Participation in social activities, 1997-2011
| Personal characteristics | Periods | Social contacts With relatives Once a week or more (%) | Social contacts With relatives Twice a month (%) | Social contacts With relatives Once a month (%) | Social contacts With relatives Less than once a month (%) | Social contacts With relatives Hardly ever (%) | Evaluation personal situation Happiness Very happy (%) | Evaluation personal situation Happiness Happy (%) | Evaluation personal situation Happiness Not happy, not unhappy (%) | Evaluation personal situation Happiness Not very happy (%) | Evaluation personal situation Happiness Unhappy (%) | Volunteer work Total participants volunteer work (%) | Volunteer work Organised volunteer work (%) | Religious denomination Religion No denomination (%) | Religious denomination Religion Roman Catholic (%) | Religious denomination Religion Protestant Church of The Netherlands (%) | Religious denomination Religion Dutch Reformed (%) | Religious denomination Religion Calvinist (%) | Religious denomination Religion Other denominations (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total personal characteristics | 1997 | 82 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 21 | 68 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 60 | 46 | 39 | 32 | . | 14 | 7 | 8 |
| Total personal characteristics | 1998 | 82 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 68 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 59 | 44 | 41 | 31 | . | 14 | 7 | 8 |
| Total personal characteristics | 1999 | 83 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 68 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 60 | 45 | 41 | 31 | . | 13 | 7 | 8 |
| Total personal characteristics | 2000 | 83 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 68 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 60 | 45 | 41 | 31 | . | 13 | 7 | 8 |
| Total personal characteristics | 2001 | 84 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 69 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 59 | 43 | 41 | 30 | . | 14 | 7 | 9 |
| Total personal characteristics | 2002 | 85 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 67 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 60 | 42 | 41 | 31 | . | 13 | 7 | 9 |
| Total personal characteristics | 2003 | 85 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 21 | 67 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 60 | 42 | 42 | 30 | . | 13 | 6 | 9 |
| Total personal characteristics | 2004 | 85 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 68 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 60 | 43 | 42 | 30 | 3 | 11 | 6 | 9 |
| Total personal characteristics | 2005 | 86 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 67 | 9 | 3 | 1 | . | . | 41 | 29 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 10 |
| Total personal characteristics | 2006 | 87 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 69 | 8 | 2 | 0 | . | . | 42 | 30 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 10 |
| Total personal characteristics | 2007 | 86 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 68 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 57 | 44 | 43 | 28 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 10 |
| Total personal characteristics | 2008 | 86 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 67 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 57 | 42 | 43 | 29 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 10 |
| Total personal characteristics | 2009 | 86 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 65 | 7 | 2 | 1 | . | . | 44 | 27 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 10 |
| Source: cbs. | |||||||||||||||||||
Table explanation
Social participation; social contacts, evaluation of the personal situation, religious denomination, volunteer work by personal characteristics.
Data available from: 1997-2011
Due to a revision of the questionnaire in 2005, the data on volunteer work are not available for 2005 and 2006. Since June 2007 the questions on volunteer work have been added again to POLS (Continuous Survey on Living Conditions). Although the questions are the same, the context of the questions, the measuring period and the used weighting scheme are different. For more information, see the report Plausibiliteit POLS-module Vrijwillige Inzet 2007 (available in Dutchy only).
For the percentage of volunteer workers this change did not have considerable consequences. The percentage of persons providing volunteer aid, however, is not comparable with those of previous years.
From 2005 on, a new weighting scheme (available in Dutchy only) is used for the figures on religion and worshipping. This new scheme results in an improved representation of in particular non-western immigrants in the response.
Because of this, a more realistic estimation of the division of religions in the Netherlands is possible. The increase in the percentage of devotees of other denominations in 2005 compared to 2004 is caused by the change in weighting scheme and does not constitute a true increase in following. From 2007 onwards, the new weighting scheme is also used at the figures on volunteer work.
Status of the figures:
All data recorded in this publication are final data.
Changes as of 19 March 2018:
This table has been discontinued.
Changes as of 23 March 2012:
The urbanization figures of 2008 and 2009 on the following subjects were presented incorrectly:
-social contacts with relatives
-social contacts with friends, acquaintances
-happiness
-pleased with the way things go
When will new figures be published?
Not applicable.
Description topics
- Social contacts
- With relatives
- The data refer to persons aged 12 years or older.
Source: Integrated System of Social Surveys: basis.
Contact with relatives not living at home.- Once a week or more
- Twice a month
- Once a month
- Less than once a month
- Hardly ever
- Evaluation personal situation
- Happiness
- The data refer to persons aged 12 years or older.
Source: Integrated System of Social Surveys: basis.
Answer to the question: Do you deem yourself a happy person?- Very happy
- Happy
- Not happy, not unhappy
- Not very happy
- Unhappy
- Volunteer work
- Due to a revision of the questionnaire in 2005, the data on volunteer
work are not available for 2005 and 2006. Since June 2007 the questions
on volunteer work have been added again in POLS (Continuous Survey on
Living Conditions). Although the questions are the same, the context of
the questions, the measuring period and the used weighting scheme are
different. For the percentage of volunteer workers this change did not
have considerable consequences. The percentage of persons giving
volunteer aid, however, is not comparable with earlier years.
The data refer to persons aged 18 years or older.
Source: POLS (Continuous Survey on Living Conditions): Recht en
Participatie (Justice and Participation; until 2005); POLS: BASIS
(General; from 2007).- Total participants volunteer work
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older carrying out in one year
volunteer work for 1 or more organisations and/or that gives volunteer
aid.
Due to a revision of the questionnaire in 2005, the data on volunteer
work are not available for 2005 and 2006. Since June 2007 the questions
on volunteer work have been added again in POLS (Continuous Survey on
Living Conditions). Although the questions are the same, the context of
the questions, the measuring period and the used weighting scheme are
different. For the percentage of volunteer workers this change did not
have considerable consequences. The percentage of persons giving
volunteer aid, however, is not comparable with earlier years.
- Organised volunteer work
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older doing volunteer in one year
work for 1 or more organisations.
- Religious denomination
- Religion
- Change August 8, 2008: In May 2004, the general synods of the Dutch
Reformed Church, the Reformed (Calvinist) Churches and the
Evangelical-Lutherian Church were fused into the Protestant Church of The
Netherlands ('Protestantse Kerk in Nederland', PKN). However, as the
survey-data of POLS indicate, the members of the original denominations
identify themselves only partially with the PKN. Therefor it is decided
to incorporate both the original denominations to which the people still
confess themselves and the new category PKN in the questionnaire and in
the Statline tables. As a consequence, from 2004 onwards the percentages
of members of the Dutch Reformed Church and the Reformed (Calvinist)
Churches as well as the devotees of 'other denominations' are not
comparable with the figures of former years.
From 2005 onwards, a new weighting scheme is used for the figures on
religion and worshipping. This new scheme results in a better
representation of in particular non-western immigrants in the response.
Because of this, a more realistic estimation of the division of religions
in the Netherlands is possible. The increase in the percentage of
devotees of other denominations in 2005 compared to 2004 is caused by the
change in weighting scheme and does not constitute a true increase in
following.
The data refer to persons aged 12 years or older.
Source: POLS (Continuous Survey on Living Conditions): BASIS (General).- No denomination
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older not considering
himself/herself as a member of any denomination.
- Roman Catholic
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older considering himself/herself
as a member of the Roman Catholic Church.
- Protestant Church of The Netherlands
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older considering himself/herself
as a member of the Protestant Church of The Netherlands ('Protestantse
Kerk in Nederland', PKN).
Change August 8, 2008: In May 2004, the general synods of the Dutch
Reformed Church, the Reformed (Calvinist) Churches and the
Evangelical-Lutherian Church were fused into the Protestant Church of The
Netherlands ('Protestantse Kerk in Nederland', PKN). However, as the
survey-data of POLS indicate, the members of the original denominations
identify themselves only partially with the PKN. Therefor it is decided
to incorporate both the original denominations to which the people still
confess themselves and the new category PKN in the questionnaire and in
the Statline tables. As a consequence, from 2004 onwards the percentages
of members of the Dutch Reformed Church and the Reformed (Calvinist)
Churches as well as the devotees of 'other denominations' are not
comparable with the figures of former years.
- Dutch Reformed
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older that considers
himself/herself to be a member of the Dutch Reformed Church.
Change August 8, 2008: In May 2004, the general synods of the Dutch
Reformed Church, the Reformed (Calvinist) Churches and the
Evangelical-Lutherian Church were fused into the Protestant Church of The
Netherlands ('Protestantse Kerk in Nederland', PKN). However, as the
survey-data of POLS indicate, the members of the original denominations
identify themselves only partially with the PKN. Therefor it is decided
to incorporate both the original denominations to which the people still
confess themselves and the new category PKN in the questionnaire and in
the Statline tables. As a consequence, from 2004 onwards the percentages
of members of the Dutch Reformed Church and the Reformed (Calvinist)
Churches as well as the devotees of 'other denominations' are not
comparable with the figures of former years.
- Calvinist
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older that considers
himself/herself to be a member of the Reformed (Calvinist) Church.
Change August 8, 2008: In May 2004, the general synods of the Dutch
Reformed Church, the Reformed (Calvinist) Churches and the
Evangelical-Lutherian Church were fused into the Protestant Church of The
Netherlands ('Protestantse Kerk in Nederland', PKN). However, as the
survey-data of POLS indicate, the members of the original denominations
identify themselves only partially with the PKN. Therefor it is decided
to incorporate both the original denominations to which the people still
confess themselves and the new category PKN in the questionnaire and in
the Statline tables. As a consequence, from 2004 onwards the percentages
of members of the Dutch Reformed Church and the Reformed (Calvinist)
Churches as well as the devotees of 'other denominations' are not
comparable with the figures of former years.
- Other denominations
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older considering himself/herself
as a member of a denomination or religious or philosophical group not
mentioned previously, e.g., Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism.
From 2005 onwards, a new weighting scheme is used for the figures on
religion and worshipping. This new scheme results in a better
representation of in particular non-western immigrants in the response.
Because of this, a more realistic estimation of the division of religions
in the Netherlands is possible. The increase in the percentage of
devotees of other denominations in 2005 compared to 2004 is caused by the
change in weighting scheme and does not constitute a true increase in
following.