Land use; all categories, municipalities

Land use; all categories, municipalities

Regions Periods Agriculture Other agricultural usage (ha) Woodland and nature Woodland and nature total (ha) Woodland and nature Woodland (ha) Woodland and nature Dry natural open area (ha) Woodland and nature Wet natural open area (ha) Inland water Inland water total (ha) Inland water IJsselmeer / Markermeer (ha) Inland water Enclosed estuary (ha) Inland water Rijn and Maas (ha) Inland water Randmeer (ha) Inland water Water reservoir (ha) Inland water Water with recreational usage (ha) Inland water Water where minerals are extracted (ha) Inland water Area for storing industrial water (ha) Inland water Other inland water (ha)
The Netherlands 2017 2,214,680 501,461 340,646 93,780 67,035 374,381 182,893 31,982 18,178 15,514 1,240 11,104 2,976 484 110,008
Noord-Nederland (LD) 2017 629,940 103,202 49,939 26,241 27,022 79,979 45,760 2,392 0 1,461 925 68 29,372
Oost-Nederland (LD) 2017 631,911 184,768 144,268 26,948 13,551 128,225 84,527 6,551 12,869 34 2,825 1,205 99 20,115
West-Nederland (LD) 2017 524,382 90,711 43,853 28,954 17,904 141,626 52,606 26,726 7,107 2,645 587 4,028 30 192 47,705
Zuid-Nederland (LD) 2017 428,448 122,780 102,586 11,637 8,557 24,551 2,863 4,520 619 2,790 816 125 12,816
Flevoland (PV) 2017 98,450 22,302 16,487 2,226 3,588 100,219 84,527 9,736 0 504 19 59 5,375
Gelderland (PV) 2017 295,824 116,082 93,465 20,447 2,170 17,584 5,854 1,824 0 1,956 734 3 7,213
Noord-Holland (PV) 2017 154,775 31,213 12,840 14,759 3,614 74,648 52,606 2,027 228 1,594 0 14 18,179
Zuid-Holland (PV) 2017 154,019 23,806 8,570 8,378 6,857 44,890 17,560 6,272 195 1,607 30 165 19,061
Zeeland (PV) 2017 135,869 14,532 4,149 3,958 6,424 14,906 9,166 164 245 0 9 5,321
Noord-Friesland (CR) 2017 112,856 26,350 2,530 13,006 10,815 6,081 1,147 0 267 89 0 4,577
Zuidwest-Friesland (CR) 2017 68,507 3,981 1,696 77 2,208 57,561 45,760 0 259 0 1 11,540
Zuidoost-Friesland (CR) 2017 75,673 11,924 7,119 1,500 3,305 3,150 0 79 126 0 2,945
Zuidwest-Gelderland (CR) 2017 53,764 2,974 2,270 108 596 6,357 2,724 0 553 342 3 2,735
Kop van Noord-Holland (CR) 2017 82,897 7,765 1,682 4,931 1,152 43,589 39,865 105 149 0 0 3,470
Delft en Westland (CR) 2017 4,708 815 221 426 168 584 0 107 0 0 477
Oost-Zuid-Holland (CR) 2017 36,184 1,542 602 1 939 4,875 376 0 139 0 0 4,360
Zuidoost-Zuid-Holland (CR) 2017 31,650 2,704 1,426 4 1,273 4,940 81 2,421 62 95 0 0 2,282
Overig Zeeland (CR) 2017 76,306 9,637 2,627 3,480 3,529 13,031 9,166 87 197 0 0 3,581
Flevoland (CR) 2017 98,450 22,302 16,487 2,226 3,588 100,219 84,527 9,736 0 504 19 59 5,375
Ameland 2017 1,925 3,112 197 2,362 553 76 0 7 0 0 69
Berkelland 2017 21,174 2,251 2,005 58 187 212 0 27 0 0 185
Dinkelland 2017 14,240 1,967 1,835 97 35 110 0 4 0 0 106
Dinteloord en Prinsenland 2017
Dirksland 2017
Drechterland 2017 5,028 31 15 0 16 2,170 2,106 0 0 0 0 65
Duiveland 2017
Giessenlanden 2017 5,629 40 27 0 13 163 0 12 0 0 151
's-Graveland 2017
Hollands Kroon 2017 31,237 942 709 50 183 12,608 10,964 9 15 0 0 1,619
Koggenland 2017 6,885 55 40 0 15 383 79 0 32 0 0 271
Kollumerland en Nieuwkruisland 2017 8,560 1,590 214 96 1,280 680 494 0 8 0 0 178
Landerd 2017 4,495 1,631 1,538 91 2 36 0 3 28 0 5
Landgraaf 2017 744 393 393 0 0 8 0 2 0 0 7
Landsmeer 2017 1,515 293 33 0 260 407 0 60 0 0 347
Lansingerland 2017 1,756 209 185 0 24 312 0 43 0 0 269
Lemsterland 2017
Maasland 2017
Midden-Delfland 2017 3,526 122 26 0 96 219 0 31 0 0 188
Montferland 2017 7,341 1,830 1,794 34 2 94 0 36 0 0 58
Nieuw-Lekkerland 2017
Noord-Beveland 2017 6,966 526 256 217 53 708 595 0 38 0 0 74
Noorder-Koggenland 2017
Opsterland 2017 17,771 2,959 2,244 558 157 324 0 0 39 0 285
Oud-Beijerland 2017 1,188 3 3 0 0 90 64 0 7 0 0 19
Reiderland 2017
Schouwen-Duiveland 2017 15,326 3,983 925 2,085 973 7,250 6,469 87 59 0 0 634
Smallingerland 2017 8,786 585 220 19 345 900 0 10 0 0 890
Steenwijkerland 2017 19,039 7,254 2,293 169 4,791 3,328 1 0 24 0 0 3,303
Vlieland 2017 13 4,038 298 3,580 160 70 0 5 0 0 65
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Dataset is not available.


This table provides information about the land use of the area of the Netherlands and the changes in land use.

Data available from: 1996.

Status of the figures:
The figures in this table are final.

Changes as of 26 April 2023:
Addition of 2017 figures.

This table is based on the Bestand Bodemgebruik (BBG), which literally translates as the ‘land use file’. For intervening base years without a BBG, this table just presents total area statistics for the presented regions.

Previously published base years in this table are never revised for corrections established when a newer BBG-edition is produced. Such corrections consist of corrections of earlier misinterpretations and of improved interpretations based on new sources. The corrections are recorded in the so-called Mutatiebestand (the mutations file) which is a digital map, being a part of each BBG publication. See Bestand Bodemgebruik for further information on correction of the land use statistics and for available publications.

As of reporting year 2016, Statistics Netherlands no longer publishes data on metropolitan agglomerations and urban regions. Various social developments have rendered the philosophy and methodology underlying the delineation outdated. It furthermore appears that other agencies are using a different classification of metropolitan agglomerations and urban regions depending on the area of application. This means there is no longer a consensus on which standard applies.
The metropolitan agglomerations and urban regions will not be published anymore from 2015 onwards as a default regional figure.

When will new figures be published?
After the addition of the 2017 land use figures all updates to this table will be stopped.

The methodology of the land use statistics, as it has been in use up to the 2017-edition, is being redesigned. See for further information on this redesign and the availability of land use statistics based on the new methodology the web page Bestand Bodemgebruik.

Description topics

Agriculture
Area for agriculture.
Other agricultural usage
Area for agriculture without glass, like pastures, fields and orchards.

Including
- grassland (hayland and pastures) including the grass growns dikes and river forelands;
- area for cattle breeding;
- orchards, including underplanting, maintenance paths and windbreaks;
- horticulture and arable farming;
- cultivation of small fruits;
- scattered houses with associated yards and gardens, as far as they are in the middle or adjacent to agricultural area;
- natural grassland.
Woodland and nature
Area with forest or natural open area.
Woodland and nature total
Total area of the main group ‘Woodland and nature’.
Woodland
Area with trees for wood production and nature conservation.

Including
- area with trees of which the crowns are a closed entity;
- cutting field;
- fire lane;
- forest path;
- nursery of forests;
- storage of wood;
- scattered houses, if placed inside the woodland;
- poplar fields.

Excluding
- wooded areas of parks;
- forest nurseries that are outside the woodland;
- residential areas (with a pattern of streets) and areas of recreational houses inside the woodland.
Dry natural open area
Open area with a dry surface, mainly nature.

Including
- dry heather;
- grasslike natural area (not for agricultural use);
- dunes;
- sand drift;
- sandbar;
- beach.
Wet natural open area
Open area with a wet surface, mainly nature.

Including
- wet heather;
- reed and rush (including cultivations);
- salt marsh (not innundated at normal high tides);
- tidal soil, if barren;
- bluegrass land.

Excluding
- osier bed;
- wet woodland.
Inland water
Inland water in use as waterway, recreational water, mining area, sewage or sludge farm, water reservoir, including IJsselmeer.
Inland water total
Total area of the main group ‘Inland water’.
IJsselmeer / Markermeer
The water enclosed at the Afsluitdijk, the Ketelbrug, the Hollandsebrug at Muiderberg and the Oranjesluizen at Amsterdam.
Enclosed estuary
From the sea closed estuary. Haringvliet, Hollands Diep (until Moerdijkspoorbrug), Volkerak, Krammer, Grevelingenmeer, Veerse meer and Lauwersmeer.
Rijn and Maas
Waters from the river Rhine and the river Meuse, including their tidal riviers.

The area is limited by the Keteldiep (IJssel), the piers of Hoek van Holland (Nieuwe Waterweg) and the railway of the Moerdijkbruggen (Amer), and the transitions of the Dordtse Kil and the Spui of the Haringvliet.
Randmeer
The water enclosed by the Hollandsebrug at Muiderberg, the Ketelbrug between the Noordoostpolder and Oostelijk Flevoland, the Kattendiep and the Keteldiep.
Water reservoir
Area in use for storing water.

Including
- water storage for drinking water;
- water storage for the industry.
Water with recreational usage
Inland water for recreation, like water in parks and golf area’s, rowing tracks and recreational ponds.

Including
- water in parks;
- beachwater, swimming pond;
- recreation pond (surfing, swimming etc);
- water in golf area;
- water in yacht basins;
- rowing course, water ski.

The shores of these areas are at least three quarter a sport ground, an area of holiday recreation, an area for day trips, or park. An exception on this are the rowing courses and water ski.

Minimum size of yacht basins of 0,5 hectare of the water part.
Water where minerals are extracted
Inland water for the extraction of minerals like sand.

The water is assigned to this category as long as sand suckers are present.
Area for storing industrial water
Area for separing water and sediments, or for storage of (polluted) harboursludge.

Including
- storage area of the segregation of water and sediment;
- storage area of (polluted) harboursludge.
Other inland water
Inland water, more broad than six meter, that does not belong to another category of land use.

Including
- waterways (rivers, canals etc);
- lakes;
- ditches;
- harbours, if not yacht basins.