Denmark vs Germany: Prison population rate

Denmark
69 prisoners per 100,000 people
in 2024
Germany
71 prisoners per 100,000 people
in 2024
Denmark rank
165th
Germany rank
163rd

Prison population rate over time

  • Denmark
  • Germany
020406080100200020122024

How they compare

Germany currently reports 71 prisoners per 100,000 people against 69 prisoners per 100,000 people in Denmark, a difference of 2 prisoners per 100,000 people.

Across all 12 years both countries report, Germany has been ahead every year.

Denmark ranks 165th and Germany ranks 163rd of 202 countries.

Germany has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Denmark Germany Difference Ahead
2000s 66.6 prisoners per 100,000 people 89.6 prisoners per 100,000 people 23 prisoners per 100,000 people Germany
2010s 66.8 prisoners per 100,000 people 79.2 prisoners per 100,000 people 12.4 prisoners per 100,000 people Germany
2020s 69.5 prisoners per 100,000 people 71.5 prisoners per 100,000 people 2 prisoners per 100,000 people Germany

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher prison population rate, Denmark or Germany?
Germany, at 71 prisoners per 100,000 people against 69 prisoners per 100,000 people in Denmark as of 2024.
What is the difference in prison population rate between Denmark and Germany?
2 prisoners per 100,000 people, with Germany ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Denmark and Germany?
12 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
How do Denmark and Germany rank globally for prison population rate?
Denmark ranks 165th and Germany ranks 163rd of 202 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Prison population rate. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Denmark vs Germany: Prison population rate. Statizoid, drawing on Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/compare/prison-population-rate/denmark/germany/

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About this data

Indicator
Prison population rate
Unit
prisoners per 100,000 people
Source
Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
202 places, 2,155 data points, 1993–2026
Last refreshed

Prison population (including pre-trial detainees and remand prisoners), per 100,000 population.