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Austria vs Czechia
Denmark vs Greece
Side-by-side comparison of Denmark and Greece from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Denmark
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,090 years
Greece
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 205 years
In short
Denmark scores 78.1 in the NationsTree Index (7th in the world) and Greece scores 70.4 (35th), a gap of 7.7 points. Their trees are 15 m and 14 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Greece has 73% more people than Denmark. Greece is 3.1 times larger than Denmark by land area. Denmark and Greece have economies of similar size (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Denmark 6.0 million and Greece 10.4 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $83,218 in Denmark and $45,264 in Greece (2025, international dollars). Life expectancy is almost the same: 82.3 and 81.8 years.
Of 37 indicators reported by both countries, Denmark ranks higher in the world on 30 and Greece on 7. Denmark is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, economy and infrastructure & digital.
As a nation, Denmark is the older of the two (statehood since 936, 1,090 years), compared with Greece (since 1821). Over the last five years Greece improved faster (direction score 68 vs 39 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Denmark and Greece.
Denmarkbetter
27.4%
28th of 189
Greece
146.6%
185th of 189
Internet usersInfrastructure & digital
Denmarkbetter
99.8%
5th of 186
Greece
86.3%
77th of 186
Rule of lawInstitutions & safety
Denmarkbetter
91.7
2nd of 207
Greece
63.3
81st of 207
Control of corruptionInstitutions & safety
Denmarkbetter
93.6
1st of 207
Greece
53.1
80th of 207
Renewable freshwater per personNatural resources
Denmark
1,016
126th of 183
Greecebetter
5,557
65th of 183
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Denmark overtook Greece in life expectancy in 2020 and has stayed ahead since.
Denmark overtook Greece in GDP (PPP) in 2016 and has stayed ahead since.
Denmark has been ahead of Greece in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1991.
Denmark has been ahead of Greece in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Greece has been ahead of Denmark in population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
DenmarkGreece All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Denmark | Greece |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 42,920131st/216 · 2024 | 131,96097th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 40,000131st/216 · 2024 | 128,90096th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 6.0 m114th/217 · 2025 | 10.4 m93rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.54%133rd/217 · 2025 | 0.08%165th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 149.478th/216 · 2024 | 80.7122nd/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 88.8%37th/217 · 2025 | 79.2%63rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 15.6%172nd/217 · 2025 | 12.9%206th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 21.1%26th/217 · 2025 | 24.4%6th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $462.53 bn35th/210 · 2025 | $280.64 bn52nd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $500.07 bn53rd/199 · 2025 | $471.37 bn56th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $437.01 bn52nd/199 · 2025 | $398.01 bn55th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $76,97013th/210 · 2025 | $26,94863rd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $83,21815th/199 · 2025 | $45,26459th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $77,19011th/201 · 2025 | $25,36056th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 2.9%118th/210 · 2025 | 2.1%144th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 1.9%56th/180 · 2025 | 2.5%79th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 5.5%103rd/187 · 2025 | 8.5%139th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 75.3%1994 | — |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 27.4%28th/189 · 2025 | 146.6%185th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | 2.9%19th/192 · 2025 | 1.7%26th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 1.2%167th/197 · 2025 | 3.6%119th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 24.8%89th/200 · 2025 | 15.2%160th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 18.7%28th/192 · 2025 | 9.1%112th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 62.7%69th/200 · 2025 | 67.4%45th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $324.31 bn31st/182 · 2025 | $110.74 bn47th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $273.38 bn32nd/182 · 2025 | $123.45 bn45th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 70.1%29th/183 · 2025 | 39.5%86th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 59.1%56th/183 · 2025 | 44.0%90th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 129.2%35th/183 · 2025 | 83.5%89th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 4.0%79th/170 · 2025 | 26.5%33rd/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 73.8%33rd/171 · 2025 | 38.5%78th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 17.1%84th/171 · 2025 | 24.1%60th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 1.9%107th/171 · 2025 | 9.5%39th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 17.6%41st/168 · 2024 | 15.0%48th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 12.3%17th/191 · 2025 | -5.7%146th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 3.7%58th/196 · 2025 | 4.8%43rd/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.3%141st/209 · 2021 | 0.1%158th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.27%68th/197 · 2021 | 0.01%104th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.06%64th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%95th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.01%47th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.05%75th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.01%150th/209 · 2021 | 0.01%156th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 58.9%2nd/206 · 2024 | 14.2%77th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 1,016126th/183 · 2022 | 5,55765th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 15.6 m16th/194 · 2020 | 7.4 m27th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $9.10 bn22nd/175 · 2018 | $6.19 bn26th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 4.5%89th/168 · 2018 | 10.5%57th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 4.2 m31st/107 · 2020 | 2.3 m47th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 82.333rd/217 · 2024 | 81.839th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 4.033rd/196 · 2024 | 3.829th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 4.5017th/174 · 2021 | 6.584th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 2.474th/145 · 2023 | 4.331st/145 · 2022 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 96%48th/193 · 2024 | 95%59th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 93.3%35th/153 · 2023 | 78.4%74th/153 · 2024 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 125.6%10th/173 · 2024 | 105.2%39th/173 · 2023 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 33.4%23rd/217 · 2025 | 38.9%7th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 9.4%37th/193 · 2024 | 8.4%54th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | — | 93.9%2009 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 79.0%30th/150 · 2024 | 165.1%1st/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.9624th/193 · 2023 | 0.90834th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 29.923rd/108 · 2023 | 33.444th/108 · 2023 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.4%27th/108 · 2023 | 0.6%39th/108 · 2023 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 99.9%13th/150 · 2024 | 96.7%46th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 98.9%10th/144 · 2024 | 92.9%30th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 99.8%5th/186 · 2024 | 86.3%77th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 12766th/210 · 2024 | 114110th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 43.419th/208 · 2024 | 44.715th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 4.109th/164 · 2022 | 3.7024th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 2,1312009 | 2,33949th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 6.4 m2004 | 19.1 m36th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 4.28141st/203 · 2024 | 5.05151st/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 39.5%61st/212 · 2021 | 21.5%101st/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 7.528th/200 · 2023 | 14.176th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 16.0%143rd/214 · 2024 | 36.9%88th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 2,49344th/149 · 2024 | 1,95658th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 92.45th/205 · 2025 | 58.977th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 93.61st/207 · 2025 | 53.180th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 91.72nd/207 · 2025 | 63.381st/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 79.558th/207 · 2025 | 70.593rd/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 84.73rd/205 · 2025 | 62.761st/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 90.52nd/205 · 2025 | 73.550th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.833rd/145 · 2023 | 0.832nd/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $14.95 bn27th/156 · 2025 | $8.39 bn34th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 3.3%23rd/156 · 2025 | 3.0%32nd/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 6.6%52nd/154 · 2025 | 6.0%59th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 15,000117th/170 · 2020 | 147,00042nd/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.49%117th/168 · 2020 | 3.20%15th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 278.0 m33rd/163 · 2025 | 574.0 m17th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 165.0 m17th/65 · 2025 | 2.0 m56th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 3.05%12th/110 · 2023 | 1.49%30th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 98731st/137 · 2024 | 36652nd/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 15,60331st/197 · 2023 | 13,55237th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Denmark or Greece?
Greece has the larger population: 10.4 m (2025) compared with 6.0 m for Denmark (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Denmark or Greece?
Greece is larger: 131,960 km² (2024) compared with 42,920 km² for Denmark (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Denmark or Greece?
Denmark has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $500.07 bn intl. (2025) compared with $471.37 bn intl. for Greece (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Denmark or Greece?
Denmark has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $83,218 intl. (2025) compared with $45,264 intl. for Greece (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Denmark or Greece?
Denmark has the higher life expectancy at birth: 82.3 years (2024) compared with 81.8 years for Greece (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Denmark or Greece?
Denmark spends more on the military: $14.95 bn (2025) compared with $8.39 bn for Greece (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Denmark or Greece?
Denmark: 78.1 points (7th in the world); Greece: 70.4 points (35th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Hungary
Norway
Portugal
Uzbekistan
FinlandSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Denmark vs Greece — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/denmark-vs-greece. Data as of 26 October 2026.