Population, households and population dynamics; 1899-2019
Explanation of symbols
Dataset is not available.
The most important key figures about population, households, birth, mortality, changes of residence, marriages, marriage dissolutions and change of nationality of the Dutch population.
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 1899 to 2019.
Status of the figures:
All data in this publication are final data.
Changes as of 15 December 2023:
None, this table was discontinued.
When will the new figures be published?
No longer applicable. This table is succeeded by the table 'Population, households and population dynamics; from 1899'. See section 3.
Description topics
- Population on 1 January
- Population:
The total number of people residing in a given area.
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.- Population by sex
- Data concerning the years 1900, 1910, 1921 and 1931 are based on the results of the censuses held on 31 December 1899, 1909, 1921 and 1930.
- Total population
- Males
- Females
- Population by age
- Data concerning the years 1900, 1910, 1921 and 1931 are based on the results of the censuses held on 31 December 1899, 1909, 1921 and 1930.
Age:
Age on 1 January of the year of observation.
The number of whole years that have passed between someone's date of birth and 1 January of the reference year, calculated as the reference year minus 1, minus the year of birth.- Total population
- Younger than 20 years
- Persons younger than 20 years.
- 20 to 44 years
- Persons of 20 to 44 years.
- 45 to 64 years
- Persons of 45 to 64 years.
- 65 to 79 years
- Persons of 65 to 79 years.
- 80 years or older
- Persons of 80 years or over.
- Population by marital status
- Data concerning the years 1900, 1910, 1921 and 1931 are based on the results of the censuses held on 31 December 1899, 1909, 1921 and 1930.
Break in series marital status
From 2010 onwards a small shift has occurred between a number of marital statuses (fewer never married and more divorced and widowed respectively). Because information on some marital statuses was lacking for the period 1998 to 2010 in data used by Statistics Netherlands, 'divorced after partnership' and 'widowed after partnership' were not included in these statistics for this period. For these statistics, the marital status before the partnership was used instead, which was mostly 'never married'. From 2010 all marital statuses are available.
Marital status:
Legal status involving someone's rights and competences as determined by legal marriage and registered partnership.
Marriage:
Legal, formally sanctioned living arrangement between two people. Since 1 April 2001, it is legally possible for people in the Netherlands to marry a person of the same sex.
Registered partnership:
A marriage-like relationship between two people of the opposite or same sex, registered at the Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
Registered partnership was introduced in The Netherlands on 1 January 1998.- Total population
- Never married
- From 2010: marital status indicating that someone was never married or never in a registered partnership.
1998 until 2010: marital status indicating that someone was never married or never in a registered partnership.
Because information was lacking on some marital statuses in the period 1998 to 2010 in data used by Statistics Netherlands, 'widowed after partnership' and 'divorces after partnership' were not included in this period in these statistics. For these statistics this means that the marital status before the partnership was used, which was mostly unmarried.
Until 1998: marital status indicating that someone was never married.
- Married
- From 1998: legally married and partnership.
Until 1998: legally married.
Legally married:
Marital status resulting from having married legally. Including judicial separations which are included in the category married.
Partnership:
Marital status resulting from entering into a registered partnership.
- Widowed
- From 2010: widowed after a legal marriage and widowed after a partnership.
Until 2010: widowed after a legal marriage.
Because information was lacking on some marital statuses in the period 1998 to 2010 in data used by Statistics Netherlands, widowed after a partnership is not included in this period in these statistics.
Widowed after a legal marriage:
Marital status resulting from death ending a legal marriage.
Widowed after a partnership:
Marital status resulting from death ending a registered partnership.
- Divorced
- From 2010: divorced after legal marriage and divorced after partnership.
Until 2010: divorced after legal marriage.
Because information was lacking on some marital statuses in the period 1998 to 2010 in data used by Statistics Netherlands, divorced after partnership is not included in this period in these statistics.
Divorced after a legal marriage
Marital status resulting from ending a legal marriage by divorce.
Excluding judicial separations which are included in the category married.
Divorced after a partnership
Marital status resulting from ending a registered partnership other than by the death of the partner.
- Population by part of the country
- Total population
- Including a tiny fraction of the Dutch population in the range of 0.0 to 0.8 % entered in the central population register kept from 1936 until October 1994 which included persons belonging to the 'de jure' population without fixed abodes. From October 1994 these are entered in the municipal population register of The Hague. Including 'the Noordoostpolder' (1943-1962), 'the Zuidelijke IJsselmeerpolders' (since 1956) and the municipalities of Dronten (1972-1985), Lelystad (1980-1985), Almere and Zeewolde (1984-1985).
- North Netherlands
- Comprises the provinces of Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe.
- East Netherlands
- Comprises the provinces of Overijssel and Gelderland and the province of Flevoland. Excluding 'the Noordoostelijke polder' (1943-1962), 'de Zuidelijke IJsselmeerpolders' (since 1956) and the municipalities of Dronten (1972-1985), Lelystad (1980-1985), Almere and Zeewolde (1984-1985).
- West Netherlands
- Comprises the provinces of Utrecht, Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland and Zeeland.
- South Netherlands
- Comprises the provinces of Noord-Brabant and Limburg.
- Municipalities by size class
- Municipalities are categorized by their number of residents.
For the period 1900-1909 municipalities are classified by the population on 31 December 1899, for the period 1910-1920 by the population on 31 December 1919, for the period 1921-1930 by the population on 31 December 1920 and for the period 1931-1940 by the population on 31 December 1930. All other years are classified by the number of residents in the year under review.- Population
- Total population
- Total population in the Netherlands.
Including a tiny fraction of the Dutch population in the range of 0.0 to 0.8 % entered in the central population register kept from 1936 until October 1994 which included persons belonging to the 'de jure' population without fixed abodes. From October 1994 these are entered in the municipal population register of The Hague. Including 'the Noordoostpolder' (1943-1962), 'the Zuidelijke IJsselmeerpolders' (since 1956) and the municipalities of Dronten (1972-1985), Lelystad (1980-1985), Almere and Zeewolde (1984-1985).
- Less than 5,000 inhabitants
- Population in municipalities with less than 5,000 inhabitants.
- 5,000 to 19.999 inhabitants
- Population in municipalities with 5,000 to 19.999 inhabitants.
- 20,000 to 49.999 inhabitants
- Population in municipalities with 20,000 to 49.999 inhabitants.
For the period 1901-1909, the population figures are calculated on the basis of the data for the year 1900.
- 50,000 to 99.999 inhabitants
- Population in municipalities with 50,000 to 99.999 inhabitants.
For the period 1901-1909, the population figures are calculated on the basis of the data for the year 1900.
- 100,000 inhabitants or more
- Population in municipalities with 100,000 or more inhabitants.
- Population by nationality
- Nationality:
Being the legal subject of a particular nation (citizenship).
The category non-Dutch subjects includes persons who neither have the Dutch nationality nor a double nationality of which one is Dutch.
Diplomats and persons belonging to the NATO military, for instance, do not fall into this category.
Data on 1900, 1910, 1921 and 1931 are based on the results of the censuses held on 31 December 1899, 1909, 1920 and 1930. Population data on 1947 are based on the census of 31 May 1947. Data on the period 1969-1972 are partly estimates and data on the periods 1956-1968 and 1973-1975 are provided by the Ministry of Justice.- Total foreign nationalities
- Total persons with a foreign nationality residing in the Netherlands.
- American
- Americans residing in the Netherlands.
- Belgian
- Belgians residing in the Netherlands.
- British
- British residing in the Netherlands.
- German
- Germans residing in the Netherlands.
From 1991 including the former German Democratic Republic.
- Italian
- Italians residing in the Netherlands.
- Moroccan
- Moroccans residing in the Netherlands.
- Spanish
- Spaniards residing in the Netherlands.
- Turkish
- Turks residing in the Netherlands.
- Former Yugoslavian
- Former Yugoslavians residing in the Netherlands.
Former Yugoslavia:
Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia,
Serbia, Serbia and Montenegro, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia.
- Persons with Surinamese background
- Someone with a Surinamese background:
Until 1995: a person born in Suriname or the child of a mother who is born in Suriname. Part of the data are estimates.
From 1995: a person of whom at least one parent was born in Suriname.
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.
- Persons with Antillean background
- Someone with an Antillean background:
Until 1995: a person born in the Netherlands Antilles or Aruba, or the child of a mother who is born in the Netherlands Antilles or Aruba. Part of the data are estimates.
From 1995: a person of whom at least one parent was born in the Netherlands Antilles or Aruba.
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.
- Population growth
- The increase or decrease of the population.
- Live born children
- Live born child:
A baby showing some sign of life after birth, regardless of the duration of pregnancy.
For the period 1900-1924 excluding children born alive who died before the birth was registered.
- Deaths
- Death:
Person declared dead by an authorized doctor.
For the period 1900-1924 excluding children born alive who died before the birth was registered.
For the period 1940-1945 excluding deaths among approximately 104 thousand deported Jews and 39 thousand deported political prisoners, employees and soldiers of the German military.
- Natural increase
- The number of live births minus the number of deaths within a given period.
- Immigration
- People moving to the Netherlands from another country.
- Emigration including administrative c...
- People leaving for another country, excluding net administrative corrections.
For the period 1940-1945 including deaths among approximately 104 thousand deported Jews and 39 thousand deported political prisoners, employees and soldiers of the German military.
- Net migration
- The number of people moving in minus the number of people moving out.
The figures are excluding net administrative corrections.
- Total growth
- Population growth:
The increase or decrease of the population.
In the years 1920 and 1930 excluding corrections (- 61 thousand and -17 thousand respectively) based on the censuses on 31 December. These numbers can be considered as the balance of non-registered foreign migration since the preceding census.
For the period 1946-1948, including corrections due to revision of the population registers after the second world war and the results of the census of 31 May 1947.
For 1949 including the absorption of 10 thousand persons due to border adjustments with Germany on 23 April.
For 1958 including 18 thousand Moluccans entered into the municipal population registers during the last two months of 1958.
For 1960 including corrections based on verification of the registers of the census of 31 May 1960.
For 1963 after deduction of 10 thousand persons who became German subjects as a result of the border treaty between the Netherlands and Germany.
For 1971 including corrections based on verification of the registers of the census of 28 February 1971.
- Total growth (relative)
- Total population growth per 100 inhabitants on 1 January.
Including administrative corrections and other corrections.
Population growth:
The increase or decrease of the population.
In the years 1920 and 1930 excluding corrections (- 61 thousand and -17 thousand respectively) based on the censuses on 31 December. These numbers can be considered as the balance of non-registered foreign migration since the preceding census.
For the period 1946-1948, including corrections due to revision of the population registers after the second world war and the results of the census of 31 May 1947.
For 1949 including the absorption of 10 thousand persons due to border adjustments with Germany on 23 April.
For 1958 including 18 thousand Moluccans entered into the municipal population registers during the last two months of 1958.
For 1960 including corrections based on verification of the registers of the census of 31 May 1960.
For 1963 after deduction of 10 thousand persons who became German subjects as a result of the border treaty between the Netherlands and Germany.
For 1971 including corrections based on verification of the registers of the census of 28 February 1971.
Administrative correction:
All entries in and removals from the municipal population register for reasons other than birth, death, arrival, departure or municipal boundary change.
Other corrections:
Differences in the size and composition of the population between two consecutive years that cannot be explained by the changes in the population registers made by the municipalities during the year.