Denmark

With a per capita income of $34,800, Denmark is the 13th richest country in the world with a high standard of living and a strong safety net for the population. Danes are financially protected against illness, unemployment, and aging. Benefits in Denmark are not totally dependent on earlier employment, and programs are financed by taxes and duties. The government subsidizes housing and child-related expenses. Specific services involve health services, day care, and home help. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Reports rank Denmark 15th among nations of the world in overall quality of life issues. Unemployment stands at 5.7 percent. There is virtually no poverty in Denmark, but 12 percent of females and 11 percent of males earn less than 60 percent of the median income. Primary and secondary schooling are available to all students, and enrollment is over 100 percent.

In the post–World War II era, the Danish government updated existing programs and created new ones as Denmark became a social welfare state. For instance, the National Pensions and Disablement Plan of 1957 guaranteed pensions to all citizens. Amendments in 1964 required workers to pay into the Supplementary Pension Fund. Compulsory health insurance was introduced in 1973, guaranteeing cash subsidies for Danish workers who become ill. Three years later, the Social Assistance Act was passed, enacting fixed rates for recipients.

The government is concerned with the well-being of the population, and families receive a good deal of protection in Denmark. All females are eligible for maternity leave for four weeks before and 14 weeks after birth. Fathers may take up to two weeks leave during the 14-week period, and 10 weeks leave may be shared between both parents. The new parents receive a per diem allotment, which may amount to full salary. Family allowances are given to all families with children under the age of 18, and payments are increased for single-parent families.

In 2002, the “Healthy throughout Life” plan announced that 11 ministries were working together to increase life expectancy, minimize inequalities in health, and improve the overall quality of health among the population. Target areas included smoking and obesity, and the government expressed continued commitment to reducing incidences of cancer, osteoporosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The Danish government spends one percent of the total budget on healthcare. Nine percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is spent on health-care at a rate of $2,762 (international dollars) per capita. Some 83 percent of total health expenditures are provided by government funding. Private sector expenses account for 17 percent of total spending, and 92.50 percent of that amount involves out-of-pocket expenses. There are 2.93 physicians, 10.36 nurses, 0.22 midwives, 0.83 dentists, and 0.49 pharmacists per 1,000 population in Denmark.

The population of 5,450,000 experiences a life expectancy of 77.79 years, and women outlive men an average of five years. Only one percent of the population over the age of 15 is unable to read and write. The entire population has access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation. Birth control is practiced by 78 percent of female Danes, and women give birth to an average of 1.74 children each. All births are attended by skilled attendants. The adjusted maternal mortality rate of five deaths per 100,000 live births is one of the lowest in the world.

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