Population and Demographics of the Netherlands
An aging population · 20.5% aged 65 or older in 2024
The fertility estimate of 1.4 should be read with the age profile, where 15.03% are children and 20.50% are older adults. The medium projection reaches 18.96 million in 2050, placing the mid-century total 4.0% above 2024.
Population Over Time in the Netherlands
Between 2000 and 2024, the Netherlands' population increased from 16.059M to 18.229M, a gain of about 13.5%. The UN WPP 2024 medium-variant projection places the 2050 population at about 18.958M, roughly 4% above the 2024 reference point. The line is a visual link between dated observations and the projection, not an interpolated annual series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
Netherlands' demographic structure is older when the 2024 population is divided into the three broad age groups. At 20.50%, the 65-and-older group is larger than the 15.03% share under 15, with 64.47% aged 15 to 64. Older adults outnumber children in these broad age bands.
Population by broad age group
The 2024 World Bank sex-share indicator gives Netherlands a female share of 50.3% and a male share of 49.7%. The split is close to even.
Female and male population share
Females made up 50.3% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 49.7% males.
What Is Shaping Population Change
the Netherlands' demographic indicators put annual change at +0.75% and fertility at 1.4, against an age structure of 15.03% under 15, 64.47% aged 15 to 64 and 20.50% at 65-plus.
Looking back to 2000, the Netherlands' 2024 population represents a +13.5% change, before the medium projection moves another +4.0% to 2050; component causes are not assigned without separate births, deaths and migration data.
2024 estimate for the Netherlands. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
Netherlands vs. World
The comparison puts Netherlands' +0.75% annual change beside a world rate of +0.87%, a fertility rate of 1.4 beside 2.25, and a median age of 41 years beside 30.6 globally.
| Indicator | Netherlands | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +0.75% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 1.4 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 41 | 30.6 | 2024 |
Same-year comparability takes priority here. Growth, fertility and median age are all taken from the 2024 harmonized table for both Netherlands and the world.
Key Takeaways
Netherlands has 18,228,742 people in the 2024 estimate, with the population changing +0.75% over the year.
Broad age shares show 20.50% aged 65+ compared with 15.03% under 15; the 15 to 64 group accounts for 64.47%.
The World Bank 2024 sex-share series is 50.3% female and 49.7% male.
By 2050, the medium projection is 18.958M, differing from 2024 by roughly 0.73 million people.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of the Netherlands?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for the Netherlands is 18,228,742 people.
Is the population of the Netherlands growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, Netherlands' population is growing, with annual change of +0.75%.
What percentage of the population of the Netherlands is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 20.50% of the Netherlands' 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of the Netherlands in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts Netherlands' 2050 population at 18,958,475.
What is the fertility rate in the Netherlands?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for the Netherlands is 1.4 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.