Labour force; 1800-2013 (12-hours threshold)

Labour force; 1800-2013 (12-hours threshold)

Sex Personal characteristics Periods Labour force (x 1 000) Employed labour force Employed labour force (x 1 000) Unemployed labour force (x 1 000)
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1800 849 830 19
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1801 852 833 19
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1802 854 835 20
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1803 857 836 20
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1804 860 840 21
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1805 865 843 21
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1806 870 848 22
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1807 871 848 23
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1808 868 845 23
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1809 869 845 23
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1810 871 847 24
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1811 873 848 25
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1812 876 849 26
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1813 880 853 27
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1814 882 855 27
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1815 896 867 28
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1816 909 879 30
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1817 916 885 31
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1818 927 893 33
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1819 939 905 34
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1820 950 913 37
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1821 965 930 36
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1822 979 942 37
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1823 994 954 41
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1824 1,012 965 47
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1825 1,028 976 52
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1826 1,036 991 45
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1827 1,043 995 49
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1828 1,056 1,008 48
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1829 1,065 1,017 48
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1830 1,076 1,031 45
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1831 1,082 1,036 46
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1832 1,087 1,038 49
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1833 1,097 1,046 51
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1834 1,107 1,055 52
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1835 1,119 1,068 51
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1836 1,133 1,082 51
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1837 1,144 1,082 61
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1838 1,157 1,101 56
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1839 1,171 1,116 55
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1840 1,185 1,125 60
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1841 1,201 1,147 54
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1842 1,212 1,158 54
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1843 1,226 1,157 68
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1844 1,239 1,159 80
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1845 1,254 1,184 70
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1846 1,259 1,196 63
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1847 1,256 1,194 62
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1848 1,258 1,183 75
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1849 1,263 1,187 77
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1850 1,275 1,194 81
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1851 1,288 1,203 84
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1852 1,299 1,215 84
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1853 1,306 1,226 81
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1854 1,314 1,243 72
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1855 1,316 1,251 65
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1856 1,325 1,264 61
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1857 1,332 1,268 64
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1858 1,335 1,270 65
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1859 1,336 1,271 65
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1860 1,342 1,279 63
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1861 1,351 1,292 59
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1862 1,360 1,299 61
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1863 1,373 1,304 68
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1864 1,383 1,313 70
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1865 1,393 1,325 68
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1866 1,398 1,333 65
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1867 1,410 1,354 56
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1868 1,421 1,366 55
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1869 1,433 1,374 58
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1870 1,445 1,380 65
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1871 1,450 1,398 52
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1872 1,462 1,413 49
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1873 1,477 1,428 48
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1874 1,494 1,439 55
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1875 1,507 1,459 48
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1876 1,525 1,479 45
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1877 1,544 1,499 45
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1878 1,561 1,515 47
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1879 1,581 1,533 47
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1880 1,595 1,546 49
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1881 1,612 1,562 50
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1882 1,631 1,578 54
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1883 1,647 1,593 54
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1884 1,664 1,606 58
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1885 1,682 1,621 60
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1886 1,699 1,634 64
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1887 1,718 1,651 67
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1888 1,737 1,666 71
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1889 1,755 1,685 70
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1890 1,777 1,709 67
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1891 1,800 1,735 64
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1892 1,820 1,749 71
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1893 1,847 1,771 75
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1894 1,873 1,793 80
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1895 1,900 1,822 77
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1896 1,930 1,851 79
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1897 1,961 1,883 78
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1898 1,990 1,911 79
Total sex Total personal characteristics 1899 2,021 1,938 82
Men Total personal characteristics 1800 561 544 17
Men Total personal characteristics 1801 563 546 17
Men Total personal characteristics 1802 565 547 18
Men Total personal characteristics 1803 567 548 19
Men Total personal characteristics 1804 570 551 19
Men Total personal characteristics 1805 573 553 20
Men Total personal characteristics 1806 577 557 20
Men Total personal characteristics 1807 578 557 21
Men Total personal characteristics 1808 576 554 22
Men Total personal characteristics 1809 576 555 22
Men Total personal characteristics 1810 579 556 22
Men Total personal characteristics 1811 580 557 23
Men Total personal characteristics 1812 582 558 24
Men Total personal characteristics 1813 586 560 25
Men Total personal characteristics 1814 587 562 25
Men Total personal characteristics 1815 597 570 26
Men Total personal characteristics 1816 606 578 28
Men Total personal characteristics 1817 611 582 29
Men Total personal characteristics 1818 619 588 31
Men Total personal characteristics 1819 627 596 31
Men Total personal characteristics 1820 636 601 34
Men Total personal characteristics 1821 646 614 33
Men Total personal characteristics 1822 656 622 34
Men Total personal characteristics 1823 667 630 38
Men Total personal characteristics 1824 680 636 44
Men Total personal characteristics 1825 691 643 48
Men Total personal characteristics 1826 697 655 42
Men Total personal characteristics 1827 702 657 45
Men Total personal characteristics 1828 712 667 45
Men Total personal characteristics 1829 718 674 44
Men Total personal characteristics 1830 726 684 41
Men Total personal characteristics 1831 730 688 43
Men Total personal characteristics 1832 734 689 45
Men Total personal characteristics 1833 742 694 47
Men Total personal characteristics 1834 749 701 48
Men Total personal characteristics 1835 758 710 47
Men Total personal characteristics 1836 767 721 47
Men Total personal characteristics 1837 776 719 57
Men Total personal characteristics 1838 785 733 52
Men Total personal characteristics 1839 795 745 50
Men Total personal characteristics 1840 806 750 55
Men Total personal characteristics 1841 817 767 49
Men Total personal characteristics 1842 825 775 50
Men Total personal characteristics 1843 835 772 63
Men Total personal characteristics 1844 845 771 74
Men Total personal characteristics 1845 856 792 64
Men Total personal characteristics 1846 859 802 57
Men Total personal characteristics 1847 857 800 57
Men Total personal characteristics 1848 859 791 69
Men Total personal characteristics 1849 858 788 70
Men Total personal characteristics 1850 871 797 74
Men Total personal characteristics 1851 879 802 78
Men Total personal characteristics 1852 886 810 77
Men Total personal characteristics 1853 891 818 74
Men Total personal characteristics 1854 899 833 66
Men Total personal characteristics 1855 902 842 59
Men Total personal characteristics 1856 908 854 55
Men Total personal characteristics 1857 914 857 58
Men Total personal characteristics 1858 919 860 59
Men Total personal characteristics 1859 922 863 59
Men Total personal characteristics 1860 923 867 57
Men Total personal characteristics 1861 928 875 53
Men Total personal characteristics 1862 935 880 55
Men Total personal characteristics 1863 943 881 62
Men Total personal characteristics 1864 951 888 63
Men Total personal characteristics 1865 959 898 61
Men Total personal characteristics 1866 963 904 59
Men Total personal characteristics 1867 971 921 50
Men Total personal characteristics 1868 979 930 49
Men Total personal characteristics 1869 988 936 52
Men Total personal characteristics 1870 986 928 57
Men Total personal characteristics 1871 994 948 46
Men Total personal characteristics 1872 1,005 961 44
Men Total personal characteristics 1873 1,018 975 43
Men Total personal characteristics 1874 1,035 986 49
Men Total personal characteristics 1875 1,050 1,007 42
Men Total personal characteristics 1876 1,065 1,025 40
Men Total personal characteristics 1877 1,079 1,040 39
Men Total personal characteristics 1878 1,093 1,052 41
Men Total personal characteristics 1879 1,108 1,066 41
Men Total personal characteristics 1880 1,120 1,077 43
Men Total personal characteristics 1881 1,132 1,089 43
Men Total personal characteristics 1882 1,146 1,099 47
Men Total personal characteristics 1883 1,159 1,112 47
Men Total personal characteristics 1884 1,173 1,122 51
Men Total personal characteristics 1885 1,185 1,132 53
Men Total personal characteristics 1886 1,198 1,142 56
Men Total personal characteristics 1887 1,210 1,152 58
Men Total personal characteristics 1888 1,223 1,161 62
Men Total personal characteristics 1889 1,252 1,191 61
Men Total personal characteristics 1890 1,248 1,190 58
Men Total personal characteristics 1891 1,264 1,208 56
Men Total personal characteristics 1892 1,282 1,221 61
Men Total personal characteristics 1893 1,305 1,240 65
Men Total personal characteristics 1894 1,326 1,257 70
Men Total personal characteristics 1895 1,346 1,279 67
Men Total personal characteristics 1896 1,368 1,300 68
Men Total personal characteristics 1897 1,390 1,322 67
Men Total personal characteristics 1898 1,411 1,343 68
Men Total personal characteristics 1899 1,433 1,362 71
Women Total personal characteristics 1800 288 286 .
Women Total personal characteristics 1801 288 287 .
Women Total personal characteristics 1802 289 287 .
Women Total personal characteristics 1803 289 288 .
Women Total personal characteristics 1804 290 289 .
Women Total personal characteristics 1805 291 290 2
Women Total personal characteristics 1806 293 291 2
Women Total personal characteristics 1807 293 291 2
Women Total personal characteristics 1808 292 291 2
Women Total personal characteristics 1809 292 291 2
Women Total personal characteristics 1810 293 291 2
Women Total personal characteristics 1811 293 291 2
Women Total personal characteristics 1812 294 292 2
Women Total personal characteristics 1813 295 293 2
Women Total personal characteristics 1814 295 293 2
Women Total personal characteristics 1815 299 297 2
Women Total personal characteristics 1816 303 301 2
Women Total personal characteristics 1817 305 303 2
Women Total personal characteristics 1818 308 305 2
Women Total personal characteristics 1819 311 309 2
Women Total personal characteristics 1820 314 312 3
Women Total personal characteristics 1821 319 316 3
Women Total personal characteristics 1822 323 320 3
Women Total personal characteristics 1823 327 324 3
Women Total personal characteristics 1824 332 329 3
Women Total personal characteristics 1825 336 333 4
Women Total personal characteristics 1826 339 336 3
Women Total personal characteristics 1827 341 337 4
Women Total personal characteristics 1828 344 341 4
Women Total personal characteristics 1829 347 343 4
Women Total personal characteristics 1830 350 346 3
Women Total personal characteristics 1831 352 348 4
Women Total personal characteristics 1832 353 349 4
Women Total personal characteristics 1833 355 352 4
Women Total personal characteristics 1834 358 354 4
Women Total personal characteristics 1835 362 358 4
Women Total personal characteristics 1836 365 361 4
Women Total personal characteristics 1837 368 363 5
Women Total personal characteristics 1838 372 368 4
Women Total personal characteristics 1839 376 371 4
Women Total personal characteristics 1840 380 375 5
Women Total personal characteristics 1841 384 380 4
Women Total personal characteristics 1842 387 383 4
Women Total personal characteristics 1843 391 385 5
Women Total personal characteristics 1844 394 388 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1845 398 393 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1846 400 394 5
Women Total personal characteristics 1847 399 394 5
Women Total personal characteristics 1848 399 393 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1849 405 399 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1850 404 397 7
Women Total personal characteristics 1851 409 402 7
Women Total personal characteristics 1852 412 405 7
Women Total personal characteristics 1853 415 408 7
Women Total personal characteristics 1854 416 409 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1855 414 408 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1856 416 411 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1857 418 412 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1858 416 410 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1859 414 408 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1860 418 412 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1861 423 417 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1862 425 419 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1863 430 423 7
Women Total personal characteristics 1864 432 425 7
Women Total personal characteristics 1865 434 427 7
Women Total personal characteristics 1866 435 428 7
Women Total personal characteristics 1867 439 433 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1868 441 435 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1869 445 438 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1870 459 452 7
Women Total personal characteristics 1871 456 450 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1872 457 452 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1873 459 453 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1874 459 453 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1875 458 452 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1876 459 454 5
Women Total personal characteristics 1877 464 459 5
Women Total personal characteristics 1878 468 462 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1879 473 467 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1880 475 469 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1881 480 474 6
Women Total personal characteristics 1882 486 479 7
Women Total personal characteristics 1883 488 481 7
Women Total personal characteristics 1884 491 483 7
Women Total personal characteristics 1885 497 489 8
Women Total personal characteristics 1886 500 492 8
Women Total personal characteristics 1887 508 499 8
Women Total personal characteristics 1888 514 505 9
Women Total personal characteristics 1889 503 495 9
Women Total personal characteristics 1890 528 519 9
Women Total personal characteristics 1891 536 527 9
Women Total personal characteristics 1892 537 528 9
Women Total personal characteristics 1893 542 532 10
Women Total personal characteristics 1894 546 536 11
Women Total personal characteristics 1895 553 543 10
Women Total personal characteristics 1896 562 551 11
Women Total personal characteristics 1897 571 560 11
Women Total personal characteristics 1898 579 568 11
Women Total personal characteristics 1899 588 576 12
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


In this table you can find a historical series of figures since 1800 on the composition of the Dutch labour force from 15-64 by sex and a few other personal characteristics. The data on the registered unemployed by ethnic background and level of education are only available from 1996 and onwards. The figures on professional prestige, socio-economic status and social class are only available from 1975 and onwards and only concern the total employed labour force. Until 1987 the definition of the employed labour force deviates somewhat from the current definition. It concerns people who work at least 15 hours a week instead of 12 hours a week.

Data available from 1800 including 2013.

Status of the figures:
On 26 February 2015 new revised tables about the labour force have been published. The revision of the labour force statistics consists of two parts. The definitions are adjusted to the international standard definitions and data collection is improved by using web interviewing. The figures in this table haven’t been revised yet and thus differ from the figures in other tables concerning the labour force. For more information about this revision, see the link to the press release in paragraph 3.

Changes as of June 27, 2018:
None, this table has been discontinued.

When will new figures be published?
This table will no longer be updated. A new historical series of yearly figures on the labour force based on the international definition is made. See the link in paragraph 3.

Description topics

Labour force
The labour force includes everyone (15-64):
- with a paid job of at least twelve hours a week;
- who has accepted a paid job for at least twelve hours a week;
- who states they want to work for at least twelve hours a week, are
available to do so and are actively seeking such a job.
Employed labour force
Employed labour force
Dutch residents who have paid work for twelve hours a week or more.
Unemployed labour force
People without work, or with less than twelve hours of paid work a week,
who are actively looking for paid work for twelve hours a week or more
and who are directly available for this job.