Netherlands’ population density rises 15% since 2000
The Netherlands’ population density rose 15 per cent between 2000 and the start of 2026, with the highest provincial figure in South Holland and the lowest in Drenthe.
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The Netherlands had 539 people per square kilometre of land on 1 January 2026, up 15 per cent from 468 in 2000, according to new figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS). The country’s population grew from 15.9 million to 18.1 million over the same period.
Population density is highest in the west and lowest in the north. South Holland had the highest provincial figure, at 1,437 people per square kilometre; Drenthe had the lowest, at 193. The CBS figures put The Hague at the top among municipalities, with 6,863 people per square kilometre.
Flevoland recorded the fastest percentage increase in density since 2000, at 47 per cent, followed by South Holland at 21 per cent. Across the EU, the Netherlands was second only to Malta: the Dutch figure was 539 people per square kilometre, compared with an EU average of 110.
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