Denmark: Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Denmark's asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin rose 19 on 2024 (from 30 to 49).

Across the 24 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2024), the average change was +1.04 and a typical year strayed about 9.05 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.0 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 19 in 2025 and the biggest yearly fall was 20 in 2020. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 28% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Denmark had the 166th highest value of the 190 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Denmark in the 2025 ranking

• Andorra — 163rd of 190: 57
• Estonia — 164th of 190: 52
• Kiribati — 165th of 190: 52
• Korea, Dem. People's Rep. — 167th of 190: 45
• United Arab Emirates — 168th of 190: 45
• Croatia — 169th of 190: 43

What this measures

Asylum-seekers are individuals who have sought international protection and whose claims for refugee status have not yet been determined. This includes those who are in various stages of the asylum process, such as initial application, appeal, or awaiting final decision. In specific contexts, asylum-seekers may also include those who are seeking protection under complementary forms of protection, and those enjoying temporary protection, but whose claims are still under consideration.

Limitations: Variability in national asylum procedures and processing times can lead to inconsistencies in data reporting, affecting the accuracy of cross-country comparisons. Unregistered asylum claims or informal border crossings may result in incomplete data, underestimating the true scope of the need for protection. Additionally, the changing status of individuals, such as those asylum-seekers that are recognized as refugees, complicates the tracking and categorization of data.

All 26 values

Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in nearby economies

• Albania — 7,643 (2025)
• Andorra — 57 (2025)
• Armenia — 14,216 (2025)
• Austria — 16 (2025)
• Azerbaijan — 6,242 (2025)
• Belarus — 8,117 (2025)
• Belgium — 69 (2025)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 712 (2025)
• Bulgaria — 290 (2025)
• Croatia

More social protection & labor data for Denmark

• Net migration — 22,103 (2025)
• Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum — 95,007 (2025)
• Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate) — 6.32% (2025)
• Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) — 6.31% (2025)
• Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate) — 6.32% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (national estimate) — 69.44% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) (national estimate) — 70.39% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (national estimate)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Denmark's asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin?

49 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2000?

It is up 880% from 5 in 2000 (9.56% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 49 in 2025 and the lowest 0 in 2001.

How does Denmark rank?

166th highest of 190 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin unusual for Denmark?

In 2025, Denmark's asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin rose 19 on 2024 (from 30 to 49). Across the 24 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2024), the average change was +1.04 and a typical year strayed about 9.05 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.0 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SM.POP.ASYS.EO, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), uri: https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/download Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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