Zealand (Sjælland): economy, jobs and official figures

Zealand is a region of Denmark, number 4 of 5 by population. Zealand had 854,902 residents on 1 January 2025, 14.3% of the population of Denmark and 4th largest of 5 regions in Denmark. That is 4.2% more than in 2015.

In depth

• Economy, jobs and prices in Zealand: GDP per person was 36,000 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 90% of the EU average; the lowest of 5 regions in Denmark. PPS adjust for price differences between countries.
• Health in Zealand: Life expectancy at birth was 81.4 years in 2024 (82 for Denmark); 4th highest of 5 regions in Denmark.
• Education in Zealand: The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 35.3% in 2025, against 46.1% for Denmark and 36.9% across the EU; the lowest of 5 regions in Denmark.
• Poverty and living standards in Zealand: Disposable household income was 19,600 PPS per person in 2024; 2nd highest of 5 regions in Denmark.
• Government budget and revenue in Zealand: Zealand spent DKK 26.1 billion on running costs (gross current expenditure on health, social services, regional development and administration) in 2025, 2nd smallest of 5 regional budgets and 15.1% of all regional spending in Denmark.
• Government and politics in Zealand: At the most recent election of its own council, in November 2021, the Social Democrats won 15 of the 41 seats on the regional council of Zealand with 35.3% of the vote; 22 councillors (54%) were women and 8 parties won seats.

Provinces in Zealand

Zealand is made up of 2 provinces. Each has its own page of official figures.

• Vest- og Sydsjælland 592,082
• Østsjælland 262,820

How regions are governed in Denmark

Regions (5; 4 from 1 January 2027). Regional council elected every four years; it elects a chair. Hospitals and health care, some public transport and regional development. Regions cannot levy their own taxes.

Every tier of government in Denmark

Other regions of Denmark

• Capital Region of Denmark 1,947,212
• Central Denmark 1,383,261
• Southern Denmark 1,243,914
• North Denmark 593,114

Up a level: Denmark · government and power in Denmark · cities

Sources

• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_d2jan: Population on 1 January, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1572e74fa245…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_d3dens: Population density, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f4b59fe9d121…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gdp: GDP per person (purchasing power standards), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c21f724d14a6…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gdp: GDP per person (euros), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 537f99167955…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gdp: GDP (million euros), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e3677c4e6d67…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2hhinc: Disposable household income per person (PPS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bd6019768e9f…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfu3rt: Unemployment rate (age 15-74), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 13f5037ce93a…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfu3rt: Youth unemployment rate (age 15-24), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 83bb1aebc10b…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfe2emprt: Employment rate (age 20-64), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 03191283bf5f…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_peps11n: At risk of poverty or social exclusion, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 94dcf245d20e…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_mlifexp: Life expectancy at birth, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 62800ed9bbb3…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_04: Adults (25-64) with a degree-level education, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6ff9f4bfff72…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset rd_e_gerdreg: Research and development spending (% of GDP), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 36a9132b2284…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset isoc_r_broad_h: Households with broadband, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b02c9a1ef222…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_fagec: Live births, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6a1490d549d5…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_magec: Deaths, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d4821a589633…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset reg_area3: Area, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 75302b0aafe9…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfu3rt: Unemployment rates by sex, age, educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ac151d8a46d5…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset isoc_r_iuse_i: Individuals regularly using the internet by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fb4ff8800853…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfe2emprt: Employment rates by sex, age and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 51bfca80dc8b…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset tran_r_vehst: Stock of vehicles by category and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5adf37bcb393…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_li41: At-risk-of-poverty rate by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 27849ad61b9a…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gvagr: Real growth rate of regional gross value added (GVA) at basic prices by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ba2c4bdc7c37…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset trng_lfse_04: Participation rate of adults in education and training (last 4 weeks) by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 42ceced85786…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment (thousand persons) by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 222a97c302d3…)
• Statistics Denmark (Danmarks Statistik): Hospital utilisation in the population by municipality, hospital stays, age and sex (StatBank table SBR01), 2017-2025, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c9ba6dfacefd…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gva: Gross value added at basic prices by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c656e8563bdf…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2coe: Compensation of employees by NUTS 2 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 895d7cc9e826…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset tran_r_acci: Victims in road accidents by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a183ad1f888d…)
• Statistics Denmark (Danmarks Statistik): Elections to regional councils by region and party: valid votes, candidates and elected members by sex (StatBank table AKVA3), 2005-2025, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d25b93cfa0ab…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset tour_occ_nin2: Nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 06f6a82909c0…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_minfind: Infant mortality rates by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 60cbafea3657…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_mdsd18: Severe material and social deprivation rate by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 62e6e6fba571…)
• Statistics Denmark (Danmarks Statistik): Income of persons by province and municipality, sex and type of income (StatBank table INDKP101), 2015-2025, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6677ce260d4f…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_04: Population aged 25-64 by educational attainment level, sex and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 63810622cd71…)
• Statistics Denmark (Danmarks Statistik): Educational attainment of 15-69 year-olds by region and municipality, highest education completed, age and sex (StatBank table HFUDD11), 2015-2025, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 9d33b2e294ed…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_22: Young people neither in employment nor in education and training (NEET) by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1467a7225373…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_lvhl21n: People living in households with very low work intensity by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8b5e993ae943…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset hlth_cd_asdr2: Causes of death: standardised death rate by NUTS 2 region of residence, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 308c4b705d5d…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset hlth_silc_08_r: Self-reported unmet needs for medical examination by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e5484460cdfc…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_mlifexp: Life expectancy by age, sex and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f5a2a33406b9…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_16: Early leavers from education and training by sex and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c3cc66b98a4a…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_find2: Fertility indicators by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d3f275c072bc…)
• Region Østdanmark: Regionsrådet 2026-2029: Regionsrådets medlemmer (members of the regional council of Region Østdanmark), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ede8ec50f734…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset educ_uoe_enra11: Pupils and students enrolled by education level, sex and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 20b6224cca4f…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2hhinc: Income of households by NUTS 2 region (euros per inhabitant), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a7441dafca51…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset hlth_rs_physreg: Physicians by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4ff68eb77f8b…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset hlth_rs_bdsrg2: Hospital beds by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3178c155028f…)
• Statistics Denmark (Danmarks Statistik): Regions' accounts by function, type of account and kind (StatBank table REGR31), 2016-2025, DKK 1,000 and DKK per resident, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e671b0011dae…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfu2ltu: Long-term unemployment (12 months and more) by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3d5d17a32863…)

Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.