Total population (thousands) in Netherlands
Netherlands: Total population (thousands) was 18,292 thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
18,292 thousands
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
70th
of 233 countries
All-time high
18,292 thousands
in 2025
All-time low
12,971 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Total population in Netherlands, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total population in Netherlands is 18,292 thousands, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 7.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population in Netherlands peaked at 18,292 thousands in 2025 and was at its lowest, 12,971 thousands, in 1970.
Netherlands ranks 70th of 233 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Total population (thousands) in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 12,971 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 13,133 thousands | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 13,284 thousands | +1.1% |
| 1973 | 13,402 thousands | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 13,506 thousands | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 13,614 thousands | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 13,746 thousands | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 13,827 thousands | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 13,910 thousands | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 13,998 thousands | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 14,103 thousands | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 14,223 thousands | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 14,303 thousands | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 14,365 thousands | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 14,429 thousands | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 14,497 thousands | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 14,581 thousands | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 14,672 thousands | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 14,778 thousands | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 14,874 thousands | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 14,968 thousands | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 15,094 thousands | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 15,217 thousands | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 15,337 thousands | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 15,443 thousands | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 15,528 thousands | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 15,602 thousands | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 15,678 thousands | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 15,769 thousands | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 15,885 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 15,995 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 16,122 thousands | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 16,243 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 16,333 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 16,401 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 16,450 thousands | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 16,481 thousands | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 16,507 thousands | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 16,556 thousands | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 16,638 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 16,730 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 16,813 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 16,889 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 16,941 thousands | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 16,993 thousands | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 17,067 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 17,148 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 17,262 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 17,369 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 17,473 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 17,602 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 17,672 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 17,789 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 18,020 thousands | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 18,166 thousands | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 18,292 thousands | +0.7% |
Netherlands compared with similar countries
- Netherlands's 18,292 thousands is above the median for high income countries, which is 3,084 thousands, 5.9× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Netherlands's 18,292 thousands is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 6,353 thousands, 2.9× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13,539 thousands | 12,971 thousands | 13,998 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 14,482 thousands | 14,103 thousands | 14,874 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 15,452 thousands | 14,968 thousands | 15,885 thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 16,373 thousands | 15,995 thousands | 16,638 thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 17,068 thousands | 16,730 thousands | 17,473 thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 17,923 thousands | 17,602 thousands | 18,292 thousands | 6 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
More population data for Netherlands
- Population regions 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 long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1961 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1463 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2761 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Population density 519.97 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 757,165 people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.2% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate 0.9625 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total population in Netherlands?
- Total population in Netherlands was 18,292 thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest total population recorded in Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 18,292 thousands in 2025.
- What is the lowest total population recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 12,971 thousands in 1970.
- How does Netherlands rank for total population?
- Netherlands ranks 70th out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total population rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Netherlands data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Total population (thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release