Population; key figures
Explanation of symbols
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- The topic folder 'Population by migration background' has been replaced by 'Population by origin';
- The underlying topic folders regarding 'first and second generation migration background' have been replaced by 'Born in the Netherlands' and 'Born abroad';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 marital status
- Population in the Netherlands on 1 January.
Break in series of population by marital status
As of 2010, a small shift has occurred between the different marital statuses (fewer never married and more divorced and widowed, resprectivly). This is because information on some marital statuses is not available for the period 1998 to 2010 in data used by Statistics Netherlands. The marital statuses statuses 'divorced after partnership' and 'widowed after partnership' were therefore not included in these statistics for this period. For these figures, the marital status before the partnership was used instead, which in most cases was 'never married'. As of 2010, all marital statuses are available.
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.
Marital status:
Legal status involving someone's rights and competences as determined by legal marriage and registered partnership.
Marriage:
Legal, formally sanctioned living arrangement between two people.
Since 1 April 2001, it is legally possible for people in the Netherlands to marry a person of the same sex.
Registered partnership:
A marriage-like relationship between two people of the opposite or same sex, registered at the Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages.- Total population
- Never married
- From 2010: marital status indicating that someone was never married or never in a registered partnership.
1998 until 2010: marital status indicating that someone was never married.
Because information was lacking on some marital statuses in the period 1998 to 2010 in data used by Statistics Netherlands, 'widowed after partnership' and 'divorces after partnership' were not included in this period in these statistics. For these statistics this means that the marital status before the partnership was used, which was mostly unmarried. Until 1998: marital status indicating that someone was never married.
Marriage:
Legal, formally sanctioned living arrangement between two people.
Since 1 April 2001, it is legally possible for people in the Netherlands to marry a person of the same sex.
Registered partnership:
A marriage-like relationship between two people of the opposite or same sex, registered at the Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
- Married
- From 1998: legally married and partnership.
Until 1998: legally married.
Legally married:
Marital status resulting from having married legally.
Including judicial separations which are included in the category married.
Partnership:
Marital status resulting from entering into a registered partnership.
Marriage:
Legal, formally sanctioned living arrangement between two people.
Since 1 April 2001, it is legally possible for people in the Netherlands to marry a person of the same sex.
Registered partnership:
A marriage-like relationship between two people of the opposite or same sex, registered at the Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
- Widowed
- From 2010: widowed after a legal marriage and widowed after a partnership.
Until 2010: widowed after a legal marriage.
Because information was lacking on some marital statuses in the period 1998 to 2010 in data used by Statistics Netherlands, widowed after a partnership is not included in this period in these statistics.
Widowed after a legal marriage:
Marital status resulting from death ending a legal marriage.
Widowed after a partnership:
Marital status resulting from death ending a registered partnership.
Marriage:
Legal, formally sanctioned living arrangement between two people.
Since 1 April 2001, it is legally possible for people in the Netherlands to marry a person of the same sex.
Registered partnership:
A marriage-like relationship between two people of the opposite or same sex, registered at the Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
- Divorced
- From 2010: divorced after a legal marriage and divorced after a partnership.
Until 2010: divorced after a legal marriage.
Because information was lacking on some marital statuses in the period 1998 to 2010 in data used by Statistics Netherlands, divorced after partnership is not included in this period in these statistics.
Divorced after a legal marriage:
Marital status resulting from ending a legal marriage by divorce.
Excluding judicial separations which are included in the category married.
Divorced after a partnership:
Marital status resulting from ending a registered partnership other than by the death of the partner.
Marriage:
Legal, formally sanctioned living arrangement between two people.
Since 1 April 2001, it is legally possible for people in the Netherlands to marry a person of the same sex.
Registered partnership:
A marriage-like relationship between two people of the opposite or same sex, registered at the Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
- 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.- Population by age, numbers
- Population by age in 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.
- 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
- Country of origin
- The Netherlands
- Europe (excluding the Netherlands)
- The countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey fall within this classification under Asia.
- Outside Europe
- Total outside Europe
- Turkey
- Morocco
- Morocco, Ifni, Spanish Sahara, Western Sahara.
- Suriname
- Dutch Caribbean
- The designation 'Dutch Caribbean' replaces the term '(former) Netherlands Antilles and Aruba'.
Aggregate of countries belonging to the territory of the Netherlands Antilles prior to 10 October 2010 plus Aruba. These islands are Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St Eustatius, St Maarten and Aruba.
The Netherlands Antilles ceased to exist on 10 October 2010, as all the islands now have a new status. From 10 October the Kingdom of the Netherlands consists of four countries: the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and St Maarten. Curaçao and St Maarten are new countries within the Kingdom; they are autonomous countries with a special status (status aparte) within the Kingdom. The countries have autonomous government and are now no longer dependent on the Netherlands.The public bodies of Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba, also called the Caribbean Netherlands, have a closer relationship with the Netherlands and function as 'special municipalities'.
On 1 January 1986 Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles and became a new autonomous country with a special status (status aparte) within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Aruba has an autonomous government and is now no longer dependent on the Netherlands.
- Indonesia
- Until 20-05-2002: Indonesia, Dutch East-Indies, Dutch New Guinea, Portuguese Timor.
From 20-05-2005: Indonesia, Dutch East-Indies, Dutch New Guinea.
Until May 20, 2002: Indonesia, Dutch East Indies, Dutch New Guinea and Portuguese Timor.
From 20 May 2002: Indonesia, Dutch East Indies, Dutch New Guinea.
Portuguese Timor exists as an independent country on 20 May 2002 under the name Timor Leste.
- Other Africa
- Other Asia
- The countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey fall within this classification under Asia.
- Other America and Oceania
- Born in the Netherlands
- Person born in the Netherlands.
- The Netherlands
- Europe (excluding the Netherlands)
- The countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey fall within this classification under Asia.
- Outside Europe
- Total outside Europe
- Turkey
- Morocco
- Morocco, Ifni, Spanish Sahara, Western Sahara.
- Suriname
- Dutch Caribbean
- The designation 'Dutch Caribbean' replaces the term '(former) Netherlands Antilles and Aruba'.
Aggregate of countries belonging to the territory of the Netherlands Antilles prior to 10 October 2010 plus Aruba. These islands are Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St Eustatius, St Maarten and Aruba.
The Netherlands Antilles ceased to exist on 10 October 2010, as all the islands now have a new status. From 10 October the Kingdom of the Netherlands consists of four countries: the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and St Maarten. Curaçao and St Maarten are new countries within the Kingdom; they are autonomous countries with a special status (status aparte) within the Kingdom. The countries have autonomous government and are now no longer dependent on the Netherlands.The public bodies of Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba, also called the Caribbean Netherlands, have a closer relationship with the Netherlands and function as 'special municipalities'.
On 1 January 1986 Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles and became a new autonomous country with a special status (status aparte) within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Aruba has an autonomous government and is now no longer dependent on the Netherlands.
- Indonesia
- Until 20-05-2002: Indonesia, Dutch East-Indies, Dutch New Guinea, Portuguese Timor.
From 20-05-2005: Indonesia, Dutch East-Indies, Dutch New Guinea.
Until May 20, 2002: Indonesia, Dutch East Indies, Dutch New Guinea and Portuguese Timor.
From 20 May 2002: Indonesia, Dutch East Indies, Dutch New Guinea.
Portuguese Timor exists as an independent country on 20 May 2002 under the name Timor Leste.
- Other Africa
- Other Asia
- The countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey fall within this classification under Asia.
- Other America and Oceania
- Born abroad
- Person born abroad.
- The Netherlands
- Europe (excluding the Netherlands)
- The countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey fall within this classification under Asia.
- Outside Europe
- Total outside Europe
- Turkey
- Morocco
- Morocco, Ifni, Spanish Sahara, Western Sahara.
- Suriname
- Dutch Caribbean
- The designation 'Dutch Caribbean' replaces the term '(former) Netherlands Antilles and Aruba'.
Aggregate of countries belonging to the territory of the Netherlands Antilles prior to 10 October 2010 plus Aruba. These islands are Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St Eustatius, St Maarten and Aruba.
The Netherlands Antilles ceased to exist on 10 October 2010, as all the islands now have a new status. From 10 October the Kingdom of the Netherlands consists of four countries: the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and St Maarten. Curaçao and St Maarten are new countries within the Kingdom; they are autonomous countries with a special status (status aparte) within the Kingdom. The countries have autonomous government and are now no longer dependent on the Netherlands.The public bodies of Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba, also called the Caribbean Netherlands, have a closer relationship with the Netherlands and function as 'special municipalities'.
On 1 January 1986 Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles and became a new autonomous country with a special status (status aparte) within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Aruba has an autonomous government and is now no longer dependent on the Netherlands.
- Indonesia
- Until 20-05-2002: Indonesia, Dutch East-Indies, Dutch New Guinea, Portuguese Timor.
From 20-05-2005: Indonesia, Dutch East-Indies, Dutch New Guinea.
Until May 20, 2002: Indonesia, Dutch East Indies, Dutch New Guinea and Portuguese Timor.
From 20 May 2002: Indonesia, Dutch East Indies, Dutch New Guinea.
Portuguese Timor exists as an independent country on 20 May 2002 under the name Timor Leste.
- Other Africa
- Other Asia
- The countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey fall within this classification under Asia.
- Other America and Oceania
- Population in institutional 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.
Institutional household:
Household consisting of two or more people living in one accommodation whose housing and daily needs are provided professionally.
Break in series of (persons in) institutional households
Up to and including 2012, data on institutional households were based on address information provided by municipalities. As of 2014, the data have been taken from secondary surveys. 2013 is an intermediate year. The starting point for 2013 was the address information for 2012, supplemented by secondary sources; the quality of data for 2013 may therefore be slightly lower. The main data sources from 2014 onwards are data on individuals who receive residential care under the Long-term Care Act (WLZ, previously the Exceptional Medical Expenses Act, AWBZ) and for which a personal contribution was paid and institutional addresses based on the website zorgkaartnederland.nl. Institutional households are covered better with the method used from 2014 onwards. Furthermore, from 2014 onwards, institutional households also include asylum seekers that live in asylum reception centres and are registered as a resident in the Personal Records Database (BRP). As a result of these changes, 249 thousand persons were counted as members of institutional households in 2014, an estimated 35 thousand more than would be counted using the former method. As of 2011, a new production method has been used to compile household data. This new method uses data on cohabiting couples from the Tax and Customs Administration in addition to data from the Personal Records Database. The number of persons in institutional households was nearly 11 thousand higher on 1 January 2011 than on 1 January 2010. Around half of this increase was due to improvements in the survey method. - Population growth
- The increase or decrease of the population.
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 growth
- Total population growth, rate
- Total population growth per 1,000 of the total population on 1 January.
- Live born children
- Live born child:
A baby showing some sign of life after birth, regardless of the duration of pregnancy.
- Deaths
- Death:
Person declared dead by an authorized doctor.
- Natural increase
- The number of live births minus the number of deaths within a given period.
Live born child:
A baby showing some sign of life after birth, regardless of the duration of pregnancy.
Death:
Person declared dead by an authorized doctor.
- Natural increase, rate
- Natural increase per 1,000 of the total average population.
Natural increase:
The number of live births minus the number of deaths within a given period.
Live born child:
A baby showing some sign of life after birth, regardless of the duration of pregnancy.
Death:
Person declared dead by an authorized doctor.
- Immigration
- People moving to the Netherlands from another country.
Break in series external migration
As a result of an improved production process, a small shift has occurred in the figures on external migration.
From 2010 the following changes have been implemented.
- administrative entries preceding emigration are now considered as immigration;
- administrative removals followed by immigration are now considered as emigration.
- Emigration including administrative c...
- Emigration including net administrative corrections.
Data on emigration including net administrative corrections give a better impression of the true level of emigration than data on emigration excluding net administrative corrections.
Emigration:
People leaving for another country, reported to the municipalities.
Net administrative corrections:
Administrative entries in minus administrative removals from the municipal population register.
Administrative entry:
Decision by a municipality, at the request of the person concerned, to include that person in its population while it has no knowledge of birth, immigration or establishment of that person from another municipality in the Netherlands.
Administrative removal:
Decision by a municipality no longer to include a person in its population, once it has established that the address of the person is unknown, the person cannot be contacted and probably no longer resides in a municipality in the Netherlands.
Break in series external migration
As a result of an improved production process, a small shift has occurred in the figures on external migration.
From 2010 the following changes have been implemented.
- administrative entries preceding emigration are now considered as immigration;
- administrative removals followed by immigration are now considered as emigration.
- Net migration including administrativ...
- Net migration including net administrative corrections.
The number of people arriving minus the number of people departing, including the balance of administrative corrections.
Data on net migration including net administrative corrections give a better impression of the true level of net migration than data on net migration excluding net administrative corrections.
Net administrative corrections:
Administrative entries minus administrative removals.
Administrative entry:
Decision by a municipality, at the request of the person concerned, to include that person in its population while it has no knowledge of birth, immigration or establishment of that person from another municipality in the Netherlands.
Administrative removal:
Decision by a municipality no longer to include a person in its population, once it has established that the address of the person is unknown, the person cannot be contacted and probably no longer resides in a municipality in the Netherlands.
Break in series external migration
As a result of an improved production process, a small shift has occurred in the figures on external migration.
From 2010 the following changes have been implemented.
- administrative entries preceding emigration are now considered as immigration;
- administrative removals followed by immigration are now considered as emigration.
- Net migration (including admin...), rate
- Net migration including net administrative corrections per 1,000 of the total average population.
Net migration including net administrative corrections:
The number of people arriving minus the number of people departing, including the balance of administrative corrections.
Data on net migration including net administrative corrections give a better impression of the true level of net migration than data on net migration excluding net administrative corrections.
Administrative correction:
All entries in and removals from the municipal population register for reasons other than birth, death, arrival, departure or municipal boundary change.
Administrative entry:
Decision by a municipality, at the request of the person concerned, to include that person in its population while it has no knowledge of birth, immigration or establishment of that person from another municipality in the Netherlands.
Administrative removal:
Decision by a municipality no longer to include a person in its population, once it has established that the address of the person is unknown, the person cannot be contacted and probably no longer resides in a municipality in the Netherlands.
Break in series external migration
As a result of an improved production process, a small shift has occurred in the figures on external migration.
From 2010 the following changes have been implemented.
- administrative entries preceding emigration are now considered as immigration;
- administrative removals followed by immigration are now considered as emigration.
- Other corrections
- Entries in and removals from the municipal population register other than births, deaths, immigration, emigration, administrative corrections or municipal border changes.
- Population density
- Inhabitants per km2 land area.
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.