Number of live births in Netherlands
Netherlands: Number of live births was 167,504 births in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
167,504 births
Change on year
down 6.7%
World rank
14th
of 34 countries
All-time high
250,914 births
in 1964
All-time low
167,504 births
in 2022
Years of data
73
1950–2022
Number of live births in Netherlands, 1950–2022
Source: Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of live births in Netherlands is 167,504 births, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 73 years on record.
That represents a change of down 6.7% on the previous year and down 4.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of live births in Netherlands peaked at 250,914 births in 1964 and was at its lowest, 167,504 births, in 2022.
Netherlands ranks 14th of 34 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 73 years of available data.
Number of live births in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 229,718 births | — |
| 1951 | 228,407 births | -0.6% |
| 1952 | 231,888 births | +1.5% |
| 1953 | 227,964 births | -1.7% |
| 1954 | 228,173 births | +0.1% |
| 1955 | 229,222 births | +0.5% |
| 1956 | 231,492 births | +1.0% |
| 1957 | 233,892 births | +1.0% |
| 1958 | 236,859 births | +1.3% |
| 1959 | 242,518 births | +2.4% |
| 1960 | 239,128 births | -1.4% |
| 1961 | 247,407 births | +3.5% |
| 1962 | 246,150 births | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 249,879 births | +1.5% |
| 1964 | 250,914 births | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 245,216 births | -2.3% |
| 1966 | 239,611 births | -2.3% |
| 1967 | 238,678 births | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 237,112 births | -0.7% |
| 1969 | 247,588 births | +4.4% |
| 1970 | 238,912 births | -3.5% |
| 1971 | 227,180 births | -4.9% |
| 1972 | 214,133 births | -5.7% |
| 1973 | 194,993 births | -8.9% |
| 1974 | 185,982 births | -4.6% |
| 1975 | 177,876 births | -4.4% |
| 1976 | 177,090 births | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 173,296 births | -2.1% |
| 1978 | 175,550 births | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 174,979 births | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 181,294 births | +3.6% |
| 1981 | 178,569 births | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 172,071 births | -3.6% |
| 1983 | 170,246 births | -1.1% |
| 1984 | 174,436 births | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 178,136 births | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 184,513 births | +3.6% |
| 1987 | 186,667 births | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 186,647 births | -0.0% |
| 1989 | 188,979 births | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 197,965 births | +4.8% |
| 1991 | 198,665 births | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 196,734 births | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 195,748 births | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 195,611 births | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 190,513 births | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 189,521 births | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 192,443 births | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 199,408 births | +3.6% |
| 1999 | 200,445 births | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 206,619 births | +3.1% |
| 2001 | 202,603 births | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 202,083 births | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 200,297 births | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 194,007 births | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 187,910 births | -3.1% |
| 2006 | 185,057 births | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 181,336 births | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 184,634 births | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 184,915 births | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 184,397 births | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 180,060 births | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 175,959 births | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 171,341 births | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 175,181 births | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 170,510 births | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 172,520 births | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 169,836 births | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 168,525 births | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 169,680 births | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 168,681 births | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 179,441 births | +6.4% |
| 2022 | 167,504 births | -6.7% |
Netherlands compared with similar countries
- Netherlands's 167,504 births is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 89,018 births, 1.9× the median. (28 countries reporting)
- Netherlands's 167,504 births is above the median for high income countries, which is 98,451 births, 1.7× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 232,013 births | 227,964 births | 242,518 births | 10 |
| 1960s | 244,168 births | 237,112 births | 250,914 births | 10 |
| 1970s | 193,999 births | 173,296 births | 238,912 births | 10 |
| 1980s | 180,156 births | 170,246 births | 188,979 births | 10 |
| 1990s | 195,705 births | 189,521 births | 200,445 births | 10 |
| 2000s | 192,946 births | 181,336 births | 206,619 births | 10 |
| 2010s | 173,801 births | 168,525 births | 184,397 births | 10 |
| 2020s | 171,875 births | 167,504 births | 179,441 births | 3 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
More population data for Netherlands
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1463 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1961 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.5458 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1961 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.2% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 757,165 people (2100)
- Population density 519.97 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2761 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, per capita 0.0412 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of live births in Netherlands?
- Number of live births in Netherlands was 167,504 births in 2022, according to Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of live births recorded in Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 250,914 births in 1964.
- What is the lowest number of live births recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 167,504 births in 2022.
- How does Netherlands rank for number of live births?
- Netherlands ranks 14th out of 34 countries with data for 2022.
- Is number of live births rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Netherlands data come from?
- The figures come from Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of live births. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total number of live births recorded in a given year.