Until 1970 most adoptions in Denmark involved Danish children adopted by Danish parents. For various reasons, adoption in Denmark has subsequently changed from a national matter into merely an international matter.

By means of intercountry adoption, more than 15.000 children are since 1970 adopted to Denmark from primarily Asia, Africa and South America. In the recent years, approximately 500 children (the equivalent of one percent of the number of children annually born in Denmark) born in a foreign country are adopted in Denmark every year. See Statistical information for more details.