Population; households and population dynamics; from 1899
Explanation of symbols
Dataset is not available.
The most important key figures about population, households, population growth, births, deaths, migration, 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
Status of the figures:
All data in this publication are final data.
Changes as of 15 December 2023:
None, this is a new table. This table succeeds the table Population; households and population dynamics; 1899-2019. See section 3.
The following changes have been made:
- The underlying topic folders regarding 'migration background' have been replaced by 'Born in the Netherlands' and 'Born abroad';
- The origin countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey have been assigned to the continent of Asia (previously Europe).
When will the new figures be published?
The figures for the population development in 2023 and the population on 1 January 2024 will be published in the second quarter of 2024.
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 nationality
- 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.
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.- Total foreign nationalities
- Total persons with a foreign nationality 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.
- 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.
Break in series of late reports
From 2010 onwards more late reports received in the year of publication will be included in the figures for the year under review.
Lesbian parenthood:
The law on lesbian parenthood came into effect on 1 April 2014. From April 2014 onwards the female partner of the biological mother may become the legal parent of the child without a legal adoption procedure. The same data for both mothers are available in the municipal population register.
Statistics Netherlands does not have information about which of the mothers is the biological mother. To obtain data about, for example, the age, number of children and ethnic background of the mother, Statistics Netherlands selects one of the mothers at random.
Lesbian parenthood occurs in less than 0.2% of all births.- Birth order form the mother, relative
- Live born children by birth order from the mother per 100 live born children.
For the period 1939-1949 birth order refers to the birth order in the marriage.
Birth order from the mother:
The position of the child in the ranking of live births from a mother.- 1st child
- Live born first children from the mother per hundred live born children.
- 2nd child
- Live born second children from the mother per hundred live born children.
- 3rd child
- Live born third children from the mother per hundred live born children.
- 4th and subsequent children
- Live born fourth and subsequent children from the mother per hundred live born children.
- Marriages
- Contracting a marriage.
Excluding registered partnerships.
Since April 1, 2001, marriage has also been open to same-sex couples.
To be allowed to enter into a marriage in the Netherlands, both partners must have reached the age of eighteen. However, under certain circumstances, a marriage can be conctracted already during the minority. This can be done when both husbants-to-be are at least 16 years old and the bride is pregnant. It may also be desirable to enter into a marriage of minors outside the mentioned exceptional situations. The Minister of Justice can grant an exemption for important reasons.
Marriages counted
1900 to 1952: marriages contracted in the Netherlands including marriages contracted abroad but registered in the Netherlands, i.e. at the time of the marriage husband and/or wife belong to the Dutch population.
1953 to September 1994: all marriages contracted in the Netherlands, irrespective of registration in the Dutch municipal population registers.
From October 1994: the figures refer to married couples of which at least one partner is recorded in the municipal registers, irrespective of the country where the marriage was performed.
Break in series marriages and marrying people
As a result of an improved production process, a slight increase can be observed in the figures on marriages and marrying people from 2010 .
From 2010 onwards marriages taking place abroad in particular are measured more accurately.
Marriage:
Legal, formally sanctioned living arrangement between two people.
Registered partnership:
A marriage-like relationship between two people of the opposite or same sex, registered at the Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages.- 1st marriage for both partners, relative
- First marriages for both partners per 100 marriages.