Looking back on the 2010s in figures

© Hollandse Hoogte / EyeEm GmbH
What have the 2010s brought us? How are the Dutch economy and society performing at the moment, and how were they performing at the start of this decade?

Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reviews the 2010s by applying fifteen different indicators. Particularly decisive for the state of the Dutch economy was the global credit crunch, which struck on the brink of the new decade. It was marked by severe economic contraction, declining labour participation and a faltering housing market. The economy, which remained ailing for a long time, expanded vigorously in the latter half of the decade. Eventually – by the end of the decade - the Netherlands had achieved a higher prosperity level, despite de facto labour participation remaining at the same level.

The 2010s were also marked by the gradual closing of the gas tap in Groningen following a series of earthquakes around the extraction site. The Internet economy expanded further, the smartphone became a way of life within a short space of time, and more and more people became active on social media. In addition, fully electric vehicles appeared on the market for the first time. Meanwhile, the decade was marked by population growth (among over-65s in particular) and increasingly busy road traffic. Nevertheless, greenhouse gas emissions as well as crime victim rates fell.

As much as possible, this overview presents annual figures on 2010 and 2019, plus developments for the years in between. In a few cases, a longer time series is shown to account for strong fluctuations over the past decade or particular major developments which took effect before this decade began. Of course, the indicators displayed here are only a selection from the broad range of possible figures that could be compiled on the past decade.

[video: https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/video/212bec7cd5134a308c517916287a93d7]
'10 years in 10 figures' - English subtitles available

Labour market

• In 2018, approximately 9.4 million people in the Netherlands were in employment. This was nearly 600 thousand more than in 2010. At 11 percent, the highest growth rate of this period was recorded in self-employment.

2019IG028 Werkzame personen2010 2018 1,537,000 self-employed 1,382,000 self-employed 7,829,000 employees 7,397,000 employees Number of employed persons +11% +6%201020181,537,000self-employed1,382,000self-employed7,829,000employees7,397,000employeesNumber of employed persons+11%+6%

• Labour participation among 15 to 74-year-olds fell as the economic crisis emerged at the end of 2008, but recovered as of 2015 and had more or less returned to its pre-crisis level by 2018.
• Approximately 68 out of each one hundred 15 to 74-year-olds were in work then, with the current rate still unchanged.
• More and more workers are reporting symptoms of a burnout.
• In 2018, women in the age group 25 to 34 years were most affected at 22 percent. An increase is furthermore seen in all age groups and among both men and women.

Population

• During the 2010s, the population of the Netherlands grew from 16.6 to 17.3 million.
• Population growth stood at 4 percent while the number of households grew by 7 percent.

2019IG028 BevolkingsomvangPopulation dynamics of the Netherlands in 2010 +4% 17.3 million in 2019 16.6 million Inhabitants Households in 2010 7.9 million in 2019 7.4 million +7% 100,000 personsPopulation dynamics of the Netherlandsin 2010+4%17.3 millionin 201916.6millionInhabitantsHouseholdsin 20107.9millionin 20197.4million+7%100,000persons


• The net population increase - by over 700 thousand - was composed of natural growth (births minus deaths) and migration.
• The bulk of this population growth stemmed from immigration: over 432 thousand persons.
• On balance, natural growth added nearly 276 thousand inhabitants.

2019IG028 Bevolkingsbeweging+275,541 natural increase + 432,258 migration balance 1,305,279 emigration 1,737,537 immigration 1,292,788 deaths 1,568,329 births Population dynamics, 2010-2019 10,000+275,541natural increase+ 432,258migration balance1,305,279emigration1,737,537immigration1,292,788deaths1,568,329birthsPopulation dynamics, 2010-201910,000


• The population contains a rising share of elderly; this year, 19 percent are 65 years or older, versus 15 percent in 2010.

2019IG028 Grijze golf22% Under 20 yrs old 24% Under 20 yrs old Population composition 15% 65 yrs and over 19% 65 yrs and over 15% 2010 201922%Under 20 yrs old24%Under 20 yrs oldPopulation composition15%65 yrs and over19%65 yrs and over15%20102019

Economy

• Incomes developed favourably, with gross domestic product (GDP) per capita going up by 8 percent in the period 2010-2018.

2019IG028 BBPGDP per capita 2018 € 43,224 2010 € 40,017 € 20 +8%GDP per capita 2018€ 43,2242010€ 40,017€ 20+8%


• State revenues from natural gas exploration fell as the gas tap was closed to a trickle.
• In 2018, natural gas revenues fell to slightly less than one-quarter (24 percent) of the total revenues in 2010.
• By 2018, natural gas revenues amounted to a mere 17 percent of the levels achieved in 2013.

Society

• Life without internet is barely imaginable nowadays. Altogether 97 percent of the Dutch population have access to the Internet. The majority (92 percent) have a mobile telephone or smartphone, while 79 percent occasionally shop online.
• The use of both smartphones and social media has taken off in particular.

2019IG028 InternetgebruikInternet usage +36% - point +11% - point +26% - point +15% - point Mobile telephone or smartphone Using the internet almost daily Social media Shop online 0 100 2012 % 2019Internet usage +36%-point+11%-point+26%-point+15%-pointMobile telephoneor smartphoneUsing the internet almost dailySocialmediaShoponline 01002012%2019


• Church service attendance has been dwindling: over half (53 percent) say they have no religious involvement, a rise of 8 percentage points since the early 2010s.
• The Roman Catholic and Dutch Reformed churches saw their following decline in particular.

2019IG028 Kerkelijk gezindteReligious participation in the Netherlands +8% - point -5% - point -2% - point 0% 0% 0% -1% - point None Catholic Dutch Reformed Protestant Islamic Reformed Other 0 60 2010 % 2018Religious participation in the Netherlands+8%-point-5%-point-2%-point0%0%0%-1%-pointNoneCatholicDutch ReformedProtestantIslamicReformedOther0602010%2018


• Crime victim rates fell: in 2017, 15 percent of the population were affected by one or more violent crimes, crimes against property or acts of vandalism.
• This was still 21 percent in 2010.

Spatial planning and the environment

• The dwelling stock rose by 4.9 percent between 2012 and 2018, with 366 thousand new homes added over this period.

2019IG028 Voorraad woningenDwelling stock 2012 7,449,298 2018 7,814,912 +4.9% 10,000 dwellingsDwelling stock20127,449,29820187,814,912+4.9%10,000 dwellings


• Meanwhile, Dutch roads have become progressively busier. In 2017, traffic on national roads amounted to an average of 2,261 motor vehicles per hour, an 8-percent increase on six years previously.

2019IG028 MotorvoertuigenAverage traffic volumes on national roads, per hour 2011 2,089 2017 2,261 +8% 1 vehicle per hourAverage traffic volumes on national roads, per hour20112,08920172,261+8%1 vehicle per hour


• Greenhouse gas emissions in 2018 amounted to 189 billion CO2 equivalents. One CO2 equivalent is equal to the emission of one kg of carbon dioxide (CO2).
• 2010 was marked by cold and 2014 by warm temperatures. This resulted in a dip followed by a peak in CO2 emissions, related to the use of natural gas for space heating.
• According to the National Climate Agreement, by 2030, Dutch greenhouse gas emissions must have been reduced by 49 percent on 1990. In the cold year 2010, emissions were 4 percent down on 1990. This was 15 percent in 2018.



• On 1 January 2014, there were over 4.6 thousand fully electric vehicles (FEVs) in the Netherlands. Five years later, this number had increased almost tenfold to 44.7 thousand.
• Most of this growth took place between 1 January 2018 and 1 January 2019, with nearly 23 thousand FEVs added on balance.