ABSTRACT
Danish demographic data is so comprehensive and extends so far back in time, that it provides an excellent opportunity to trace the pattern of the demographic transition, as it operated in Denmark. Danish priests were required officially from about 1645 onwards to keep church records and these registers have been a natural starting-point for Danish demographic research. The size of the crude birth rate (CDR) is dependent, among other factors, on the age structure of the population, which has changed considerably since 1900. A fall in infant mortality can be traced until the period between 1835 and 1839. It is important to note, however, that there was no further improvement in this index between 1850 and 1900, in total contrast to the evidence provided from other countries, including Sweden. An attempt will be made in this section to discuss the pattern of Danish economic development, particularly in relation to the process of the demographic transition.
