Population; key figures, 1950-2022

Table explanation


Key figures on the population of the Netherlands.

The following information is available:
- Population by sex;
- Population by marital status;
- Population by age (groups);
- Population by origin;
- Private households;
- Persons in institutional households;
- Population growth;
- Population density.

Statistics Netherlands will reorganise the tables relating to statistics on population and households. The aim is to reduce the number of tables while striving to preserve (much) needed information. This table will be revised as soon as possible.

CBS is in transition towards a new classification of the population by origin. Greater emphasis is now placed on where a person was born, aside from where that person’s parents were born. The term ‘migration background’ is no longer used in this regard. The main categories western/non-western are being replaced by categories based on continents and a few countries that share a specific migration history with the Netherlands. The new classification is being implemented gradually in tables and publications on population by origin.

Data available from 1950 to 2022.

Status of the figures:
All the figures are final.

Changes as of 26 April 2023:
None, this table was discontinued.

When will new figures be published?
No longer applicable. This table is succeeded by the table Population; key figures. See section 3.

Description topics

Population by age
Data refer to 1 January.

Population:
The total number of people residing in the Netherlands.
In the population statistics compiled by Statistics Netherlands the inhabitants of a given area are the people registered in the population register, whose address is located in that area.

Age:
The number of whole years that have passed since someone's date of birth and 1 January of the reference year.
Population by age, numbers
Total population
Younger than 20 years
Persons aged younger than 20 years.
20 to 40 years
Persons aged 20 to 40 years.
40 to 65 years
Persons aged 40 to 65 years.
65 to 80 years
Persons aged 65 to 80 years.
80 years or older
Persons aged 80 years of over.
Population by age, rates
Population by age as a percentage of the total population.
Younger than 20 years
Persons aged younger than 20 years per 100 of the total population.
20 to 40 years
Persons aged 20 to 40 years per 100 of the total population.
40 to 65 years
Persons aged 40 to 65 years per 100 of the total population.
65 to 80 years
Persons aged 65 to 80 years per 100 of the total population.
80 years or older
Persons aged 80 years or over per 100 of the total population.
Average age
The arithmetic mean of all ages in the population.
Total population
Males
Females
Private households
Up to and including 1987 the figures refer to the situation on 31 December, 1988-1994 to the midyear situation, from 1995 onwards to the situation on 1 January.

Break in series
From 2011 onwards a new process has been used for the production of figures on household composition. This new method uses data from the municipal population register (GBA) and tax declarations of cohabiting couples. Although the results based on the new production method are in line with previous results, small shifts have occurred in the number of households by composition in 2011. The largest shift is in the number of 'Other households', that is now smaller. The number of persons in institutional households on 1 January 2011 is 12,000 higher than on 1 January 2010. About half of this increase was the result of improvements in the survey method.

Private household:
A collection of one or more people sharing the same living space, who provide their own everyday needs in a private, non-commercial way.
Average household size
Average number of people in a private household.