Europe · Western Europe
Netherlands Demographics
The Netherlands combines slow population growth, low fertility, high life expectancy, a large older population, and continued positive net migration.
Main sources used here: Statistics Netherlands (CBS) resident-population tables, CBS population dashboard and releases, CBS population forecast, and UN-derived Worldometer indicators for urban share, density and world-rank context.
Last updated: June 25, 2026
Core Demographic Indicators
Detailed Demographic Indicators
| Indicator | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident population | 18,130,208 | 2026 | CBS population counter and resident-population table |
| Population change | +86,181 residents | 2025 to 2026 | Derived from CBS 1 January population totals |
| Population growth rate | +0.48% | 2025 to 2026 | Derived from CBS 1 January population totals |
| Average age | 42.8 years | 2025 | CBS population key figures |
| Median age | Data not available in the current CBS table used here | Data not available | CBS average age used instead |
| Total fertility rate | 1.42 children per woman | 2025 | CBS population growth release |
| Life expectancy at birth, men | 80.7 years | 2025 | CBS mortality release |
| Life expectancy at birth, women | 83.5 years | 2025 | CBS mortality release |
| Male population | 8,978,451 | 2025 | CBS population key figures |
| Female population | 9,065,576 | 2025 | CBS population key figures |
| Sex ratio | 99 men per 100 women | 2025 | CBS population dashboard |
| Residents aged 65 and over | 3,755,679 residents; 20.8% | 2025 | CBS elderly population dashboard |
| Residents born abroad | 3,124,728 | 2026 | CBS population by country of birth |
| Immigration | 307,000 arrivals | 2025 | CBS population growth release |
| Emigration | 212,000 departures | 2025 | CBS population growth release |
| Net migration | +95,000 | 2025 | CBS population growth release |
| Urban population share | 88.89% | 2026 | UN-derived Worldometer estimate |
| Population density | 547 people per km² | 2026 | UN-derived Worldometer estimate |
| World population rank | 71 | 2026 | UN-derived Worldometer estimate |
Table analysis
- The official registered population rose from 18,044,027 on 1 January 2025 to 18,130,208 on 1 January 2026.
- The 2025 increase was driven by positive net migration, while deaths exceeded births.
- CBS reports average age in the table used here; a directly matched median-age value is not used because it is not available in that source.
- Life expectancy in 2025 was 2.8 years higher for women than for men.
Population Trend
Netherlands Population, 1950 to 2026
Registered resident population on 1 January for CBS years, with 2026 from the CBS population counter and country-of-birth table.
Source: CBS population key figures for 1950-2025; CBS population counter and resident-population table for 2026.
Trend analysis
- The Netherlands added about 8.1 million residents between 1950 and 2026.
- The population crossed 18 million between the 2024 and 2025 reference points.
- The recent annual increase from 2025 to 2026 was smaller than the decade-scale growth seen between 2010 and 2020.
Historical Population Table
| Year | Population | Change from previous listed year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 10,026,773 | Data not available | CBS population key figures |
| 1960 | 11,417,254 | +1,390,481 | CBS population key figures |
| 1970 | 12,957,621 | +1,540,367 | CBS population key figures |
| 1980 | 14,091,014 | +1,133,393 | CBS population key figures |
| 1990 | 14,892,574 | +801,560 | CBS population key figures |
| 2000 | 15,863,950 | +971,376 | CBS population key figures |
| 2010 | 16,574,989 | +711,039 | CBS population key figures |
| 2020 | 17,407,585 | +832,596 | CBS population key figures |
| 2024 | 17,942,942 | +535,357 | CBS population key figures |
| 2025 | 18,044,027 | +101,085 | CBS population key figures |
| 2026 | 18,130,208 | +86,181 | CBS population counter and resident-population table |
Table analysis
- The largest listed decade increase in this selected series is between 1960 and 1970: +1,540,367.
- The 2025 to 2026 increase is +86,181, below the 2024 to 2025 increase in this selected table.
- The 2026 row is not from the same CBS key-figures table as 1950-2025; it is added from the later CBS counter and resident-population release.
Broad Age Structure
Broad Age Groups, 2025
CBS dashboard counts for under 20 and 65+, with the 20-64 group derived from the 2025 total.
Source: CBS population dashboard and CBS population key figures. This is a broad age structure, not a full population pyramid.
| Age group | Population | Share | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 20 | about 3,720,000 | about 20.6% | 2025 | CBS dashboard, rounded |
| 20-64 | 10,568,348 | 58.6% | 2025 | Derived from CBS total, under-20 and 65+ counts |
| 65+ | 3,755,679 | 20.8% | 2025 | CBS elderly population dashboard |
Data analysis
- The 65+ group slightly exceeds the rounded under-20 count in the 2025 CBS dashboard data.
- The 20-64 group remains the largest broad segment, at about 58.6% of the 2025 population.
- This module uses broad age bands only; it is not presented as a population pyramid.
Fertility and Life Expectancy
Fertility Rate Compared With Replacement Level
Total fertility rate for 2025 compared with the broad 2.1 replacement-level benchmark.
Source: CBS fertility rate for 2025; replacement level is a broad demographic benchmark.
Chart analysis
- The 2025 fertility rate of 1.42 is 0.68 below the 2.1 benchmark.
- CBS reported that the 2025 fertility rate remained close to the 2024 value of 1.43.
Life Expectancy at Birth by Sex
Period life expectancy at birth for men and women.
Source: CBS mortality release, 2025.
Chart analysis
- Women had a 2025 life expectancy of 83.5 years, compared with 80.7 years for men.
- The female-male gap in this source year is 2.8 years.
Migration and Natural Change
| Year | Immigration | Emigration | Net migration | Births | Deaths | Natural change | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 316,000 | 209,000 | +107,000 | Data not available in this row | about 172,000 | Data not available in this row | CBS migration and mortality releases |
| 2025 | 307,000 | 212,000 | +95,000 | nearly 166,000 | almost 173,000 | about -7,500 | CBS population growth release |
| Q1 2026 | Data not available in this table | Data not available in this table | +18,000 | 40,080 | 48,302 | -8,222 | CBS population dynamics release and table excerpt |
Table analysis
- In 2025, net migration was positive at about +95,000.
- Deaths exceeded births in 2025 by about 7,500, so natural change was negative.
- The Q1 2026 birth and death figures show a negative natural balance of -8,222 for that quarter.
Age-Sex Population Balance
Male and Female Population
Registered population by sex on 1 January 2025.
Source: CBS population key figures and CBS population dashboard, 2025.
| Sex | Population | Share of total | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 8,978,451 | 49.76% | 2025 | CBS population key figures |
| Women | 9,065,576 | 50.24% | 2025 | CBS population key figures |
| Sex ratio | 99 men per 100 women | Not applicable | 2025 | CBS population dashboard |
Age-sex analysis
- Women outnumbered men by 87,125 residents in the 2025 CBS population total.
- The total sex ratio was 99 men per 100 women.
- CBS notes that men are slightly more numerous at younger ages, while women become more numerous at older ages.
- A full population pyramid is not generated here because the visible source values used in this page do not provide a full five-year age-by-sex table.
Population Projection
CBS Population Forecast Path
Scenario-based population forecast values available from the CBS dashboard and forecast release.
Source: CBS population forecast dashboard and forecast release. Projection values are scenario-based estimates, not observed population counts.
| Year | Projected population | Scenario or note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 18,130,208 | Observed registered population, used as current anchor | CBS population counter and resident-population table |
| 2037 | 19,000,000 | 19-millionth resident expected around this year | CBS population forecast dashboard |
| 2070 | 20,600,000 | Forecast path; uncertainty range 17.5 million to 23.9 million | CBS population forecast dashboard and release |
Projection analysis
- CBS expects the population to reach about 19 million around 2037.
- The 2070 central forecast is about 20.6 million.
- The 2070 uncertainty range is wide, from 17.5 million to 23.9 million.
- Projection rows are kept separate from historical resident-population rows because they are scenario-based estimates.
Demographic Overview
The official registered population continues to grow slowly, reaching 18,130,208 at the beginning of 2026.
The 65+ population reached 3,755,679 in 2025, slightly above the rounded count of residents under 20.
Women slightly outnumber men in the total 2025 population, while CBS notes a shift toward female majorities at older ages.
The 2025 fertility rate of 1.42 children per woman is below the 2.1 replacement-level benchmark.
Positive net migration offset natural decline in 2025, with immigration above emigration by about 95,000.
CBS forecasts continued population growth toward 20.6 million by 2070, but with a wide uncertainty interval.
Data Sources and Methodology
| Source | Year or release | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Population; key figures | 1950-2025 table, updated September 2025 | Historical population, male and female totals, average age and 2025 resident-population base |
| Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Population counter and population by country of birth | 2026 | 1 January 2026 population and born-abroad count |
| Statistics Netherlands (CBS), population dashboard and releases | 2025 and 2026 releases | 65+ population, under-20 rounded count, fertility, migration, births, deaths and life expectancy |
| Statistics Netherlands (CBS), population forecast | 2025-2070 forecast release | Projection path, 19 million around 2037, 2070 forecast and uncertainty range |
| Worldometer, UN-derived population indicators | 2026 | Urban population share, density, world rank and mid-year international context |
Method note
- CBS resident population counts refer to people recorded in Dutch municipal population registers.
- UN-derived indicators use a mid-year international-estimate approach and may not match CBS 1 January registered counts.
- Derived changes are calculated from displayed CBS totals and rounded for readability.
- Projection values are not combined with observed historical rows except where a row is clearly marked as an anchor or forecast.
Methodological Safety Note
Methodological Safety Note: The Netherlands has more than one valid population measure. CBS resident-population data are registered 1 January counts, while UN-derived indicators often use mid-year model estimates. Projection values are scenario-based estimates, not observed results. Fertility is reported as children per woman, life expectancy is period life expectancy at birth, urban share depends on source definitions, and migration balances may include administrative corrections. Missing values are left as “Data not available” rather than estimated.
Netherlands Demographics FAQ
What was the population of the Netherlands at the beginning of 2026?
The registered resident population was 18,130,208 on 1 January 2026, using CBS population sources.
Is the Netherlands still growing?
Yes. The registered population increased by 86,181 between 1 January 2025 and 1 January 2026, based on the displayed CBS totals.
Is population growth mainly from births or migration?
Recent growth is mainly from migration. CBS reported positive net migration in 2025, while deaths exceeded births.
How old is the Dutch population?
CBS reported an average age of 42.8 years in 2025. The used CBS table does not provide a directly matched median-age value.
Why is the projection separated from the historical table?
Historical rows are observed or registered counts. Projection rows are scenario-based estimates and can change when CBS updates assumptions about migration, fertility and life expectancy.