Land use; all categories, municipalities

Land use; all categories, municipalities

Regions Periods Total surface (ha) Transport Transport total (ha) Transport Railroad (ha) Transport Main road (ha) Transport Airport (ha) Built-up area Built-up area total (ha) Built-up area Residential (ha) Built-up area Retail trade, hotel and catering (ha) Built-up area Public institutions (ha) Built-up area Socio-cultural facilities (ha)
The Netherlands 2017 4,154,302 115,108 8,845 103,836 2,426 370,140 241,408 12,028 12,057 16,463
Noord-Nederland (LD) 2017 1,138,883 21,809 1,102 20,440 268 50,836 34,558 1,484 1,788 2,163
Oost-Nederland (LD) 2017 1,096,935 29,886 2,271 27,181 433 84,515 55,387 2,662 2,825 4,263
West-Nederland (LD) 2017 1,189,328 37,900 3,758 33,055 1,087 140,605 90,409 5,311 4,153 6,013
Zuid-Nederland (LD) 2017 729,156 25,514 1,715 23,160 639 94,183 61,054 2,571 3,291 4,024
Groningen (PV) 2017 295,968 6,406 485 5,878 44 16,700 11,269 454 733 717
Fryslân (PV) 2017 574,876 8,411 359 7,907 145 18,423 12,434 592 432 713
Drenthe (PV) 2017 268,039 6,991 258 6,655 78 15,713 10,855 438 622 734
Overijssel (PV) 2017 342,074 10,443 791 9,511 140 26,699 17,562 893 538 1,146
Flevoland (PV) 2017 241,231 3,421 212 3,110 99 9,067 5,687 283 413 470
Gelderland (PV) 2017 513,631 16,022 1,268 14,560 194 48,750 32,137 1,486 1,874 2,647
Utrecht (PV) 2017 144,913 5,696 681 4,996 19 23,465 15,731 840 985 1,498
Noord-Holland (PV) 2017 409,193 12,021 1,214 9,879 928 46,322 30,894 1,953 1,523 1,894
Zuid-Holland (PV) 2017 341,878 13,198 1,541 11,576 81 58,654 36,447 2,123 1,290 2,335
Zeeland (PV) 2017 293,344 6,984 321 6,604 59 12,165 7,338 395 355 286
Noord-Brabant (PV) 2017 508,206 17,493 1,007 16,004 482 63,628 40,787 1,763 2,287 2,654
Limburg (PV) 2017 220,950 8,021 708 7,156 157 30,555 20,267 808 1,004 1,370
Oost-Groningen (CR) 2017 90,706 2,324 161 2,119 44 5,432 3,897 116 140 183
Delfzijl en omgeving (CR) 2017 36,407 738 58 680 0 1,803 1,115 49 61 64
Overig Groningen (CR) 2017 168,855 3,344 266 3,078 0 9,465 6,256 289 532 470
Noord-Friesland (CR) 2017 335,441 3,867 200 3,527 140 9,095 6,207 251 307 365
Zuidwest-Friesland (CR) 2017 138,782 2,101 75 2,026 0 3,854 2,578 146 54 113
Zuidoost-Friesland (CR) 2017 100,654 2,443 84 2,355 5 5,474 3,649 196 72 235
Noord-Drenthe (CR) 2017 106,119 2,581 105 2,425 51 6,079 4,260 139 333 418
Zuidoost-Drenthe (CR) 2017 92,384 2,598 63 2,534 0 6,038 4,253 167 181 147
Zuidwest-Drenthe (CR) 2017 69,536 1,813 90 1,695 28 3,596 2,342 132 108 168
Noord-Overijssel (CR) 2017 149,198 4,296 313 3,963 20 8,721 5,407 279 243 392
Zuidwest-Overijssel (CR) 2017 42,499 1,257 141 1,116 0 3,219 2,152 94 74 193
Twente (CR) 2017 150,377 4,889 337 4,432 120 14,758 10,003 519 221 561
Veluwe (CR) 2017 186,043 4,866 339 4,429 98 16,206 10,341 529 1,047 1,072
Achterhoek (CR) 2017 156,108 4,269 254 4,015 0 10,172 6,838 329 222 460
Arnhem/Nijmegen (CR) 2017 95,892 3,833 389 3,349 95 15,857 10,962 459 489 922
Zuidwest-Gelderland (CR) 2017 75,587 3,053 286 2,767 0 6,515 3,995 168 116 193
Utrecht (CR) 2017 144,913 5,696 681 4,996 19 23,465 15,731 840 985 1,498
Kop van Noord-Holland (CR) 2017 214,168 3,282 180 2,988 114 8,789 5,978 339 558 261
Alkmaar en omgeving (CR) 2017 32,361 1,051 62 989 0 4,971 3,638 212 92 217
IJmond (CR) 2017 19,763 741 144 588 9 4,045 2,305 170 203 113
Agglomeratie Haarlem (CR) 2017 15,212 535 95 441 0 3,270 2,557 123 73 204
Zaanstreek (CR) 2017 12,841 532 55 477 0 2,660 1,741 129 43 81
Groot-Amsterdam (CR) 2017 87,509 4,914 562 3,602 750 17,572 10,756 832 395 758
Het Gooi en Vechtstreek (CR) 2017 27,338 966 117 795 54 5,015 3,919 148 159 259
Agglomeratie Leiden en Bollenstreek (CR) 2017 31,836 1,217 146 1,044 27 6,500 4,479 245 102 438
Agglomeratie 's-Gravenhage (CR) 2017 28,631 1,351 141 1,210 0 9,768 7,203 511 248 485
Delft en Westland (CR) 2017 16,418 799 13 786 0 3,436 2,052 143 93 190
Oost-Zuid-Holland (CR) 2017 52,112 1,423 147 1,276 0 5,634 3,768 155 107 201
Groot-Rijnmond (CR) 2017 161,601 6,382 773 5,555 54 25,896 14,201 877 600 774
Zuidoost-Zuid-Holland (CR) 2017 51,280 2,027 322 1,705 0 7,420 4,744 192 140 247
Zeeuwsch-Vlaanderen (CR) 2017 87,674 2,302 98 2,184 20 4,001 2,367 136 115 83
Overig Zeeland (CR) 2017 205,670 4,682 223 4,420 39 8,164 4,971 259 240 203
West-Noord-Brabant (CR) 2017 130,308 5,168 456 4,586 126 16,448 9,582 474 639 561
Midden-Noord-Brabant (CR) 2017 93,335 2,695 82 2,526 88 11,188 7,114 310 439 467
Noordoost-Noord-Brabant (CR) 2017 138,796 5,083 278 4,704 101 16,563 10,929 436 596 835
Zuidoost-Noord-Brabant (CR) 2017 145,766 4,548 191 4,189 167 19,429 13,163 543 613 792
Noord-Limburg (CR) 2017 85,414 2,753 161 2,533 59 8,232 4,928 177 377 418
Midden-Limburg (CR) 2017 69,480 2,283 173 2,109 0 7,296 4,811 197 329 311
Zuid-Limburg (CR) 2017 66,056 2,985 373 2,514 98 15,027 10,528 433 299 641
Flevoland (CR) 2017 241,231 3,421 212 3,110 99 9,067 5,687 283 413 470
No urban region (SG) 2017
Groningen (SG) 2017
Leeuwarden (SG) 2017
Zwolle (SG) 2017
Enschede (SG) 2017
Apeldoorn (SG) 2017
Arnhem (SG) 2017
Nijmegen (SG) 2017
Amersfoort (SG) 2017
Utrecht (SG) 2017
Amsterdam (SG) 2017
Haarlem (SG) 2017
Leiden (SG) 2017
's-Gravenhage (SG) 2017
Rotterdam (SG) 2017
Dordrecht (SG) 2017
Breda (SG) 2017
Tilburg (SG) 2017
's-Hertogenbosch (SG) 2017
Eindhoven (SG) 2017
Geleen/Sittard (SG) 2017
Heerlen (SG) 2017
Maastricht (SG) 2017
No metropolitan agglomeration (GA) 2017
Groningen (GA) 2017
Leeuwarden (GA) 2017
Zwolle (GA) 2017
Enschede (GA) 2017
Apeldoorn (GA) 2017
Arnhem (GA) 2017
Nijmegen (GA) 2017
Amersfoort (GA) 2017
Utrecht (GA) 2017
Amsterdam (GA) 2017
Haarlem (GA) 2017
Leiden (GA) 2017
's-Gravenhage (GA) 2017
Rotterdam (GA) 2017
Dordrecht (GA) 2017
Breda (GA) 2017
Tilburg (GA) 2017
's-Hertogenbosch (GA) 2017
Eindhoven (GA) 2017
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table provides information about the land use of the area of the Netherlands and the changes in land use.

Data available from: 1996.

Status of the figures:
The figures in this table are final.

Changes as of 26 April 2023:
Addition of 2017 figures.

This table is based on the Bestand Bodemgebruik (BBG), which literally translates as the ‘land use file’. For intervening base years without a BBG, this table just presents total area statistics for the presented regions.

Previously published base years in this table are never revised for corrections established when a newer BBG-edition is produced. Such corrections consist of corrections of earlier misinterpretations and of improved interpretations based on new sources. The corrections are recorded in the so-called Mutatiebestand (the mutations file) which is a digital map, being a part of each BBG publication. See Bestand Bodemgebruik for further information on correction of the land use statistics and for available publications.

As of reporting year 2016, Statistics Netherlands no longer publishes data on metropolitan agglomerations and urban regions. Various social developments have rendered the philosophy and methodology underlying the delineation outdated. It furthermore appears that other agencies are using a different classification of metropolitan agglomerations and urban regions depending on the area of application. This means there is no longer a consensus on which standard applies.
The metropolitan agglomerations and urban regions will not be published anymore from 2015 onwards as a default regional figure.

When will new figures be published?
After the addition of the 2017 land use figures all updates to this table will be stopped.

The methodology of the land use statistics, as it has been in use up to the 2017-edition, is being redesigned. See for further information on this redesign and the availability of land use statistics based on the new methodology the web page Bestand Bodemgebruik.

Description topics

Total surface
Total surface of the Netherlands.
Transport
Area in use for traffic and transport on roads, on railways and in the air.
Transport total
Total area of the main group ‘Transport’.
Railroad
Area in use for traffic and transport on railways.

Including
- slopes;
- dead end rails to industrial area;
- shunting area;
- railway yard including station buildings and adjacent parking areas.

Excluding
- narrow gauge, this is included at the adjacent land use.
Main road
Area in use for traffic and transport over the main road network.

Including
- roads with function of transportation artery;
- included green in connections with roads and inside roundabouts;
- parking areas;
- busstation;
- gasoilstation;
- storages for road maintenance.

Excluding
- included green, larger than 1 ha in use of agriculture or woodland;
- included water larger than 1 ha;
- main road under construction.
Airport
Area in use for traffic and transport in the air.

Including
- paved and unpaved airstrips;
- associated buildings and parking areas.

Excluding
- unpaved soil inside the enclosed airport (not belonging to airstrips);
- adjacent areas with services and industries.
Built-up area
Area in use for residents, work, shopping, cultural facilities and public amenities.
Built-up area total
Total area of the main group ‘Built-on area’.
Residential
Area mainly used for residents, including primary amenities.

Including
- housing areas;
- primary amenities e.g. (local) shops, primary schools;
- local offices of e.g. banks;
- green areas smaller than 1 hectare;
- streets and local parking areas;
- courtyards, gardens;
- playing grounds;
- trailer camp (excluding wreckage areas larger than 0,1 hectare).

If residential areas are inside woodland, the total area is assignated as residential if a street pattern can be recognized.
Retail trade, hotel and catering
Area in use for concentrated retail trade and catering activities.

Including
- shopping centre, often with a pedestrian zone (even if above the shops there are residents);
- markets of goods;
- area with companies in the hotel and catering industry;
- associated parking areas.
Public institutions
Area in use of general use, like community homes, police offices and utility services.

Including
- administration buildings;
- municipal offices (stadskantoor), office public works;
- border post (customs etc);
- provincial office;
- police offices, fire brigades, courts, jails;
- utility services (gas, water, electricity, central city heating and central areal parts-constructions) including the associated area;
- water treatment plant and incinerators, including the storage buildings;
- storage areas for the administration, excluding the ones for maintenance of roads;
- militair objects, like depots of ammunition, barracs, mobilisation complexes, radar posts and shooting ranges;
- fort (former);
- associated parking areas and forest- or shrublines.

Public services are mainly limited on the map by a fence. As the limit of the object, the location of the fence is used.
Socio-cultural facilities
Area in use by social and cultural facilities as hospitals, universities and musea.

Including
- secondary schools and schools of applied science;
- boarding school;
- conference centre;
- hospital, sanatorium, nursing home, psychiatrist hospital etc.;
- church, cloister, museum (including castles that are open to the public), excluding open air museum;
- theatre, cinema, concert- and congress hall;
- cultural centre;
- community centre, club house, youth association;
- sheltered workshop;
- associated parking areas and forest- or shrublines.

Social and cultural facilities are mainly limited on the map by a fence. As the limit of the object, the location of the fence is used.