Job growth highest in Flevoland and Gelderland

The number of jobs of employees rose slightly in the Netherlands in 2005. The growth was relatively largest in the provinces Flevoland and Gelderland. In Limburg, Zeeland and South Holland the number of jobs decreased.

Growth follows two years of decrease

The increase in the number of jobs in the course of 2005 follows two years of decrease. The highest growth rate was in the province Flevoland, at 1.6 percent. This was mainly caused by the growth in the number of jobs ( 2 thousand) in Almere.

Jobs by province

Nine thousand new jobs in Gelderland

The job growth was largest in the province Gelderland in 2005, with nearly 9 thousand new jobs. These were mainly jobs in the business services sector. In 2004 the number of jobs in Gelderland fell by 9 thousand, with job losses mainly in the manufacturing and trade sectors. The four municipalities in Gelderland with the most jobs saw job growth in 2005 and job losses in 2004. Only in Doetinchem, the fifth largest municipality, did the number of jobs grow in both years.

Jobs in the five largest municipalities of Gelderland

Decrease strongest in Limburg

The number of jobs fell in three provinces in 2005. In South Holland and Zeeland the number of jobs fell slightly by 0.1 and 0.2 percent respectively. In Limburg the fall was much larger, at 0.9 percent. Four thousand jobs were lost in Limburg, mainly in the sectors manufacturing and transport and communication.

Job growth in Heerlen only

Out of the five largest municipalities in Limburg, Sittard-Geleen in particular lost many jobs in both 2004 and 2005. In Maastricht, too, the number of jobs dropped relatively sharply in both years. The job growth in Heerlen was notable: in 2005 many new jobs were created there in the sectors business services and health care and welfare.

Jobs in the five largest municipalities of Limburg

Utrecht has highest job growth of four large cities

The number of jobs grew in three of the four big cities in the Netherlands in 2005. The growth was highest in Utrecht, at 1.2 percent. In Amsterdam the number of jobs rose by 0.6 percent, in Rotterdam by 0.2 percent. In The Hague the number of jobs fell slightly.

Wai Hong Chung