Stateless persons born in Denmark, 2008-2017 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 ■ 0-17 years ■ 18-20 years ■ 20+ years The figure illustrates that the number of stateless persons born in Denmark between 0 and 17 years old decreased steadily from 794 persons in 2008, to 179 persons in 2012, notably with the first large decrease occurring between 2009 and 2010. After 2012, the number started to rise again and in 2017 there were 520 stateless persons under 18 years old who were born in Denmark. The number of stateless persons aged between 18 and 20 rose between 2008 and 2010 from 29 to 59 persons, after which it has decreased each year, to only eight persons in the third quarter of 2017. The notable decrease in the overall number of stateless persons born in Denmark in 2012, as noted earlier, is largely explained by a fall in the number of stateless persons under the age of 18 years, and complemented by a decrease in the age group between 18 and 20 years old.70 Nonetheless, 561 persons born stateless in Denmark remain stateless. This is thus an issue warranting further examination. Country of origin The countries of origin that are most frequently represented in the statistics on stateless persons with residence rights under Danish law are detailed below in Figure 7.71 The figure includes the category of “country of origin in the Middle East unknown” and “Stateless”. The nine countries and two categories listed in the figure together constitute 94.9 percent of the stateless population with residence rights in Denmark.72 However, there may be an additional number of stateless persons living in Denmark without a residence permit, who may still fall within the terms of the 1954 and/or 1961 Conventions. 22 70 This observation is related to the earlier explained wrongfully denied grants of Danish nationality, which was addressed in 2011. Subsequently, more stateless persons born in Denmark claimed their Danish nationality, causing the fall in the total number of stateless persons. 71 Country of origin is by Statistics Denmark determined on the basis of the following: If both parents are known, the country of origin is determined according to the mother’s country of birth. If only one parent is known, the country of origin is determined according to that parent’s country of origin. If neither of the parents is known, the country of origin is defined according to the stateless person’s own information. Definition obtained from Statistics Denmark, ‘Quality Declaration for Immigrants and Descendants 1 January 2014’, available at: https://bit.ly/3hI9Brk. 72 An additional 50 countries combined make up the remaining 5 percent. The remaining countries each comprise less than 0.5 percent of the total stateless population and are not included within Figure 7. Mapping Statelessness in Denmark