Number of people employed in agriculture in Netherlands
Netherlands: Number of people employed in agriculture was 171,899 people in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
171,899 people
Change on year
down 2.2%
World rank
122nd
of 186 countries
All-time high
747,000 people
in 1947
All-time low
171,899 people
in 2025
Years of data
71
1807–2025
Number of people employed in agriculture in Netherlands, 1807–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Netherlands recorded 171,899 people for number of people employed in agriculture in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 71 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.2% on the previous year and down 12.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people employed in agriculture in Netherlands peaked at 747,000 people in 1947 and was at its lowest, 171,899 people, in 2025.
Netherlands ranks 122nd of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 71 years of available data.
Number of people employed in agriculture in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1807 | 374,533 people | — |
| 1849 | 506,002 people | +35.1% |
| 1859 | 536,130 people | +6.0% |
| 1889 | 633,448 people | +18.2% |
| 1899 | 681,674 people | +7.6% |
| 1909 | 699,689 people | +2.6% |
| 1920 | 641,000 people | -8.4% |
| 1930 | 656,000 people | +2.3% |
| 1947 | 747,000 people | +13.9% |
| 1949 | 637,150 people | -14.7% |
| 1960 | 479,206 people | -24.8% |
| 1961 | 475,982 people | -0.7% |
| 1962 | 453,419 people | -4.7% |
| 1963 | 439,451 people | -3.1% |
| 1964 | 422,260 people | -3.9% |
| 1965 | 397,547 people | -5.9% |
| 1966 | 386,803 people | -2.7% |
| 1967 | 358,867 people | -7.2% |
| 1968 | 334,155 people | -6.9% |
| 1969 | 320,187 people | -4.2% |
| 1970 | 314,266 people | -1.8% |
| 1971 | 311,507 people | -0.9% |
| 1972 | 307,091 people | -1.4% |
| 1973 | 304,864 people | -0.7% |
| 1974 | 302,065 people | -0.9% |
| 1975 | 300,760 people | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 296,322 people | -1.5% |
| 1977 | 292,738 people | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 288,441 people | -1.5% |
| 1979 | 288,320 people | -0.0% |
| 1980 | 284,889 people | -1.2% |
| 1981 | 285,604 people | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 288,612 people | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 291,395 people | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 292,196 people | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 290,888 people | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 327,321 people | +12.5% |
| 1992 | 328,336 people | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 319,840 people | -2.6% |
| 1994 | 311,804 people | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 300,970 people | -3.5% |
| 1996 | 301,573 people | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 300,745 people | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 289,051 people | -3.9% |
| 1999 | 270,785 people | -6.3% |
| 2000 | 282,430 people | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 272,874 people | -3.4% |
| 2002 | 256,951 people | -5.8% |
| 2003 | 263,867 people | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 284,611 people | +7.9% |
| 2005 | 314,210 people | +10.4% |
| 2006 | 287,082 people | -8.6% |
| 2007 | 280,212 people | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 239,802 people | -14.4% |
| 2009 | 263,358 people | +9.8% |
| 2010 | 241,878 people | -8.2% |
| 2011 | 239,211 people | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 233,802 people | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 190,413 people | -18.6% |
| 2014 | 199,085 people | +4.6% |
| 2015 | 197,384 people | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 196,398 people | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 203,077 people | +3.4% |
| 2018 | 192,037 people | -5.4% |
| 2019 | 191,301 people | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 195,263 people | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 204,998 people | +5.0% |
| 2022 | 181,356 people | -11.5% |
| 2023 | 181,717 people | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 175,699 people | -3.3% |
| 2025 | 171,899 people | -2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1800s | 374,533 people | 374,533 people | 374,533 people | 1 |
| 1840s | 506,002 people | 506,002 people | 506,002 people | 1 |
| 1850s | 536,130 people | 536,130 people | 536,130 people | 1 |
| 1880s | 633,448 people | 633,448 people | 633,448 people | 1 |
| 1890s | 681,674 people | 681,674 people | 681,674 people | 1 |
| 1900s | 699,689 people | 699,689 people | 699,689 people | 1 |
| 1920s | 641,000 people | 641,000 people | 641,000 people | 1 |
| 1930s | 656,000 people | 656,000 people | 656,000 people | 1 |
| 1940s | 692,075 people | 637,150 people | 747,000 people | 2 |
| 1960s | 406,788 people | 320,187 people | 479,206 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 300,637 people | 288,320 people | 314,266 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 288,931 people | 284,889 people | 292,196 people | 6 |
| 1990s | 305,603 people | 270,785 people | 328,336 people | 9 |
| 2000s | 274,540 people | 239,802 people | 314,210 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 208,459 people | 190,413 people | 241,878 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 185,155 people | 171,899 people | 204,998 people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
More agriculture & rural data for Netherlands
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 6.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0168 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,240 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -6.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.0406 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.8% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.4% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people employed in agriculture in Netherlands?
- Number of people employed in agriculture in Netherlands was 171,899 people in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 747,000 people in 1947.
- What is the lowest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 171,899 people in 2025.
- How does Netherlands rank for number of people employed in agriculture?
- Netherlands ranks 122nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people employed in agriculture rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Netherlands data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people employed in agriculture. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people working in agriculture, including hunting, forestry and fishing.