Population; key figures
| Periods | Population by sex Total population (number) | Population by sex Males (number) | Population by sex Females (number) | Population by age (at 1 January) Demographic pressure Total demographic pressure (%) | Population by age (at 1 January) Demographic pressure Green pressure (%) | Population by age (at 1 January) Demographic pressure Grey pressure (%) | Population by age (at 1 January) Average age Total population (year) | Population by age (at 1 January) Average age Males (year) | Population by age (at 1 January) Average age Females (year) | Population by country of origin Total population (number) | Private households Total private households (x 1 000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 10,026,773 | 4,998,251 | 5,028,522 | 81.9 | 67.9 | 14.0 | 30.8 | 30.3 | 31.3 | 10,026,773 | 2,535 |
| 1960 | 11,417,254 | 5,686,152 | 5,731,102 | 88.2 | 71.4 | 16.8 | 31.7 | 31.1 | 32.4 | 11,417,254 | 3,171 |
| 2000 | 15,863,950 | 7,846,317 | 8,017,633 | 61.2 | 39.4 | 21.9 | 38.2 | 37.0 | 39.4 | 15,863,950 | 6,801 |
| 2020 | 17,407,585 | 8,648,031 | 8,759,554 | 70.0 | 36.9 | 33.1 | 42.2 | 41.3 | 43.0 | 17,407,585 | 7,998 |
| 2021 | 17,475,415 | 8,686,536 | 8,788,879 | 70.1 | 36.4 | 33.7 | 42.3 | 41.5 | 43.1 | 17,475,415 | 8,043 |
| 2022 | 17,590,672 | 8,745,468 | 8,845,204 | 70.3 | 36.2 | 34.1 | 42.4 | 41.6 | 43.2 | 17,590,672 | 8,139 |
| 2023 | 17,811,291 | 8,850,309 | 8,960,982 | 70.3 | 35.9 | 34.4 | 42.5 | 41.7 | 43.3 | 17,811,291 | 8,270 |
| 2024 | 17,942,942 | 8,920,768 | 9,022,174 | 70.4 | 35.4 | 34.9 | 42.6 | 41.9 | 43.4 | 17,942,942 | 8,374 |
| Source: CBS. | |||||||||||
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.
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
Figures on population by origin are only available from 2022 at this moment. The periods 1996 through 2021 will be added to the table at a later time.
Status of the figures:
All the figures are final.
Changes as of 17 July 2024:
Final figures with regard to population growth for 2023 and final figures of the population on 1 January 2024 have been added.
Changes as of 26 April 2023:
None, this is a new table. This table succeeds the table Population; key figures; 1950-2022. See section 3.
The following changes have been implemented compared to the discontinued table:
- The topic folder 'Population by migration background' has been replaced by 'Population by origin';
- The underlying topic folders regarding 'first and second generation migration background' have been replaced by 'Born in the Netherlands' and 'Born abroad';
- The origin countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey have been assigned to the continent of Asia (previously Europe).
When will new figures be published?
In the last quarter of 2025 final figures with regard to population growth for 2024 and final figures of the population on 1 January 2025 will be added.
Description topics
- Population by sex
- Population in the Netherlands on 1 January.
Population
The total number of people residing in The Netherlands.
Only persons recorded in the population register of a Dutch municipality are included in the population. In principle, every person who lives in the Netherlands for an indefinite period is included in the population register of the municipality. Persons belonging to the population of the Netherlands for whom no permanent place of residence can be designated, are included in the population register of the municipality of The Hague. The population registers do not include the persons living in the Netherlands to whom exemption rules apply with regard to inclusion in the population registers (for example diplomats and NATO military personnel) and persons without legal residence in the Netherlands.- Total population
- Males
- Females
- Population by age (at 1 January)
- Population in The Netherlands on 1 January.
Population
The total number of people residing in The Netherlands.
Only persons recorded in the population register of a Dutch municipality are included in the population. In principle, every person who lives in the Netherlands for an indefinite period is included in the population register of the municipality. Persons belonging to the population of the Netherlands for whom no permanent place of residence can be designated, are included in the population register of the municipality of The Hague. The population registers do not include the persons living in the Netherlands to whom exemption rules apply with regard to inclusion in the population registers (for example diplomats and NATO military personnel) and persons without legal residence in the Netherlands.
Age:
The number of whole years that have passed since someone's date of birth and 1 January of the reference year.- Demographic pressure
- The sum of the number of people aged between 0 and 20 and people aged 65 and over, in relation to people aged 20 to 65.
- Total demographic pressure
- The number of people aged between 0 and 20 years and 65 years or older per 100 of the people aged 20 to 65 years.
- Green pressure
- The ratio between the number of people aged 0 to 20 and the number of people aged 20 to 65.
- Grey pressure
- The ratio between the number of people aged 65 or over and the number of people aged 20 to 65.
- Average age
- The arithmetic mean of all ages in the population.
- Total population
- Average age of the total population of the Netherlands.
- Males
- Average age of the male population of the Netherlands.
- Females
- Average age of the female population of the Netherlands.
- Population by country of origin
- Population in The Netherlands on 1 January.
Population
The total number of people residing in The Netherlands.
Only persons recorded in the population register of a Dutch municipality are included in the population. In principle, every person who lives in the Netherlands for an indefinite period is included in the population register of the municipality. Persons belonging to the population of the Netherlands for whom no permanent place of residence can be designated, are included in the population register of the municipality of The Hague. The population registers do not include the persons living in the Netherlands to whom exemption rules apply with regard to inclusion in the population registers (for example diplomats and NATO military personnel) and persons without legal residence in the Netherlands.
Country of origin
Characteristic indicating in which country a person was born or where their parents were born.
The origin of persons born abroad is determined by their own country of birth. For people born in the Netherlands, the origin is determined by the parents’ country of birth. When both parents are born abroad, the mother’s country of birth is leading in determining origin. The birth records of the mother are more often known than those of the father. When the mother was born in the Netherlands or the mother’s country of birth is unknown, the father’s country of birth is used.- Total population
- 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.
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.
Break in series of (persons in) private households
As a result of the improved survey method for persons in institutional households, a break in series has occurred as of 2014 in the number of single-person households/single persons. Around 35 thousand persons mainly categorised as single persons according to the previous method have shifted to institutional households. As a result, the number of single persons only rose by a few thousand between 2013 and 2014. Between 2012 and 2013, the increase was still 41 thousand persons. It also caused the total increase in the number of households to fall from 57 thousand between 2012 and 2013, to 21 thousand between 2013 and 2014. As of 2011, a new production method has been used to compile household data. To determine the household composition, this method also uses data on cohabiting couples from the Tax and Customs Administration in addition to data from the Personal Records Database (BRP). The results based on the new method are in line with previous results, although from 2011 there are some minor shifts between household composition categories. The biggest shift concerns the number of 'other households' and 'unmarried couples'. In 2011, the number of 'other households' was 10 thousand lower than in 2010. Correspondingly, the number of unmarried couples was 10 thousand higher.- Total private households
- Total private households