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Netherlands Demographics

Population of the Netherlands (2026)

View live population, charts & trends: Population of the Netherlands

Netherlands Population
18,448,775
see live
Yearly Change
+0.56%
Global Share
0.22%
Global Rank
71

Median Age

The median age in the Netherlands is 41.5 years (2026).

Fertility in the Netherlands

A Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1 represents the Replacement-Level Fertility: the average number of children per woman needed for each generation to exactly replace itself without needing international immigration. A value below 2.1 will cause the native population to decline


Total Fertility Rate (TFR)
1.4
(Live Births per Woman, 2026)

Life Expectancy in the Netherlands

See also: Countries in the world ranked by Life Expectancy

Both Sexes
82.6
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes combined)
Females
84.1
(life expectancy at birth, females)
Males
81.1
(life expectancy at birth, males)


Infant Mortality Rate and Deaths of Children under 5 Years Old in the Netherlands


Infant Mortality
2.9
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
Deaths under age 5
3.4
(per 1,000 live births)


Netherlands Urban Population

Currently, 88.9% of the population of the Netherlands is urban (16,398,959 people in 2026)


Population Density

The 2026 population density in the Netherlands is 547 people per Km2 (1,417 people per mi2), calculated on a total land area of 33,720 Km2 (13,019 sq. miles).

Largest cities by Population in the Netherlands

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

Rank Urban Area Population Estimate (2025)
1 Amsterdam 1,235,985
2 Rotterdam 1,023,590
3 The Hague 886,444
4 Utrecht 519,200
5 Eindhoven 288,852
6 Leiden 278,667
7 Dordrecht 265,349
8 Haarlem 215,404
9 Tilburg 202,735
10 Heerlen 197,633
11 Nijmegen 193,964
12 Arnhem 193,393
13 Amersfoort 188,879
14 Almere 187,277
15 Breda 180,033
16 Groningen 177,296
17 Alkmaar 173,147
18 's-Hertogenbosch 145,567
19 Zoetermeer 137,440
20 Apeldoorn 136,166
21 Enschede 133,294
22 Heemskerk 132,601
23 Maastricht 128,912
24 Zwolle 121,590
25 Leeuwarden 96,596
26 Helmond 91,530
27 Purmerend 87,320
28 Deventer 85,875
29 Hilversum 85,858
30 Gouda 79,190
More info

See also

Sources

Definitions

Population Pyramid

A Population pyramid (also called "Age-Sex Pyramid") is a graphical representation of the age and sex of a population.

Types:

  • Expansive - pyramid with a wide base (larger percentage of people in younger age groups, indicating high birth rates and high fertility rates) and narrow top (high death rate and lower life expectancies). It suggests a growing population. Example: Nigeria Population Pyramid
  • Constrictive - pyramid with a narrow base (lower percentage of younger people, indicating declining birth rates with each succeeding age group getting smaller than the previous one). Example: United States
  • Stationary - with a somewhat equal proportion of the population in each age group. The population is stable, neither increasing nor decreasing.

Stages:

Population pyramid stages

Dependency Ratio

There are three types of age dependency ratio: Youth, Elderly, and Total. All three ratios are commonly multiplied by 100.

Youth Dependency Ratio

Definition: population ages 0-15 divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 0-15] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Elderly dependency ratio

Definition: population ages 65-plus divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 65-plus] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Total dependency ratio

Definition: sum of the youth and old-age ratios.

Formula: (([Population ages 0-15] + [Population ages 65-plus]) ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

NOTE: Dependency Ratio does not take into account labor force participation rates by age group. Some portion of the population counted as "working age" may actually be unemployed or not in the labor force whereas some portion of the "dependent" population may be employed and not necessarily economically dependent.