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)
1.44
(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, 96.2% of the population of the Netherlands is urban (17,751,320 people in 2026)


Population Density

The 2026 population density in the Netherlands is 544 people per km² (1,410 people per mi2), calculated on a total land area of 33,893 km² (13,086 sq. miles).

Largest Urban Centers in the Netherlands

The 30 largest of 175 urban centers, ranked by population estimates for January 1, 2021 (by Statistics Netherlands).

RankUrban CenterPopulation
1Amsterdam1,136,210
2Rotterdam868,135
3The Hague851,010
4Utrecht396,315
5Eindhoven320,365
6Leiden273,720
7Dordrecht224,440
8Tilburg218,130
9Groningen218,105
10Haarlem208,270
11Almere186,690
12Heerlen170,030
13's-Hertogenbosch165,545
14Nijmegen160,960
15Amersfoort155,600
16Breda154,855
17Enschede149,315
18Apeldoorn144,260
19Zoetermeer128,360
20Zwolle125,820
21IJmondIJmuiden / Velsen / Beverwijk119,430
22Maastricht116,630
23Arnhem113,565
24Sittard-Geleen106,760
25Alkmaar103,470
26Leeuwarden97,070
27Deventer89,640
28Helmond86,815
29Hilversum86,645
30Purmerend83,990
See all 175 urban centers in the Netherlands

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.