03 billion. UN Comtrade.
Sells now · 3.7% of exports
Optical, medical and precision instruments
Optical, medical and precision instruments is 3.7% of everything Denmark sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$4.74 billion. UN Comtrade.
Could make · grown here already
Rye bread (rugbrod)
Grown in Denmark and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
Could make · grown here already
Potatoes
Grown in Denmark and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
Could make · grown here already
Root vegetables
Grown in Denmark and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
The maths for an entrepreneur. Denmark produces about US$463 billion a year, which is roughly US$76,970 per person (2025, World Bank). Farming is 1.2% of that, while food is 13.6% of everything the country imports. The country buys in more food than its own farms contribute to the economy, and every point of that gap is a business someone could build here rather than ship in. With 59.1% of the land arable, the raw material for that is already in the ground.
A living tradition of Denmark, still practised rather than archived.
Folkedans
A living tradition of Denmark, still practised rather than archived.
Sankt Hans midsummer bonfires
A living tradition of Denmark, still practised rather than archived.
Fastelavn
A living tradition of Denmark, still practised rather than archived.
BalladA living tradition of Denmark, still practised rather than archived.
Hojskole communal song traditionA living tradition of Denmark, still practised rather than archived.
Does Denmark protect its heritage by law?
Partly, and the gaps say as much as the protections.
What is kept alive. Danish living heritage is comparatively modest within a highly secular, modernised society. Traditional spillemand fiddle music and folkedans survive mainly through revival groups and folk high schools. Seasonal customs such as the Sankt Hans midsummer bonfires and Fastelavn remain widely observed.
Who it belongs to. Denmark has strong living local communities and a heritage of cooperatives, folk high schools and small-scale enterprise, and tourism spending is broadly distributed rather than captured by resort enclaves. There is no indigenous community in mainland Denmark, so the country lacks the indigenous-led community tourism that defines the top band, but visitor money reaches local businesses widely.
Only here. The world's highest share of electricity generated from wind, 58% in 2024 (Ember)..
Three futures for Denmark, every one run forward from measured data.
Where the making actually happens
Named craft workshops on the open map: AAU Aalborg Kantine, Annettes Festservice, Armandos, Asserbo Kro, BECK menu & event, Bella Art.
Every measured trend on one line
Run forward at the pace already recorded.
+14%
Forest cover
1995: 13.8 % → 2023: 15.8 %
+1468%
Renewable electricity
1995: 5 % → 2021: 79 %
-63%
CO2 per person
1995: 11.6 t → 2024: 4.3 t
-26%
Tourist arrivals
2003: 21119 k → 2020: 15595 k
-6%
Protected land
2013: 17.5 % → 2025: 16.4 %
-63%
Farm workforce
1995: 4.39 % → 2025: 1.62 %
+54%
Protected sea
2013: 17.6 % → 2025: 27.1 %
-4%
Agricultural land
1995: 68.2 % → 2023: 65.5 %
+5%
Urban population
1995: 85 % → 2025: 88.8 %
-53%
Air pollution
1995: 15.9 µg/m³ → 2023: 7.5 µg/m³
-11%
Fresh water per person
1995: 1146.5 m³ → 2022: 1016.4 m³
+18%
Adult overweight
1995: 38 % → 2022: 44.9 %
+0%
Electricity access
1995: 100 % → 2024: 100 %
+118%
GDP per person
1995: 35321 → 2025: 76970
+15%
Population
1995: 5233 k → 2025: 6009 k
+427%
Renewable energy use
1995: 7.5 % → 2021: 39.5 %
-33%
Energy per person
1995: 3707 kg → 2024: 2502 kg
+35%
Protected area, total
2013: 17.6 % → 2025: 23.8 %
+9%
Life expectancy
1995: 75.2 yrs → 2024: 82.3 yrs
-3%
Cereal yield
1995: 6291 ha → 2024: 6096 ha
-40%
Fertiliser use
1995: 188.9 ha → 2023: 113.6 ha
-26%
Rural population
1995: 15 % → 2025: 11.2 %
+69%
Water productivity
1995: 221 $/m3 → 2022: 373.4 $/m3
+16%
Health spending
2000: 8.11 % → 2024: 9.39 %
+14%
Forest area
1995: 5515 km2 → 2023: 6313 km2
-4%
Electric power use
1995: 6425 kWh → 2024: 6165 kWh
-23%
Emissions: Agriculture
1990: 12.9 e → 2023: 9.9 e
-63%
Emissions: Building
1990: 6.56 e → 2023: 2.42 e
-75%
Emissions: Electricity/Heat
1990: 26.7 e → 2023: 6.7 e
-51%
Emissions: Energy
1990: 52.5 e → 2023: 25.9 e
+4%
Emissions: Industrial Processes
1990: 1.71 e → 2023: 1.77 e
-39%
Emissions: Manufacturing/Construction
1990: 5.49 e → 2023: 3.37 e
World Bank open data, recorded series
How much forest is left?
Forest cover moved from 13.8% to 15.8% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.ZS
How clean is the grid?
Renewable electricity moved from 5.0% to 79.0% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.RNEW.ZS
How much climate pollution per person?
CO2 per person moved from 11.6 t to 4.3 t across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5
How many people visit?
Tourist arrivals moved from 21119k to 15595k across 17 recorded years.
World Bank ST.INT.ARVL
How much land is protected?
Protected land moved from 17.5% to 16.4% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.LND.PTLD.ZS
How many people still farm?
Farm workforce moved from 4.4% to 1.6% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
How much sea is protected?
Protected sea moved from 17.6% to 27.1% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.MRN.PTMR.ZS
How much land is farmed?
Agricultural land moved from 68.2% to 65.5% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.AGRI.ZS
How fast is it urbanising?
Urban population moved from 85.0% to 88.8% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
Is the air getting cleaner?
Air pollution moved from 15.9 µg/m³ to 7.5 µg/m³ across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3
Is water getting scarcer?
Fresh water per person moved from 1146.5 m³ to 1016.4 m³ across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.H2O.INTR.PC
Is diet-related disease rising?
Adult overweight moved from 38.0% to 44.9% across 27 recorded years.
World Bank SH.STA.OWAD.ZS
Who has power?
Electricity access moved from 100.0% to 100.0% across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS
Is income rising?
GDP per person moved from 35321 to 76970 across 30 recorded years.
World Bank NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
How fast is it growing?
Population moved from 5233k to 6009k across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.POP.TOTL
What share of all energy is renewable?
Renewable energy use moved from 7.5% to 39.5% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.FEC.RNEW.ZS
How much energy does one person use?
Energy per person moved from 3707 kg to 2502 kg across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.PCAP.KG.OE
How much land and sea is protected together?
Protected area, total moved from 17.6% to 23.8% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.PTD.TOTL.ZS
How long do people live?
Life expectancy moved from 75.21 yrs to 82.25 yrs across 29 recorded years.
World Bank SP.DYN.LE00.IN
How much does a hectare of cereal produce?
Cereal yield moved from 6291 kg/ha to 6096 kg/ha across 29 recorded years.
World Bank AG.YLD.CREL.KG
How much fertiliser goes on the land?
Fertiliser use moved from 188.87 kg/ha to 113.64 kg/ha across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.CON.FERT.ZS
How many people still live rurally?
Rural population moved from 15.0% to 11.15% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS
How much value per cubic metre of water?
Water productivity moved from 220.96 $/m3 to 373.44 $/m3 across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.GDP.FWTL.M3.KD
How much goes on health?
Health spending moved from 8.11% to 9.39% across 24 recorded years.
World Bank SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS
How much forest is there in total?
Forest area moved from 5515 km2 to 6313 km2 across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.K2
How much electricity per person?
Electric power use moved from 6425 kWh to 6165 kWh across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.ELEC.KH.PC
How have agriculture emissions moved?
Agriculture emissions moved from 12.88 to 9.94 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have building emissions moved?
Building emissions moved from 6.56 to 2.42 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have electricity/heat emissions moved?
Electricity/Heat emissions moved from 26.7 to 6.73 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have energy emissions moved?
Energy emissions moved from 52.47 to 25.87 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have industrial processes emissions moved?
Industrial Processes emissions moved from 1.71 to 1.77 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have manufacturing/construction emissions moved?
Manufacturing/Construction emissions moved from 5.49 to 3.37 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
Worst caseCurrent pathBest case
Worst case
Every measured decline continues at the pace already recorded. The weakest pillar, heritage at 2/5, is the one that gives way first.
Computed from: recorded series extended with no policy change
Current path
Every line above is a recorded World Bank series for this country. The current path is simply those series continuing at the pace already measured.
Computed from: recorded series, no policy change assumed
Best case
The pledges are met on their own stated timetables and the weakest pillars are lifted to match the strongest. Denmark already shows it can do this: recycling scores 5/5.
Computed from: each published target delivered on its own date
What the best case actually asks for
Lift heritage
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Denmark's record. Danish living heritage is comparatively modest within a highly secular, modernised society. Traditional spillemand fiddle music and folkedans survive mainly through revival groups and folk high schools. Seasonal customs such as the Sankt Hans midsummer bonfires and Fastelavn remain widely observed. The ballad and communal song tradition, carried in the hojskole songbook, is the most broadly living strand. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift natural fibres
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Denmark's record. Denmark has a living wool-knitting and textile tradition and a design culture built around natural materials such as wool and linen, though most raw fibre is now imported. Everyday single-use culture is comparatively low, supported by a deposit-return system and widespread reusables. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift wildlife
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Denmark's record. Denmark is one of Europe's most intensively cultivated countries, with very low endemism and a depleted terrestrial biodiversity; 61 species are assessed as threatened on the IUCN Red List. Standout wildlife is coastal and migratory: the Wadden Sea supports millions of migrating birds and the Sort Sol starling murmurations, alongside harbour and grey seals and harbour porpoises. Fenced rewilding projects reintroducing large grazers are expanding but remain small. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Government and Goals in Denmark.
Who is in charge of Denmark now · office-holders and institutions as published by the state itself; scores from the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators 2024
Mette Frederiksen
Prime Minister
Mette Frederiksen is the head of government of Denmark, in office since 27 June 2019. Every climate, protection and energy pledge on this page is delivered, or not, under this administration.
Public opinion, measured
Voice and accountability, the freedom to question government: 90 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Control of corruption: 94.2 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Political stability and absence of violence: 79 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Rule of law: 91.5 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Regulatory quality: 85.3 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Mette FrederiksenPrime Minister
Parliament (Folketinget)Legislature, unicameral
Constitutioncurrent text dates from 1953
Government typeparliamentary constitutional monarchy
Denmark national goals: climate commitments on record · as recorded by Climate Watch, World Resources Institute
2050
Net zero
In Law<br>In Policy Document
Net-zero target as recorded by Climate Watch. Status: In Law (6/12/2019) In Policy Document (12/30/2020) ↗
The questions people actually type, answered in full sentences from the sourced data above.
swipe →
Is Denmark sustainable?
Denmark scores 70 out of 100 on the Throne Eco Index, across twelve equally weighted pillars. Denmark pairs the world's highest share of wind electricity, near universal safe groundwater and strong recycling with an intensively farmed landscape that leaves its wild nature and marine protection under strain.
Is the water in Denmark safe and plentiful?
Denmark draws its drinking water almost entirely from groundwater aquifers, abstracted and lightly treated rather than chlorinated, and 96.7% of the population uses safely managed drinking water (World Bank/WHO-UNICEF JMP, 2020). Supply is reliable and locally sourced, though nitrate and pesticide contamination from intensive farming has forced some well closures. Tap water is safe to drink nationwide.
Can Denmark feed itself?
Food imports were about 14% of merchandise imports in 2024 (World Bank), and Denmark is one of Europe's largest net food exporters, sending roughly three quarters of its agricultural output abroad. Around 60% of the country's land is farmed, producing pork, dairy, cereals and fish well beyond domestic needs. Self-sufficiency in staple production is very high.
Is it easy to eat plant-based in Denmark?
Fresh local plant food centres on rye, potatoes, root vegetables, cabbage, apples and summer berries, with the growing season concentrated in late summer and autumn. Copenhagen has a strong vegan and plant-forward restaurant scene, and in 2023 Denmark became the first country to publish a national action plan for plant-based foods. Traditional Danish cooking remains meat, dairy and fish heavy, and much fresh produce is imported outside the short season.
How much of Denmark is actually protected?
Around 15.8% of Denmark's land area is protected (World Bank/Protected Planet, 2024) and roughly 18% of territorial waters carry marine protection on paper. Enforcement is uneven: NGOs including Oceana and ClientEarth have challenged bottom trawling inside Danish marine protected areas, and a 2024 government agreement to restrict trawling still excludes the Wadden Sea. A separate 2024 political agreement aims to raise strictly protected nature to 20% of the land.
What wildlife is left in Denmark?
Denmark is one of Europe's most intensively cultivated countries, with very low endemism and a depleted terrestrial biodiversity; 61 species are assessed as threatened on the IUCN Red List. Standout wildlife is coastal and migratory: the Wadden Sea supports millions of migrating birds and the Sort Sol starling murmurations, alongside harbour and grey seals and harbour porpoises. Fenced rewilding projects reintroducing large grazers are expanding but remain small.
Is Denmark on clean energy?
Denmark runs one of the cleanest power grids in Europe, with about 93% of its electricity from low-carbon sources and wind alone supplying more than 60% (Low Carbon Power, 2025). With no nuclear generation, that low-carbon share is almost entirely renewable, though it includes a large biomass component. Its Climate Act is legally binding and commits the country to cut emissions 70% by 2030 and reach climate neutrality by 2045 (State of Green).
How polluted is Denmark?
Air is very clean: Denmark was one of only seven countries to meet the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023 (IQAir). The EU single-use plastics ban is in force (straws, cutlery, plates, polystyrene food containers), litter is low, and a deposit-return pant scheme drives very high bottle and can returns. Campaigners note Denmark only meets EU minimums and lags the leading countries on phasing out single-use plastic.
Does recycling work in Denmark?
Denmark recycled about 52.3% of its municipal waste in 2022 (Eurostat), above the EU average and the 50% target. A national deposit-return scheme achieves very high collection of drink containers.
Is the farming in Denmark organic?
About 11.4% of Denmark's farmland was under organic production in 2023 (Eurostat/EEA), among the highest shares in the EU. Denmark introduced the world's first state organic label in 1989 and has one of the highest organic shares of retail food sales anywhere.
Are there natural materials and craft in Denmark?
Denmark has a living wool-knitting and textile tradition and a design culture built around natural materials such as wool and linen, though most raw fibre is now imported. Everyday single-use culture is comparatively low, supported by a deposit-return system and widespread reusables.
Is there living culture in Denmark?
Denmark has strong living local communities and a heritage of cooperatives, folk high schools and small-scale enterprise, and tourism spending is broadly distributed rather than captured by resort enclaves. There is no indigenous community in mainland Denmark, so the country lacks the indigenous-led community tourism that defines the top band, but visitor money reaches local businesses widely.
What heritage does Denmark keep alive?
Danish living heritage is comparatively modest within a highly secular, modernised society. Traditional spillemand fiddle music and folkedans survive mainly through revival groups and folk high schools. Seasonal customs such as the Sankt Hans midsummer bonfires and Fastelavn remain widely observed.
So is Denmark actually green? The measured answer
What is working: sea protected at 27.1%, renewable electricity at 79%.
What is not: the gaps are narrower here than in most of the directory, and each remaining one is named below.
Denmark sits 29 of 77 at 70/100. Every name links to its own destination page, built exactly like this one. The full ranking →
What is Denmark particularly good at?
✓Food and farming, scored 5/5. Food imports were about 14% of merchandise imports in 2024 (World Bank), and Denmark is one of Europe's largest net food exporters, sending roughly three quarters of its agricultural output abroad. Around 60% of the country's land is farmed, producing pork, dairy, cereals and fish well beyond domestic needs. Self-sufficiency in staple production is very high.
✓Recycling, scored 5/5. Denmark recycled about 52.3% of its municipal waste in 2022 (Eurostat), above the EU average and the 50% target. A national deposit-return scheme achieves very high collection of drink containers.
✓Culture, scored 4/5. Denmark has strong living local communities and a heritage of cooperatives, folk high schools and small-scale enterprise, and tourism spending is broadly distributed rather than captured by resort enclaves. There is no indigenous community in mainland Denmark, so the country lacks the indigenous-led community tourism that defines the top band, but visitor money reaches local businesses widely.
Where does Denmark score worst?
✕Heritage, scored 2/5. Danish living heritage is comparatively modest within a highly secular, modernised society. Traditional spillemand fiddle music and folkedans survive mainly through revival groups and folk high schools. Seasonal customs such as the Sankt Hans midsummer bonfires and Fastelavn remain widely observed. The ballad and communal song tradition, carried in the hojskole songbook, is the most broadly living strand.
✕Natural fibres, scored 2/5. Denmark has a living wool-knitting and textile tradition and a design culture built around natural materials such as wool and linen, though most raw fibre is now imported. Everyday single-use culture is comparatively low, supported by a deposit-return system and widespread reusables.
✕Wildlife, scored 2/5. Denmark is one of Europe's most intensively cultivated countries, with very low endemism and a depleted terrestrial biodiversity; 61 species are assessed as threatened on the IUCN Red List. Standout wildlife is coastal and migratory: the Wadden Sea supports millions of migrating birds and the Sort Sol starling murmurations, alongside harbour and grey seals and harbour porpoises. Fenced rewilding projects reintroducing large grazers are expanding but remain small.
Similar countries doing it better and worse
FranceScored on the same twelve pillars as Denmark.78
SwitzerlandScored on the same twelve pillars as Denmark.75
GermanyScored on the same twelve pillars as Denmark.75
United KingdomScored on the same twelve pillars as Denmark.65
MontenegroScored on the same twelve pillars as Denmark.63
SerbiaScored on the same twelve pillars as Denmark.58
A note from the lens of mother natureswipe →
Energy, 4/5
Denmark runs one of the cleanest power grids in Europe, with about 93% of its electricity from low-carbon sources and wind alone supplying more than 60% (Low Carbon Power, 2025). With no nuclear generation, that low-carbon share is almost entirely renewable, though it includes a large biomass component.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Denmark's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Food and farming, 5/5
Food imports were about 14% of merchandise imports in 2024 (World Bank), and Denmark is one of Europe's largest net food exporters, sending roughly three quarters of its agricultural output abroad. Around 60% of the country's land is farmed, producing pork, dairy, cereals and fish well beyond domestic needs.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Denmark's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Heritage, 2/5
Danish living heritage is comparatively modest within a highly secular, modernised society. Traditional spillemand fiddle music and folkedans survive mainly through revival groups and folk high schools.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Denmark's record, so it is where the score moves first.
The Denmark Directory.
Everything on Hold The Throne that sits in Denmark, checked and listed.
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Government effectiveness
88.5 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Rule of law
91.5 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Political stability
79 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Voice and accountability
90 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Environmental Performance Index
67.7 / 100 · 10 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 10 of 180 countries assessed.
Ecosystem vitality
62.7 / 100 · 37 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 37 of 180 countries assessed.
Biodiversity and habitat
53.1 / 100 · 73 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 73 of 180 countries assessed.
Air pollution
90.3 / 100 · 26 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 26 of 180 countries assessed.
Terrestrial biomes protected
48.0 / 100 · 97 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 97 of 180 countries assessed.
Marine protected areas
21.4 / 100 · 127 of 131
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 127 of 131 countries assessed.
How Denmark Is Scored. The Throne Standard.
Every destination on the index is scored the same way, so a 4 in Barbados means exactly what a 4 means in Iceland. No self-declared data and no brochure claims are accepted. Every figure on this page carries its named source and year, and the history on each page names what empire took as plainly as it scores the present.
The 12 pillars every destination is scored on, equally weighted
01
Conservation
Land and sea actually protected, not pledged
02
Wildlife
What survives, what is endemic, what is lost
03
Water
Fresh water per person, and the ocean’s health
04
Food & farming
Whether the place can feed itself
05
Organic & clean
Certified land and pesticide reality
06
Climate & energy
Emissions per person, how the grid is powered
07
Waste
Where the rubbish goes, what comes back
08
Health
What people eat and die of
09
Heritage
Living culture, and what the law keeps standing
10
Ownership
Who owns the economy, how much of a dollar stays
11
Governance
Freedom, honesty, promises kept
12
Future
Measured trends run forward, pledges against pace
What each 0 to 5 pillar score means, in plain words
One index, every destination. This same sectioned page renders for all 77 scored destinations, each with its own researched history, comparison charts and three-way future. Read the full methodology
