Despite being one of the most densely populated countries on Earth, the Netherlands masterfully balances remarkable economic dynamism, progressive social policies, and ambitious environmental engineering, a fact brought into sharp focus by its latest demographic and economic statistics.
Key Takeaways
- The population of the Netherlands as of January 1, 2023, stood at 17,811,375 inhabitants, marking a growth of 1.8% from the previous year
- The Netherlands has a population density of 531 people per square kilometer as of 2023, one of the highest in the world
- In 2022, 23.3% of the Dutch population was aged 65 or older, reflecting an aging society
- Netherlands GDP nominal was $1.14 trillion USD in 2023, ranking 18th globally
- GDP per capita in the Netherlands is $64,571 USD nominal in 2023
- GDP growth rate was 0.1% in 2023
- Total land area of the Netherlands is 41,543 km², with 33% below sea level protected by dikes
- Coastline length is 451 km along the North Sea
- Highest point is Vaalserberg at 322.7 meters above sea level
- The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy with King Willem-Alexander as head of state since 2013
- Prime Minister Mark Rutte has been in office since 2010, longest-serving in Dutch history
- Parliament consists of Tweede Kamer (150 seats) and Eerste Kamer (75 seats)
- PISA average score 485 in reading, 509 math, 503 science in 2022
- Tertiary education attainment 52% for 25-34 year olds in 2022
- Healthcare expenditure 10.2% of GDP in 2022 ($6,511 per capita)
The Netherlands is a densely populated, aging nation whose growth relies heavily on immigration.
Demographics
- The population of the Netherlands as of January 1, 2023, stood at 17,811,375 inhabitants, marking a growth of 1.8% from the previous year
- The Netherlands has a population density of 531 people per square kilometer as of 2023, one of the highest in the world
- In 2022, 23.3% of the Dutch population was aged 65 or older, reflecting an aging society
- The fertility rate in the Netherlands was 1.52 children per woman in 2022, below the replacement level of 2.1
- Immigrants accounted for 75% of population growth in the Netherlands in 2022, totaling 152,000 net migration
- The median age in the Netherlands is 42.2 years as of 2023
- Urban population in the Netherlands constitutes 92.8% of the total population in 2023
- Life expectancy at birth for males in the Netherlands is 80.5 years and for females 84.1 years as of 2022
- The Netherlands has 13.2% of its population foreign-born as of 2020
- In 2022, there were 2.1 million people of non-Western migrant background in the Netherlands
- The Dutch population growth rate was 0.4% in 2022
- Amsterdam, the capital, has a population of 921,402 as of 2023
- Rotterdam has 651,446 residents as of January 2023
- The Hague's population is 560,000 as of 2023
- Utrecht counts 361,595 inhabitants in 2023
- In 2021, 50.5% of the Dutch population were women
- The Netherlands has 17,947,464 total population projection for 2025
- Youth population (0-14 years) is 15.4% of total in 2023
- Working-age population (15-64) comprises 63.5% in 2023
- The largest ethnic group is Dutch at 76%, followed by other European at 6.4% in 2023
- Muslims make up 5% of the population as of 2023 estimates
- Protestants are 15-18% and Catholics 20% of the population in 2023
- 51% of Dutch identify as non-religious in 2022
- Households in the Netherlands numbered 8.2 million in 2022
- Average household size is 2.15 persons in 2022
- Births in the Netherlands totaled 164,000 in 2022
- Deaths were 169,000 in 2022, leading to natural decrease
- Marriage rate is 3.5 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2022
- Divorce rate is 1.9 per 1,000 in 2022
- Net migration was 152,100 in 2022
Demographics Interpretation
The Netherlands is a densely populated, rapidly aging nation whose modest growth is sustained by international newcomers, as its native-born citizens are having fewer children than needed to replace themselves.
Economy
- Netherlands GDP nominal was $1.14 trillion USD in 2023, ranking 18th globally
- GDP per capita in the Netherlands is $64,571 USD nominal in 2023
- GDP growth rate was 0.1% in 2023
- Unemployment rate in the Netherlands was 3.6% in 2023
- Inflation rate (CPI) was 3.8% in 2023 average
- Public debt to GDP ratio is 51.1% in 2023
- Exports of goods and services were 88.9% of GDP in 2022
- Imports were 74.3% of GDP in 2022
- Main export product is machinery and transport equipment at 29% of total exports in 2022
- Chemical products account for 20% of Dutch exports in 2022
- Agriculture contributes 1.6% to GDP but 10% to exports in 2023
- Average gross annual wage is €57,000 in 2022
- Labor force participation rate is 68.5% for ages 15-74 in 2023
- Corporate tax rate is 25.8% in 2023
- VAT standard rate is 21% in 2023
- Foreign direct investment inflow was $20.5 billion in 2022
- Stock market capitalization is 130% of GDP as of 2023
- Government budget balance was -0.3% of GDP in 2023
- Minimum wage is €1,995 gross per month in 2023 for full-time
- R&D expenditure is 2.3% of GDP in 2022
- Number of startups in Netherlands was 180,000 in 2022
- Energy import dependency is 38% in 2022
- Rotterdam port handled 467 million tonnes of cargo in 2022
- Amsterdam stock exchange market cap €1.5 trillion in 2023
- Tourism contributes €90 billion to economy annually pre-2023
- Household disposable income per capita €33,500 in 2022
- Gini coefficient for income inequality is 0.27 in 2022, low inequality
Economy Interpretation
The Netherlands is a wealthy, well-oiled economic machine that somehow manages to feel both comfortably stable—with low unemployment, high wages, and modest debt—and precariously perched, as evidenced by its near-stagnant growth, reliance on volatile global trade, and a port handling more cargo than the country's entire GDP in weight.
Geography
- Total land area of the Netherlands is 41,543 km², with 33% below sea level protected by dikes
- Coastline length is 451 km along the North Sea
- Highest point is Vaalserberg at 322.7 meters above sea level
- Lowest point is Zuidplaspolder at -7 meters below sea level
- Arable land constitutes 24.1% of total land area in 2022
- Forest area is 11.1% of land in 2020
- Annual mean temperature is 10.4°C, with mild maritime climate
- Average annual precipitation is 850 mm, mostly in summer
- Rhine River delta covers much of the country, with major branches like Waal
- IJsselmeer lake is 1,100 km², created by damming Zuiderzee in 1932
- 26% of Netherlands is polder land reclaimed from sea
- Number of windmills historically over 9,000, now about 1,200 preserved
- Tulip fields cover 23,000 hectares in peak season
- Wadden Sea UNESCO site spans 10,500 km², shared with Germany/Denmark
- Earthquake frequency low, but Groningen gas field induced 1,000+ since 1991
- Sea level rise threat: 2-8 meters by 2100 possible
- Bicycle paths total 35,000 km in the country
- Major rivers: Rhine (main inflow 2,200 m³/s), Meuse, Scheldt
- Volcanic activity none, but peat soils cover 15% of land
- Biodiversity: 37,000 species recorded
- Protected areas cover 27% of land and sea territory
- Average wind speed 4.3 m/s annually
- Sunshine hours average 1,600 per year
- Netherlands has 12 provinces, largest Noord-Brabant 5,082 km²
Geography Interpretation
The Netherlands, a nation that has artfully wrestled a third of its very existence from the sea, now cycles along its 35,000 km of bike paths contemplating a future where it must either build its dikes ever higher or learn to live with gills.
Politics
- The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy with King Willem-Alexander as head of state since 2013
- Prime Minister Mark Rutte has been in office since 2010, longest-serving in Dutch history
- Parliament consists of Tweede Kamer (150 seats) and Eerste Kamer (75 seats)
- Last general election on November 22, 2023, won by PVV with 37 seats
- Proportional representation system with 0.67% electoral threshold
- Voter turnout was 77% in 2023 general election
- Freedom House score: 97/100 free in 2023
- Corruption Perceptions Index rank 8th globally with score 80/100 in 2022
- EU member since 1958, Eurozone since 1999
- NATO founding member 1949
- Defense budget 1.7% of GDP in 2023 ($18 billion)
- Active military personnel: 41,000 in 2023
- Compulsory military service suspended since 1997
- Same-sex marriage legalized since 2001, first country worldwide
- Euthanasia legalized since 2002 under strict conditions
- Cannabis policy: soft drugs tolerated in coffeeshops since 1976
- Political parties: 20+ in parliament historically, coalition governments standard
- Press Freedom Index rank 6th globally in 2023, score 85.78
- Women in parliament: 40% in Tweede Kamer post-2023 election
- Local governments: 342 municipalities as of 2023
- Senate election indirect by provincial councils, last in 2023
- Referendums abolished as binding in 2018 after 2016 Ukraine treaty vote
- Netherlands GDP PPP is $1.46 trillion in 2023
Politics Interpretation
In a land where tolerance is enshrined in law and political stability wears the face of a cycling king, the Dutch master the delicate art of governing a fiercely pluralistic society with a coalition of common sense and a side of legal cannabis.
Society
- PISA average score 485 in reading, 509 math, 503 science in 2022
- Tertiary education attainment 52% for 25-34 year olds in 2022
- Healthcare expenditure 10.2% of GDP in 2022 ($6,511 per capita)
- Obesity rate 20.4% for adults in 2022
- Suicide rate 11.1 per 100,000 in 2021
- 99% of population has access to safely managed drinking water
- Happiness score 7.4/10 ranking 6th globally in 2023 World Happiness Report
- Cycling modal share 27% of all trips in 2022
- Home ownership rate 69% in 2022
- Average house price €435,000 in 2023 Q1
- 98% internet penetration rate in 2023
- Mobile subscriptions 142 per 100 people in 2023
- Gender pay gap 14% in 2022
- Crime rate 5,200 offenses per 10,000 inhabitants in 2022
- Homicide rate 0.8 per 100,000 in 2022
- Renewable energy share 32.8% of gross final energy in 2022
- CO2 emissions 0.32% of global total in 2022 (13.7 tons per capita)
- Museum visits totaled 26 million in 2022
- Football (soccer) clubs: over 3,600 with 1.2 million members
- Literacy rate 99% for adults
- Student-teacher ratio 10.8 in primary schools 2022
Society Interpretation
The Netherlands seems to be a nation of happy, literate, and well-educated cyclists, yet even their impressive societal balance can't fully offset the weight of a costly housing market, a persistent pay gap, and the sobering reality of their own well-being.
Sources & References
- Reference 1CBScbs.nlVisit source
- Reference 2ENen.wikipedia.orgVisit source
- Reference 3ECec.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 4CIAcia.govVisit source
- Reference 5DATAdata.worldbank.orgVisit source
- Reference 6WHOwho.intVisit source
- Reference 7OECDoecd.orgVisit source
- Reference 8DATAdata.un.orgVisit source
- Reference 9GEMEENTEgemeente.amsterdam.nlVisit source
- Reference 10ROTTERDAMrotterdam.nlVisit source
- Reference 11DENHAAGdenhaag.nlVisit source
- Reference 12UTRECHTutrecht.nlVisit source
- Reference 13POPULATIONpopulation.un.orgVisit source
- Reference 14PEWRESEARCHpewresearch.orgVisit source
- Reference 15IMFimf.orgVisit source
- Reference 16DATAdata.oecd.orgVisit source
- Reference 17OECoec.worldVisit source
- Reference 18TAXSUMMARIEStaxsummaries.pwc.comVisit source
- Reference 19UNCTADunctad.orgVisit source
- Reference 20GOVERNMENTgovernment.nlVisit source
- Reference 21PORTOFROTTERDAMportofrotterdam.comVisit source
- Reference 22EURONEXTeuronext.comVisit source
- Reference 23NBTCnbtc.nlVisit source
- Reference 24KNMIknmi.nlVisit source
- Reference 25DUTCHWATERSECTORdutchwatersector.comVisit source
- Reference 26BLOEMENBUREAUHOLLANDbloemenbureauholland.comVisit source
- Reference 27WHCwhc.unesco.orgVisit source
- Reference 28NAMnam.nlVisit source
- Reference 29DELTARESdeltares.nlVisit source
- Reference 30FIETSPLATFORMfietsplatform.nlVisit source
- Reference 31WAGENINGENURwageningenur.nlVisit source
- Reference 32NHMnhm.nlVisit source
- Reference 33IUCNiucn.orgVisit source
- Reference 34ROYAL-HOUSEroyal-house.nlVisit source
- Reference 35HOUSEOFREPRESENTATIVEShouseofrepresentatives.nlVisit source
- Reference 36VERKIEZINGENverkiezingen.nlVisit source
- Reference 37KIESRAADkiesraad.nlVisit source
- Reference 38FREEDOMHOUSEfreedomhouse.orgVisit source
- Reference 39TRANSPARENCYtransparency.orgVisit source
- Reference 40EUROPEAeuropea.euVisit source
- Reference 41NATOnato.intVisit source
- Reference 42SIPRIsipri.orgVisit source
- Reference 43TWEEDEKAMERtweedekamer.nlVisit source
- Reference 44RSFrsf.orgVisit source
- Reference 45IPUipu.orgVisit source
- Reference 46RIJKSOVERHEIDrijksoverheid.nlVisit source
- Reference 47EERSTEKAMEReerstekamer.nlVisit source
- Reference 48DATAdata.unicef.orgVisit source
- Reference 49WORLDHAPPINESSworldhappiness.reportVisit source
- Reference 50DATAREPORTALdatareportal.comVisit source
- Reference 51MACROTRENDSmacrotrends.netVisit source
- Reference 52OURWORLDINDATAourworldindata.orgVisit source
- Reference 53KNVBknvb.nlVisit source
- Reference 54UISuis.unesco.orgVisit source