Population growth down in first quarter of 2024

The Netherlands had a population of 17.97 million at the end of the first quarter. This is reported by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) on the basis of provisional figures.

Net migration of 27 thousand, rate of natural increase was -7 thousand

Fewer migrants from Europe in particular

Net migration (immigration minus emigration) from European countries was lower than in the same period in 2023. This was partly because fewer refugees arrived from Ukraine, but net migration from almost all other European countries also fell. Net migration from outside Europe was also down in Q1 2024.

The majority of immigrants came from Europe, but because the number of Europeans who emigrated was also high, the majority of net immigration came from Asia.

The countries of origin where, on balance, the most migrants came from in Q1 2024 were Syria (5.7 thousand), Ukraine (3.6 thousand), Turkey (2.3 thousand), Poland (1.0 thousand) and Romania (1.0 thousand).

7 in 10 of those emigrating returned to country of birth

Of those who emigrated from the Netherlands in Q1 2024, we know which region of the world they departed for in the case of 40 thousand of them. Of those, 85 percent returned to the region of the world in which they were born and 69 percent returned to their country of birth. There are large differences between groups with different origins. Of those born in Europe (excluding those born in the Netherlands), 96 percent left for another European country; among those born in Africa, 50 percent returned to that continent. Those emigrating who were born in the Netherlands mainly stayed within Europe.