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Current account of the balance of payments

How much is Denmark's balance of payments surplus? And how is the surplus on items such as goods, services, income and transfers? The current account of the balance of payments covers all the economic transactions Denmark has with other countries, and it shows the relationship between imports and exports.

Explainer on…

Time series assessed on a monthly or quarterly basis are often affected by phenomena that appear at the same time every year. The time series are said to be subject to seasonal effects. When making a seasonal adjustment, you try to remove seasonal effects from the time series.

Selected statistics on Current account of the balance of payments

This page shows selected popular statistics on the subject of Current account of the balance of payments. In Statbank Denmark, you can find more data and compile your own statistics.

Balance of payments surplus

See the development in the surplus on the balance of payments (exports minus imports) over time. Apart from 1998, Denmark has had a balance of payments surplus since 1990. The figures are seasonally adjusted and in current prices.
More about the figure
Last update
9.1.2025
Next update
10.2.2025
Source data

The statistics are compiled based on several surveys, statistics, and administrative data. The most important sources are summarized below: - Statistics on International Trade in Goods, including supplementary information on the nature of individual transactions. - Statistics on International Trade in Services. - Supplementary information about businesses collected in the International Trade in Services survey: Trade in goods not crossing the Danish border. Price adjustment of goods that have crossed the Danish border. - Unilateral transfers to and from abroad. Trade in non-produced non-financial assets with foreign countries (e.g., trademarks and football players' licenses to play club football). - Insurance premiums and claims to and from abroad. - Nationalbankens compilation of Danish residents' investment income to and from abroad. - Information about public administration and service. - Information about Danish residents' wages and transfers from abroad and foreign residents' wages and transfers from Denmark. - Information on the import of illegal goods. - Survey of foreign embassies and international organizations' consumption in Denmark

Development in the items' contribution to the balance of payments

See the development in how the various items have contributed to the  balance of payments surplus. The figures are seasonally adjusted and in current prices.      
More about the figure
Last update
9.1.2025
Next update
10.2.2025
Source data

The statistics are compiled based on several surveys, statistics, and administrative data. The most important sources are summarized below: - Statistics on International Trade in Goods, including supplementary information on the nature of individual transactions. - Statistics on International Trade in Services. - Supplementary information about businesses collected in the International Trade in Services survey: Trade in goods not crossing the Danish border. Price adjustment of goods that have crossed the Danish border. - Unilateral transfers to and from abroad. Trade in non-produced non-financial assets with foreign countries (e.g., trademarks and football players' licenses to play club football). - Insurance premiums and claims to and from abroad. - Nationalbankens compilation of Danish residents' investment income to and from abroad. - Information about public administration and service. - Information about Danish residents' wages and transfers from abroad and foreign residents' wages and transfers from Denmark. - Information on the import of illegal goods. - Survey of foreign embassies and international organizations' consumption in Denmark

The items' contribution to the balance of payments, latest month

See how the items have contributed to the balance of payments surplus in the past month. The figures are seasonally adjusted and in current prices. 
More about the figure
Last update
9.1.2025
Next update
10.2.2025
Source data

The statistics are compiled based on several surveys, statistics, and administrative data. The most important sources are summarized below: - Statistics on International Trade in Goods, including supplementary information on the nature of individual transactions. - Statistics on International Trade in Services. - Supplementary information about businesses collected in the International Trade in Services survey: Trade in goods not crossing the Danish border. Price adjustment of goods that have crossed the Danish border. - Unilateral transfers to and from abroad. Trade in non-produced non-financial assets with foreign countries (e.g., trademarks and football players' licenses to play club football). - Insurance premiums and claims to and from abroad. - Nationalbankens compilation of Danish residents' investment income to and from abroad. - Information about public administration and service. - Information about Danish residents' wages and transfers from abroad and foreign residents' wages and transfers from Denmark. - Information on the import of illegal goods. - Survey of foreign embassies and international organizations' consumption in Denmark

On the statistics – documentation, sources and method

Gain an overview of the purpose, contents and quality of the statistics. Learn about the data sources of the statistics, the contents of the statistics and how often they are published.

See the documentation of statistics to learn more:

Balance of Payments

The balance of payments describes the economic transactions between Denmark and the rest of the world. The balance of payments for Denmark has been compiled since 1934, with a continuous time series available since 2005. Today the main emphasis is placed upon incomes and expenses in relation to foreign countries. Originally, the most important item was the foreign debt, which is compiled as part of the International Investment Position (IIP) – Denmark’s external assets and liabilities. Since 1991 the IIP has been compiled by Danmarks Nationalbank. The balance of payments statistics are compiled in cooperation between Danmarks Nationalbank and Statistics Denmark, the latter being responsible for publishing the consolidated statistics.

Need more data on Current account of the balance of payments?

You can go on searching on your own in Statbank Denmark. Find more detailed figures, e.g. the percentage development over time, EU figures and historical figures.

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