Netherlands Population Clock

Netherlands records about 456 births and 475 deaths a day — more deaths than births. Natural change is therefore negative, at roughly 19 fewer people per day, or about 6,940 a year before migration.

Net migration runs at about 104,681 over the reported period, with more people arriving than leaving. That is equivalent to about 1508% of its natural change.

If the current rate held indefinitely, Netherlands would take roughly 133 years to double in size — a projection of today's rate, not a forecast.

Over the 9 years from 2016 to 2025, the population rose from 17.0 million to 18.1 million — a gain of 1.06 million, or 6.2%.

With about 531 people per square kilometre, Netherlands is very densely populated, roughly 8.5× the world average of 62. That ranks 7th of the 115 countries here. Its closest comparisons on density are South Korea and Burundi.

Netherlands covers about 33,670 km² of land, which is what turns a population of 18.1 million into that density figure.

About 95.9% of people live in urban areas, making Netherlands almost entirely urban, above the world average of 57.8%. That works out to roughly 17.4 million town and city dwellers and 734,613 living rurally.

Netherlands has an ageing population: about 14.9% are under 15 and 20.9% are 65 or older. Over-65s now outnumber under-15s, which is the classic marker of a population that has finished its demographic transition.

The total fertility rate is about 1.43 births per woman, below the ~2.1 replacement level, so without net immigration the population would eventually decline. The world figure is about 2.19.

Life expectancy at birth is about 82.0 years, roughly 8.5 years above the global average of 73.5.