Share of children, working-age adults, and older people in Greenland
Greenland: Share of children, working-age adults, and older people was 11,638 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
11,638 people
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
207th
of 236 countries
All-time high
19,821 people
in 1971
All-time low
9,732 people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Share of children, working-age adults, and older people in Greenland, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2023, share of children, working-age adults, and older people in Greenland stood at 11,638 people.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and down 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children, working-age adults, and older people in Greenland peaked at 19,821 people in 1971 and was at its lowest, 9,732 people, in 1950.
That places Greenland 207th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Share of children, working-age adults, and older people in Greenland, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 9,732 people | — |
| 1951 | 9,891 people | +1.6% |
| 1952 | 10,095 people | +2.1% |
| 1953 | 10,415 people | +3.2% |
| 1954 | 10,792 people | +3.6% |
| 1955 | 11,212 people | +3.9% |
| 1956 | 11,662 people | +4.0% |
| 1957 | 12,154 people | +4.2% |
| 1958 | 12,717 people | +4.6% |
| 1959 | 13,364 people | +5.1% |
| 1960 | 14,092 people | +5.4% |
| 1961 | 14,781 people | +4.9% |
| 1962 | 15,424 people | +4.4% |
| 1963 | 16,110 people | +4.4% |
| 1964 | 16,852 people | +4.6% |
| 1965 | 17,647 people | +4.7% |
| 1966 | 18,284 people | +3.6% |
| 1967 | 18,706 people | +2.3% |
| 1968 | 19,074 people | +2.0% |
| 1969 | 19,421 people | +1.8% |
| 1970 | 19,746 people | +1.7% |
| 1971 | 19,821 people | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 19,618 people | -1.0% |
| 1973 | 19,315 people | -1.5% |
| 1974 | 18,895 people | -2.2% |
| 1975 | 18,329 people | -3.0% |
| 1976 | 17,593 people | -4.0% |
| 1977 | 16,765 people | -4.7% |
| 1978 | 15,982 people | -4.7% |
| 1979 | 15,277 people | -4.4% |
| 1980 | 14,675 people | -3.9% |
| 1981 | 14,144 people | -3.6% |
| 1982 | 13,680 people | -3.3% |
| 1983 | 13,332 people | -2.5% |
| 1984 | 13,143 people | -1.4% |
| 1985 | 13,099 people | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 13,185 people | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 13,394 people | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 13,697 people | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 14,042 people | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 14,380 people | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 14,667 people | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 14,898 people | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 15,103 people | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 15,291 people | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 15,413 people | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 15,447 people | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 15,439 people | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 15,394 people | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 15,289 people | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 15,143 people | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 14,984 people | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 14,806 people | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 14,619 people | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 14,422 people | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 14,149 people | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 13,808 people | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 13,479 people | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 13,185 people | -2.2% |
| 2009 | 12,934 people | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 12,732 people | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 12,544 people | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 12,334 people | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 12,126 people | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 11,952 people | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 11,831 people | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 11,736 people | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 11,663 people | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 11,645 people | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 11,684 people | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 11,708 people | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 11,685 people | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 11,651 people | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 11,638 people | -0.1% |
Greenland compared with similar countries
- Greenland's 11,638 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 424,895 people, 3% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Greenland's 11,638 people is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 979,980 people, 1% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 11,203 people | 9,732 people | 13,364 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 17,039 people | 14,092 people | 19,421 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 18,134 people | 15,277 people | 19,821 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 13,639 people | 13,099 people | 14,675 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 15,132 people | 14,380 people | 15,447 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 14,153 people | 12,934 people | 15,143 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 12,025 people | 11,645 people | 12,732 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 11,670 people | 11,638 people | 11,708 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Greenland
- 204 Isle of Man 12,227 people compare
- 205 Dominica 12,049 people compare
- 206 Cayman Islands 11,903 people compare
- 208 Faroe Islands 11,034 people compare
- 209 Northern Mariana Islands 10,200 people compare
- 210 Andorra 9,908 people compare
More population data for Greenland
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.7286 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.6084 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.75 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.6084 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1,776 people (2100)
- Population density 0.0907 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.8929 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, per capita 0.1121 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children, working-age adults, and older people in Greenland?
- Share of children, working-age adults, and older people in Greenland was 11,638 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Greenland?
- The highest recorded value was 19,821 people in 1971.
- What is the lowest share of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Greenland?
- The lowest recorded value was 9,732 people in 1950.
- How does Greenland rank for share of children, working-age adults, and older people?
- Greenland ranks 207th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of children, working-age adults, and older people rising or falling in Greenland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Greenland data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children, working-age adults, and older people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 0-14.