The demography of Denmark.
Posted by Exile on September 29, 2006
I got myself into a discussion with a friend the other day about just how many immigrants we have in Denmark, how many there are from Europe, and non-western countries. We also discussed the growing immigrant population and how long will it be before we all have to grow beards and run around in turbans. Well, we didn’t get all to the way to the end of the discussion and it left me thinking, just how does it really look? Are we being totally overrun by mussies in headcloths? Or is it so gradual that we still have time to stem the tide? I signed up to Denmarks statistics and had a quick go at our present demography. There is a mound of information, but not developed after religion as far as I can see. However, non-western countries are in the index so I decided to start there.
I took the population of Denmark from 1996 to 2006. It grew from 5.25 million to 5,43 million. An increase of 3,3%.
I then took the immigrant population from non-western countries and their descendants. Over that same ten year period, that population grew from 196,2 thousand to 327,5 thousand. An increase of 40%.
I then subtracted the immigrant numbers from the national total population, which gives me the native population. Over the same ten years, that population grew from 5,04 million to 5,09 million. An increase by a mere 0,9%.
Which means that of the 3,3% increase in the total poulation over the last ten years, more than two thirds is immigrant.
The immigrant population now comprises 6,0% of Denmarks total population. They number 327,503 according to the latest figures I can get.
If anyone would like a copy of the broadsheet, drop me an e-mail. There is an e-mail caption you can use near the the top of my sidebar.
All very well and perhaps a little interesting to some, if not all. It raises a few questions for me though. Knowing that not all immigrants are muslims, and knowing that 6% is a minimal part of the population, why do we have to give so much consideration to that section of the population? And while I think about that, what other country would consider changing any of it’s laws to accomodate less than a mere 6%?
The worrying thing is, that the immigrant population is growing and they are reproducing much faster than the native population. There is a long way from thousands to millions, but it will go proportionately faster as their presence in the population increases. I believe there is time to do something about this, but I must confess that I am at a bit of a loss as to what. Apart from repatriation, we have little to do but wait and see. Or perhaps now would be a good time to close our borders to the muslim immigrants and hope that we can control the present population by law and integration.
The problem is, that we let the first ones in, they began to reproduce, and now we are stuck with them. The damage has been done.
And not just in Denmark…..
kepiblanc said
A few coomments :
Why start with 1996 ? – Lots of muslims came before that, especially Turks. I think it really began around 1972 where we joined the EU. And those early immigrants have multiplied ever since.
I’ve tried the official “Danmarks Statistik” too, but nowhere could I find numbers on descendants. I guess that by obtaining citizenship they drop out of the statistics.
So, let’s try some plain logic :
In 1950 Denmark had 4.7 million inhabitants. Danish women give birth to 2.1 child (average)- exactly sufficient to uphold the population. Accordingly, we should still be 4.7 million in 2006. But “we” are 5.6 million. This means that 900,000 immigrants have arrived. Now, let us presume that emigrating Danes equal immigrants from civilized countries. That leaves something like – at least – 700,000 Muslim immigrants. Add their “Danish” children and the number of Muslims approaches 1,000,000. Or 20%.
Wrong ? – I hope so. But who really knows ?
Exile said
You make a good, but worrying, point. I have no idea of what came before, but a ten year period seemed OK to set up some kind of analysis. You may be right, in which caser they make up 20% of the population.
As I pointed out, I can´t find a population breakdown by religion.
I wonder why?
søren said
Denmark has the jump on many countries. Educate these people well but don’t give them too many job opportunities. They can supply the labor needs of other countries in the EU. It is the young you want to lose. The old are no threat in this regard. This is how Quebec rid itself of much of its English in the last 25 years.