Urban and rural population in Netherlands
Netherlands: Urban and rural population was 17.60 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
17.60 million
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
51st
of 236 countries
All-time high
17.60 million
in 2025
All-time low
5.73 million
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Urban and rural population in Netherlands, 1950–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban and rural population in Netherlands is 17.60 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.0% on the previous year and up 14.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban and rural population in Netherlands peaked at 17.60 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 5.73 million, in 1950.
Netherlands ranks 51st of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Urban and rural population in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 5.73 million | — |
| 1951 | 5.85 million | +2.1% |
| 1952 | 5.92 million | +1.2% |
| 1953 | 6.01 million | +1.5% |
| 1954 | 6.17 million | +2.7% |
| 1955 | 6.29 million | +2.0% |
| 1956 | 6.38 million | +1.4% |
| 1957 | 6.47 million | +1.4% |
| 1958 | 6.62 million | +2.3% |
| 1959 | 6.78 million | +2.5% |
| 1960 | 6.89 million | +1.5% |
| 1961 | 7.00 million | +1.7% |
| 1962 | 7.12 million | +1.7% |
| 1963 | 7.22 million | +1.4% |
| 1964 | 7.38 million | +2.2% |
| 1965 | 7.52 million | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 7.64 million | +1.6% |
| 1967 | 7.77 million | +1.7% |
| 1968 | 7.87 million | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 7.97 million | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 8.10 million | +1.7% |
| 1971 | 8.30 million | +2.4% |
| 1972 | 8.42 million | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 8.54 million | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 8.71 million | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 8.81 million | +1.2% |
| 1976 | 8.89 million | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 8.96 million | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 9.02 million | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 9.11 million | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 9.20 million | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 9.38 million | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 9.53 million | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 9.63 million | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 9.74 million | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 9.83 million | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 9.94 million | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 10.04 million | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 10.15 million | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 10.26 million | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 10.37 million | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 10.49 million | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 10.59 million | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 10.74 million | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 10.90 million | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 11.00 million | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 11.33 million | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 11.88 million | +4.9% |
| 1998 | 12.15 million | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 12.28 million | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 12.60 million | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 12.98 million | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 13.16 million | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 13.31 million | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 13.51 million | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 13.75 million | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 13.96 million | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 14.12 million | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 14.21 million | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 14.39 million | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 14.65 million | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 14.83 million | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 14.98 million | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 15.13 million | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 15.30 million | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 15.44 million | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 15.58 million | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 15.78 million | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 16.13 million | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 16.47 million | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 16.62 million | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 16.78 million | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 17.01 million | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 17.25 million | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 17.43 million | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 17.60 million | +1.0% |
Netherlands compared with similar countries
- Netherlands's 17.60 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.22 million, 7.9× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Netherlands's 17.60 million is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.89 million, 4.5× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 6.22 million | 5.73 million | 6.78 million | 10 |
| 1960s | 7.44 million | 6.89 million | 7.97 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.69 million | 8.10 million | 9.11 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.77 million | 9.20 million | 10.26 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.17 million | 10.37 million | 12.28 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.60 million | 12.60 million | 14.39 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.43 million | 14.65 million | 16.47 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.11 million | 16.62 million | 17.60 million | 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)
- Population growth rate -0.201 (2100)
- Population density 519.97 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 757,165 (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development -0.201 (2100)
- Urbanization vs gdp, annual growth rate 0.3126 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban and rural population in Netherlands?
- Urban and rural population in Netherlands was 17.60 million in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest urban and rural population recorded in Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 17.60 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban and rural population recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.73 million in 1950.
- How does Netherlands rank for urban and rural population?
- Netherlands ranks 51st out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban and rural population rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Netherlands data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Urban and rural population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).