Population; households and population dynamics; from 1899
Explanation of symbols
Table explanation
The most important key figures about population, households, population growth, births, deaths, migration, marriages, marriage dissolutions and change of nationality of the Dutch population.
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: 1899
Status of the figures:
The 2023 figures on stillbirths and perinatal mortality are provisional, the other figures in the table are final.
Changes as of 23 December 2024:
Figures with regard to population growth for 2023 and figures of the population on 1 January 2024 have been added.
The provisional figures on the number of stillbirths and perinatal mortality for 2023 do not include children who were born at a gestational age that is unknown. These cases were included in the final figures for previous years. However, the provisional figures show a relatively larger number of children born at an unknown gestational age. Based on an internal analysis for 2022, it appears that in the majority of these cases, the child was born at less than 24 weeks. To ensure that the provisional 2023 figures do not overestimate the number of stillborn children born at a gestational age of over 24 weeks, children born at an unknown gestational age have now been excluded.
Changes as of 15 December 2023:
None, this is a new table. This table succeeds the table Population; households and population dynamics; 1899-2019. See section 3.
The following changes have been made:
- The underlying topic folders regarding 'migration background' have been replaced by 'Born in the Netherlands' and 'Born abroad';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 the new figures be published?
The figures for the population development in 2023 and the population on 1 January 2024 will be published in the second quarter of 2024.
Description topics
- Population on 1 January
- Population:
The total number of people residing in a given area.
In the population statistics compiled by Statistics Netherlands the inhabitants of a given area are the people registered in the population register, whose address is located in that area.- Population by age
- Data concerning the years 1900, 1910, 1921 and 1931 are based on the results of the censuses held on 31 December 1899, 1909, 1921 and 1930.
Age:
Age on 1 January of the year of observation.
The number of whole years that have passed between someone's date of birth and 1 January of the reference year, calculated as the reference year minus 1, minus the year of birth.- Total population
- Younger than 20 years
- Persons younger than 20 years.
- 20 to 44 years
- Persons of 20 to 44 years.
- 45 to 64 years
- Persons of 45 to 64 years.
- 65 to 79 years
- Persons of 65 to 79 years.
- 80 years or older
- Persons of 80 years or over.
- Demographic pressure
- Data concerning the years 1900, 1910, 1921 and 1931 are based on the results of the censuses held on 31 December 1899, 1909, 1921 and 1930.
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 64.- Green pressure
- The ratio between the number of people aged 0 to 19 and the number of people aged 20 to 64.
- Grey pressure
- The ratio between the number of people aged 65 or over and the number of people aged 20 to 64.
- Population by nationality
- Data on 1900, 1910, 1921 and 1931 are based on the results of the censuses held on 31 December 1899, 1909, 1920 and 1930. Population data on 1947 are based on the census of 31 May 1947. Data on the period 1969-1972 are partly estimates and data on the periods 1956-1968 and 1973-1975 are provided by the Ministry of Justice.
Nationality:
Being the legal subject of a particular nation (citizenship).
The category non-Dutch subjects includes persons who neither have the Dutch nationality nor a double nationality of which one is Dutch.
Diplomats and persons belonging to the NATO military, for instance, do not fall into this category.- Total foreign nationalities
- Total persons with a foreign nationality residing in the Netherlands.
- Private Households
- A collection of one or more people sharing the same living space, who provide their own everyday needs in a private, non-commercial way.
For 1960-1987 the figures refer to the situation on 31 December, for 1988-1994 to the midyear situation, from 1995 onwards to the situation on 1 January.
Break in series households
From 2011 onwards a new process has been used for the production of figures on household composition. This new method uses data from the municipal population register (GBA) and tax declarations of cohabiting couples. Although the results based on the new production method are in line with previous results, small shifts have occurred in the number of households by composition in 2011. The largest shift is in the number of 'Other households', that is now smaller. The number of persons in institutional households on 1 January 2011 is 12,000 higher than on 1 January 2010. About half of this increase was the result of improvements in the survey method.- Total private households
- Average householdsize
- Average number of people in a private household.
- Population growth
- The increase or decrease of the population.
Break in series of late reports
From 2010 onwards more late reports received in the year of publication will be included in the figures for the year under review.- Live born children
- Live born child:
A baby showing some sign of life after birth, regardless of the duration of pregnancy.
For the period 1900-1924 excluding children born alive who died before the birth was registered.
Lesbian parenthood
The law on lesbian parenthood came into effect on 1 April 2014. From April 2014 onwards the female partner of the biological mother may become the legal parent of the child without a legal adoption procedure. The same data for both mothers are available in the municipal population register.
Statistics Netherlands does not have information about which of the mothers is the biological mother. To obtain data about, for example, the age, number of children and origin of the mother, Statistics Netherlands selects one of the mothers at random.
Lesbian parenthood occurs in less than 0.5% of all births.
- Deaths
- Death:
Person declared dead by an authorized doctor.
For the period 1900-1924 excluding children born alive who died before the birth was registered.
For the period 1940-1945 excluding deaths among approximately 104 thousand deported Jews and 39 thousand deported political prisoners, employees and soldiers of the German military.
- 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.
For the period 1900-1924 excluding children born alive who died before the birth was registered.
Death:
Person declared dead by an authorized doctor.
For the period 1900-1924 excluding children born alive who died before the birth was registered.
For the period 1940-1945 excluding deaths among approximately 104 thousand deported Jews and 39 thousand deported political prisoners, employees and soldiers of the German military.
- Immigration
- People moving to the Netherlands from another country.
In order to be counted as immigrants, these persons must be registered in the municipal population registers.
Up to and including September 1994: with the exception of a number of special cases, a person with the Dutch nationality was registered if they expected to stay in the Netherlands for longer than 30 days and for a person with a non-Dutch nationality if the expected duration of stay was more then 180 days.
From October 1994: people are registered if they expect to stay in the Netherlands for at least four months.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.
- previously missed reports are now included;
- 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 administrative corrections.
People leaving for another country plus people removed on administrative grounds, minus people entered on administrative grounds.
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.
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.
- previously missed reports are now included;
- administrative entries preceding emigration are now considered as immigration
- administrative removals followed by immigration are now considered as emigration
Emigration:
People leaving for another country.
Up to and including September 1994, people were removed from the population register if they were expected to leave the Netherlands for more than 360 days.
From October 1994, the expected duration of stay abroad is at least eight months. This always concerns emigration reported to the municipality.
For the period 1940 to 1946: including approximately 104 thousand deported Jews and approximately 39 thousand deported political prisoners, employed persons and soldiers in German military service who died abroad during the said period.
Administrative correction
Entries in and removals from the municipal population register for reasons other than birth, death, arrival, departure or municipal boundary change.
The greater part of these corrections relates to the processing of either the departures of persons who did not notify the local authorities or the subsequent arrivals.
- Net migration
- The number of people moving in minus the number of people moving out.
The figures are excluding net 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.
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.
- previously missed reports are now included;
- administrative entries preceding emigration are now considered as immigration
- administrative removals followed by immigration are now considered as emigration
Administrative correction
Entries in and removals from the municipal population register for reasons other than birth, death, arrival, departure or municipal boundary change.
The greater part of these corrections relates to the processing of either the departures of persons who did not notify the local authorities or the subsequent arrivals.
- Total growth
- Population growth:
The increase or decrease of the population.
In the years 1920 and 1930 excluding corrections (- 61 thousand and -17 thousand respectively) based on the censuses on 31 December. These numbers can be considered as the balance of non-registered foreign migration since the preceding census.
For the period 1946-1948, including corrections due to revision of the population registers after the second world war and the results of the census of 31 May 1947.
For 1949 including the absorption of 10 thousand persons due to border adjustments with Germany on 23 April.
For 1958 including 18 thousand Moluccans entered into the municipal population registers during the last two months of 1958.
For 1960 including corrections based on verification of the registers of the census of 31 May 1960.
For 1963 after deduction of 10 thousand persons who became German subjects as a result of the border treaty between the Netherlands and Germany.
For 1971 including corrections based on verification of the registers of the census of 28 February 1971.
Administrative correction:
All entries in and removals from the municipal population register for reasons other than birth, death, arrival, departure or municipal boundary change.
Other corrections:
Differences in the size and composition of the population between two consecutive years that cannot be explained by the changes in the population registers made by the municipalities during the year.
- Total growth, relative
- Total population growth per 100 inhabitants on 1 January.
Including administrative corrections and other corrections.
Population growth:
The increase or decrease of the population.
In the years 1920 and 1930 excluding corrections (- 61 thousand and -17 thousand respectively) based on the censuses on 31 December. These numbers can be considered as the balance of non-registered foreign migration since the preceding census.
For the period 1946-1948, including corrections due to revision of the population registers after the second world war and the results of the census of 31 May 1947.
For 1949 including the absorption of 10 thousand persons due to border adjustments with Germany on 23 April.
For 1958 including 18 thousand Moluccans entered into the municipal population registers during the last two months of 1958.
For 1960 including corrections based on verification of the registers of the census of 31 May 1960.
For 1963 after deduction of 10 thousand persons who became German subjects as a result of the border treaty between the Netherlands and Germany.
For 1971 including corrections based on verification of the registers of the census of 28 February 1971.
Administrative correction:
All entries in and removals from the municipal population register for reasons other than birth, death, arrival, departure or municipal boundary change.
Other corrections:
Differences in the size and composition of the population between two consecutive years that cannot be explained by the changes in the population registers made by the municipalities during the year.
- Marriages
- Contracting a marriage.
Excluding registered partnerships.
Since April 1, 2001, marriage has also been open to same-sex couples.
To be allowed to enter into a marriage in the Netherlands, both partners must have reached the age of eighteen. However, under certain circumstances, a marriage can be conctracted already during the minority. This can be done when both husbants-to-be are at least 16 years old and the bride is pregnant. It may also be desirable to enter into a marriage of minors outside the mentioned exceptional situations. The Minister of Justice can grant an exemption for important reasons.
Marriages counted
1900 to 1952: marriages contracted in the Netherlands including marriages contracted abroad but registered in the Netherlands, i.e. at the time of the marriage husband and/or wife belong to the Dutch population.
1953 to September 1994: all marriages contracted in the Netherlands, irrespective of registration in the Dutch municipal population registers.
From October 1994: the figures refer to married couples of which at least one partner is recorded in the municipal registers, irrespective of the country where the marriage was performed.
Break in series marriages and marrying people
As a result of an improved production process, a slight increase can be observed in the figures on marriages and marrying people from 2010 .
From 2010 onwards marriages taking place abroad in particular are measured more accurately.
Marriage:
Legal, formally sanctioned living arrangement between two people.
Registered partnership:
A marriage-like relationship between two people of the opposite or same sex, registered at the Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages.- Marriages
- Marriages per 1,000 inhabitants
- Marriages per 1,000 of the average number of inhabitants.
- Marriage dissolutions
- Ending a marriage through death or divorce.
Excluding endings of registered partnerships.
Death:
Person declared dead by an authorized doctor.
Divorce:
Dissolution of the marriage pronounced by a judge on the basis of legal grounds. The divorce comes into force once it has been recorded in the municipal population register.
Marriage:
Legal, formally sanctioned living arrangement between two people.
Registered partnership:
A marriage-like relationship between two people of the opposite or same sex, registered at the Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages.- Marriage dissolutions
- Marriage dissolutions per 1,000 inhab...
- Marriage dissolutions per 1,000 of the average number of inhabitants.
- Change of nationality
- Change of someone's nationality (citizenship).
1946 to 1984 in accordance with the Act on nationality and residence ship.
1946 to 1976: only naturalisations;
From 1977: including change of nationality due to other agreements such as the agreement concerning assignment of nationality with Suriname and change of nationality as a consequence of marriage and adoption.
From 1985: in accordance with the Act on assignment of nationality.- Naturalization
- Nationalizations by royal decree.
Naturalization:
Obtaining Dutch citizenship by granting independent or co-naturalization.
Naturalizations for the period 1946-1976 include persons living abroad;
From 1977 naturalizations only refer to Dutch residents.
- Naturalizations, relative
- Nationalizations by royal decree per 1,000 of the average number of non-Dutch nationals.
Naturalization:
Obtaining Dutch citizenship by granting independent or co-naturalization.
Naturalizations for the period 1946-1976 include persons living abroad;
From 1977 naturalizations only refer to Dutch residents.