
Population growth in the Netherlands
From 1960 to 2021 the population of the Netherlands increased from 11.49 million to 17.53 million people. This is a growth of 52.6 percent in 61 years. The highest increase in the Netherlands was recorded in 1962 with 1.43 percent. The smallest increase in 2006 with 0.16 percent.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 160.2 percent.
The average age in the Netherlands rose by 1.33 years from 2012 to 2021 from 41.47 to 42.80 years (median value).
Around 93 percent of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 0.9 percent annually.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
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Population development in the Netherlands since 1960
(Data in millions of inhabitants) On average, 2.1 people live together per household in the Netherlands.Year | Population Netherlands | Change Netherlands | Birth rate | Death rate | Population World | Change World | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1961 | 11.64 M | 1.32 % | 21.3 ‰ | 7.6 ‰ | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |
1962 | 11.81 M | 1.43 % | 20.9 ‰ | 7.9 ‰ | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |
1963 | 11.97 M | 1.36 % | 20.9 ‰ | 8.0 ‰ | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |
1964 | 12.13 M | 1.35 % | 20.7 ‰ | 7.7 ‰ | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |
1965 | 12.29 M | 1.38 % | 19.9 ‰ | 8.0 ‰ | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |
1966 | 12.46 M | 1.31 % | 19.2 ‰ | 8.1 ‰ | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |
1967 | 12.60 M | 1.14 % | 18.9 ‰ | 7.9 ‰ | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |
1968 | 12.73 M | 1.04 % | 18.6 ‰ | 8.2 ‰ | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |
1969 | 12.88 M | 1.16 % | 19.2 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |
1970 | 13.04 M | 1.25 % | 18.3 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |
1971 | 13.19 M | 1.20 % | 17.2 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |
1972 | 13.33 M | 1.02 % | 16.1 ‰ | 8.5 ‰ | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |
1973 | 13.44 M | 0.83 % | 14.5 ‰ | 8.2 ‰ | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |
1974 | 13.55 M | 0.79 % | 13.7 ‰ | 8.1 ‰ | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |
1975 | 13.67 M | 0.90 % | 13.0 ‰ | 8.3 ‰ | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |
1976 | 13.77 M | 0.79 % | 12.9 ‰ | 8.3 ‰ | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |
1977 | 13.86 M | 0.60 % | 12.5 ‰ | 7.9 ‰ | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |
1978 | 13.94 M | 0.62 % | 12.6 ‰ | 8.2 ‰ | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |
1979 | 14.04 M | 0.69 % | 12.5 ‰ | 8.0 ‰ | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |
1980 | 14.15 M | 0.79 % | 12.8 ‰ | 8.1 ‰ | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |
1981 | 14.25 M | 0.69 % | 12.5 ‰ | 8.1 ‰ | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |
1982 | 14.31 M | 0.46 % | 12.0 ‰ | 8.2 ‰ | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |
1983 | 14.37 M | 0.38 % | 11.8 ‰ | 8.2 ‰ | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |
1984 | 14.42 M | 0.40 % | 12.1 ‰ | 8.3 ‰ | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |
1985 | 14.49 M | 0.47 % | 12.3 ‰ | 8.5 ‰ | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |
1986 | 14.57 M | 0.56 % | 12.7 ‰ | 8.6 ‰ | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |
1987 | 14.67 M | 0.64 % | 12.7 ‰ | 8.3 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
1988 | 14.76 M | 0.65 % | 12.6 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |
1989 | 14.85 M | 0.60 % | 12.7 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |
1990 | 14.95 M | 0.69 % | 13.2 ‰ | 8.6 ‰ | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |
1991 | 15.07 M | 0.79 % | 13.2 ‰ | 8.6 ‰ | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |
1992 | 15.18 M | 0.76 % | 13.0 ‰ | 8.6 ‰ | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |
1993 | 15.29 M | 0.70 % | 12.8 ‰ | 9.0 ‰ | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |
1994 | 15.38 M | 0.60 % | 12.7 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |
1995 | 15.46 M | 0.50 % | 12.3 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |
1996 | 15.53 M | 0.46 % | 12.2 ‰ | 8.9 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
1997 | 15.61 M | 0.52 % | 12.3 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |
1998 | 15.71 M | 0.62 % | 12.7 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |
1999 | 15.81 M | 0.67 % | 12.7 ‰ | 8.9 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
2000 | 15.93 M | 0.72 % | 13.0 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |
2001 | 16.05 M | 0.76 % | 12.6 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |
2002 | 16.15 M | 0.64 % | 12.5 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |
2003 | 16.23 M | 0.47 % | 12.3 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |
2004 | 16.28 M | 0.35 % | 11.9 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |
2005 | 16.32 M | 0.23 % | 11.5 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | |
2006 | 16.35 M | 0.16 % | 11.3 ‰ | 8.3 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | |
2007 | 16.38 M | 0.22 % | 11.1 ‰ | 8.1 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | |
2008 | 16.45 M | 0.39 % | 11.2 ‰ | 8.2 ‰ | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |
2009 | 16.53 M | 0.52 % | 11.2 ‰ | 8.1 ‰ | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |
2010 | 16.62 M | 0.51 % | 11.1 ‰ | 8.2 ‰ | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |
2011 | 16.69 M | 0.47 % | 10.8 ‰ | 8.1 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
2012 | 16.75 M | 0.37 % | 10.5 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |
2013 | 16.80 M | 0.30 % | 10.2 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |
2014 | 16.87 M | 0.36 % | 10.4 ‰ | 8.3 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
2015 | 16.94 M | 0.44 % | 10.1 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 7,405 M | 1.97 % | |
2016 | 17.03 M | 0.53 % | 10.1 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 7,492 M | 1.18 % | |
2017 | 17.13 M | 0.59 % | 9.9 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | 7,578 M | 1.15 % | |
2018 | 17.23 M | 0.59 % | 9.8 ‰ | 8.9 ‰ | 7,662 M | 1.10 % | |
2019 | 17.34 M | 0.66 % | 9.8 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | 7,743 M | 1.06 % | |
2020 | 17.44 M | 0.56 % | 9.7 ‰ | 9.7 ‰ | 7,821 M | 1.01 % | |
2021 | 17.53 M | 0.52 % | 7,888 M | 0.86 % |

Birth and death rate in the Netherlands
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. For example, the year 2020 in the graph: The population in the Netherlands increased by about 96,600 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 9.7 per 1,000 people (~ 168,000 deaths) and the birth rate was 9.7 per 1,000 people (~ 168,000 births). As a result, around 96,600 inhabitants have to be added by migration from other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 147,857 in the Netherlands. The number of births was 172,375 annually.
The changes in births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Birth rate Death rate