Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Netherlands
Netherlands: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 17.60 million people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
17.60 million people
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
51st
of 236 countries
All-time high
17.60 million people
in 2025
All-time low
5.73 million people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Netherlands, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in urban and rural areas in Netherlands is 17.60 million people, 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, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Netherlands peaked at 17.60 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 5.73 million people, 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.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 5.73 million people | — |
| 1951 | 5.85 million people | +2.1% |
| 1952 | 5.92 million people | +1.2% |
| 1953 | 6.01 million people | +1.5% |
| 1954 | 6.17 million people | +2.7% |
| 1955 | 6.29 million people | +2.0% |
| 1956 | 6.38 million people | +1.4% |
| 1957 | 6.47 million people | +1.4% |
| 1958 | 6.62 million people | +2.3% |
| 1959 | 6.78 million people | +2.5% |
| 1960 | 6.89 million people | +1.5% |
| 1961 | 7.00 million people | +1.7% |
| 1962 | 7.12 million people | +1.7% |
| 1963 | 7.22 million people | +1.4% |
| 1964 | 7.38 million people | +2.2% |
| 1965 | 7.52 million people | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 7.64 million people | +1.6% |
| 1967 | 7.77 million people | +1.7% |
| 1968 | 7.87 million people | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 7.97 million people | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 8.10 million people | +1.7% |
| 1971 | 8.30 million people | +2.4% |
| 1972 | 8.42 million people | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 8.54 million people | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 8.71 million people | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 8.81 million people | +1.2% |
| 1976 | 8.89 million people | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 8.96 million people | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 9.02 million people | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 9.11 million people | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 9.20 million people | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 9.38 million people | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 9.53 million people | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 9.63 million people | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 9.74 million people | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 9.83 million people | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 9.94 million people | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 10.04 million people | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 10.15 million people | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 10.26 million people | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 10.37 million people | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 10.49 million people | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 10.59 million people | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 10.74 million people | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 10.90 million people | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 11.00 million people | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 11.33 million people | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 11.88 million people | +4.9% |
| 1998 | 12.15 million people | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 12.28 million people | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 12.60 million people | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 12.98 million people | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 13.16 million people | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 13.31 million people | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 13.51 million people | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 13.75 million people | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 13.96 million people | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 14.12 million people | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 14.21 million people | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 14.39 million people | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 14.65 million people | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 14.83 million people | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 14.98 million people | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 15.13 million people | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 15.30 million people | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 15.44 million people | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 15.58 million people | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 15.78 million people | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 16.13 million people | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 16.47 million people | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 16.62 million people | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 16.78 million people | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 17.01 million people | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 17.25 million people | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 17.43 million people | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 17.60 million people | +1.0% |
Netherlands compared with similar countries
- Netherlands's 17.60 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.22 million people, 7.9× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Netherlands's 17.60 million people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.89 million people, 4.5× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 6.22 million people | 5.73 million people | 6.78 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 7.44 million people | 6.89 million people | 7.97 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.69 million people | 8.10 million people | 9.11 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.77 million people | 9.20 million people | 10.26 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.17 million people | 10.37 million people | 12.28 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.60 million people | 12.60 million people | 14.39 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.43 million people | 14.65 million people | 16.47 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.11 million people | 16.62 million people | 17.60 million people | 6 |
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 people living in urban and rural areas in Netherlands?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Netherlands was 17.60 million people in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 17.60 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.73 million people in 1950.
- How does Netherlands rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Netherlands ranks 51st out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas 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 United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.