Population; key figures, 1950-2022
Explanation of symbols
Dataset is not available.
Key figures on the population of the Netherlands.
The following information is available:
- Population by sex;
- Population by marital status;
- Population by age (groups);
- Population by origin;
- Private households;
- Persons in institutional households;
- Population growth;
- Population density.
Statistics Netherlands will reorganise the tables relating to statistics on population and households. The aim is to reduce the number of tables while striving to preserve (much) needed information. This table will be revised as soon as possible.
CBS is in transition towards a new classification of the population by origin. Greater emphasis is now placed on where a person was born, aside from where that person’s parents were born. The term ‘migration background’ is no longer used in this regard. The main categories western/non-western are being replaced by categories based on continents and a few countries that share a specific migration history with the Netherlands. The new classification is being implemented gradually in tables and publications on population by origin.
Data available from 1950 to 2022.
Status of the figures:
All the figures are final.
Changes as of 26 April 2023:
None, this table was discontinued.
When will new figures be published?
No longer applicable. This table is succeeded by the table Population; key figures. See section 3.
Description topics
- Population by migration background
- Population:
The total number of people residing in the Netherlands.
In the population statistics compiled by Statistics Netherlands the inhabitants of a given area are the people registered in the population register, whose address is located in that area.
Migration background:
The country with which a person has the closest ties, based on his/her parents' country of birth or his/her own country of birth.
The migration background of a person with a first-generation migration background is defined as his or her country of birth.
The migration background of a person with a second-generation migration background is defined as his or her mother's country of birth, unless the mother's country of birth is the Netherlands. In that case, the migration background is defined as the father's country of birth.
Person with a first generation migration background:
Someone born abroad with at least one parent who was born abroad.
Someone with a second generation foreign background:
Someone born in the Netherlands who has at least one parent born abroad.- Total Population
- Persons with a Dutch background
- Person with a Dutch background:
A person whose parents were both born in the Netherlands.
- Persons with a migration background
- Person with a migration background:
A person of whom at least one parent was born abroad.- Total with migration background
- With migration background
- With migration background, rate
- Total persons with a migration background as a percentage of the total population.
- Western migration background
- Person with a western migration background:
Person originating from a country in Europe (excluding Turkey), North America, Oceania, Indonesia or Japan.
Due to their socioeconomic and cultural position, people from Indonesia and Japan residing in the Netherlands are considered as having a 'western' migration background. These are mainly people born in the former Dutch East Indies and expatriates employed by Japanese companies with their families.- Total western migration background
- Middle and Eastern European EU countries
- Middle and Eastern European countries that joined the European Union. The year in which they joined is shown between brackets: Bulgaria (2007), Croatia (2013), Czech Republic (2004), Estonia (2004), Hungary (2004), Latvia (2004), Lithuania (2004), Poland (2004), Romania (2007), Slovakia (2004) and Slovenia (2004). European Union: Convention of European countries (excluding the Netherlands) created in 1993 in the Treaty of Maastricht, but the first activities date back to the early 1950s. They share common goals in the political, economic and legal sphere, e.g. free movement of people, goods, services and capital within the union. Individual member states have transferred many powers to the EU, but individual member states have also retained autonomy in many areas, which means that decisions can only be made unanimously.
- GIPS countries (European Union)
- Countries around the Mediterranean Sea that joined the European Union. The year in which they joined is shown between brackets: Greece (1981), Italy (1958), Portugal (1986) and Spain (1986). European Union: Convention of European countries (excluding the Netherlands) created in 1993 in the Treaty of Maastricht, but the first activities date back to the early 1950s. They share common goals in the political, economic and legal sphere, e.g. free movement of people, goods, services and capital within the union. Individual member states have transferred many powers to the EU, but individual member states have also retained autonomy in many areas, which means that decisions can only be made unanimously.
- Other western background
- Non-western migration background
- Person with a non-western migration background:
Person originating from a country in Africa, South America or Asia (excluding Indonesia and Japan) or Turkey.
Due to their socioeconomic and cultural position, people from Indonesia and Japan residing in the Netherlands are considered as having a 'western' migration background. These are mainly people born in the former Dutch East Indies and expatriates employed by Japanese companies with their families.- Total non-western
- Morocco
- Morocco:
Morocco, Ifni, Spanish Sahara, Western Sahara.
- (former) Neth. Antilles and Aruba
- Aggregate of the countries belonging to the territory of the Netherlands Antilles up to 10 October 2010 and Aruba.
These countries are Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St Eustatius, St Maarten and Aruba.
The Netherlands Antilles ceased to exist on 10 October 2010, as all the islands now have a new status. From 10 October the Kingdom of the Netherlands consists of four countries: the Netherlands, Aruba, Curacao and St Maarten. Curacao and St Maarten are new countries within the Kingdom; they are autonomous countries with a special status (status aparte) within the Kingdom. The countries have autonomous government, and are now no longer dependent on the Netherlands. The public bodies Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba, also called the Dutch Caribbean, are more closely connected with the Netherlands and function as 'special municipalities'.
On 1 January 1986 Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles and became a new autonomous country with a special status (status aparte) within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Aruba has autonomous government, and is now no longer dependent on the Netherlands.
- Suriname
- Turkey
- Other non-western background
- Total persons with a non-western background excluding persons with a Moroccan, (former) Antillean or Aruban, Surinamese and Turkish background.
- First generation migration background
- Person with a first generation migration background:
Someone born abroad with at least one parent who was born abroad.- Total first generation
- Total persons with a first generation migration background
Person with a first generation migration background:
Someone born abroad with at least one parent who was born abroad.
- Second generation migration background
- Person with a second-generation migration background:
Person born in the Netherlands who has at least one parent who was born abroad.- Total second generation
- Total persons with a second generation migration background
- Population growth
- The increase or decrease of the population.
Break in series external migration
As a result of an improved production process, a small shift has occurred in the figures on external migration.
From 2010 the following changes have been implemented.
- administrative entries preceding emigration are now considered as immigration;
- administrative removals followed by immigration are now considered as emigration.
Population:
The total number of people residing in the Netherlands.
In the population statistics compiled by Statistics Netherlands the inhabitants of a given area are the people registered in the population- Immigration
- People moving to the Netherlands from another country.
- Emigration including administrati...
- Emigration including net administrative corrections.
Data on emigration including net administrative corrections give a better impression of the true level of emigration than data on emigration excluding net administrative corrections.
Emigration:
People leaving for another country, reported to the municipalities.
Net administrative corrections:
Administrative entries in minus administrative removals from the municipal population register.
Administrative entry:
Decision by a municipality, at the request of the person concerned, to include that person in its population while it has no knowledge of birth, immigration or establishment of that person from another municipality in the Netherlands.
Administrative removal:
Decision by a municipality no longer to include a person in its population, once it has established that the address of the person is unknown, the person cannot be contacted and probably no longer resides in a municipality in the Netherlands.
- Net migration including administrativ...
- Net migration including net administrative corrections.
The number of people arriving minus the number of people departing, including the balance of administrative corrections.
Data on net migration including net administrative corrections give a better impression of the true level of net migration than data on net migration excluding net administrative corrections.
Net administrative corrections:
Administrative entries minus administrative removals.
Administrative entry:
Decision by a municipality, at the request of the person concerned, to include that person in its population while it has no knowledge of birth, immigration or establishment of that person from another municipality in the Netherlands.
Administrative removal:
Decision by a municipality no longer to include a person in its population, once it has established that the address of the person is unknown, the person cannot be contacted and probably no longer resides in a municipality in the Netherlands.
- Net migration (including admin..), rate
- Net migration including net administrative corrections per 1,000 of the total average population.
Net migration including net administrative corrections:
The number of people arriving minus the number of people departing, including the balance of administrative corrections.
Data on net migration including net administrative corrections give a better impression of the true level of net migration than data on net migration excluding net administrative corrections.
Administrative correction:
All entries in and removals from the municipal population register for reasons other than birth, death, arrival, departure or municipal boundary change.
Administrative entry:
Decision by a municipality, at the request of the person concerned, to include that person in its population while it has no knowledge of birth, immigration or establishment of that person from another municipality in the Netherlands.
Administrative removal:
Decision by a municipality no longer to include a person in its population, once it has established that the address of the person is unknown, the person cannot be contacted and probably no longer resides in a municipality in the Netherlands.