Rural population, per square kilometre in Netherlands
Netherlands: Rural population, per square kilometre was 24.84 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
24.84 units per square kilometre
Change on year
down 5.8%
World rank
113th
of 215 countries
All-time high
146.73 units per square kilometre
in 1980
All-time low
24.84 units per square kilometre
in 2023
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Rural population, per square kilometre in Netherlands, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, rural population, per square kilometre in Netherlands stood at 24.84 units per square kilometre. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is down 5.8% on the previous year and down 54.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, per square kilometre in Netherlands peaked at 146.73 units per square kilometre in 1980 and was at its lowest, 24.84 units per square kilometre, in 2023.
That places Netherlands 113th out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Rural population, per square kilometre in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 137.42 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 138.81 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1963 | 140.58 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1964 | 140.6 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 141.45 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 142.78 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1967 | 143.21 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 144.08 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 145.72 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 146.43 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 145.37 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 1972 | 145.78 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 145.25 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 143.56 units per square kilometre | -1.2% |
| 1975 | 144.13 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 144.81 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 145.35 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 146.09 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 146.32 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 146.73 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 144.57 units per square kilometre | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 142.2 units per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 1983 | 140.77 units per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 139.46 units per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 138.99 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 138.25 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 138.3 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 138.03 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 137.36 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 137.35 units per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 137.45 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 138.04 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 136.97 units per square kilometre | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 134.83 units per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 1995 | 134.2 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 126.86 units per square kilometre | -5.5% |
| 1997 | 113.04 units per square kilometre | -10.9% |
| 1998 | 108.16 units per square kilometre | -4.3% |
| 1999 | 107.44 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 101.5 units per square kilometre | -5.5% |
| 2001 | 94.19 units per square kilometre | -7.2% |
| 2002 | 91.8 units per square kilometre | -2.5% |
| 2003 | 89.87 units per square kilometre | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 85.6 units per square kilometre | -4.7% |
| 2005 | 79.74 units per square kilometre | -6.8% |
| 2006 | 74.31 units per square kilometre | -6.8% |
| 2007 | 70.8 units per square kilometre | -4.7% |
| 2008 | 70.07 units per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 67.52 units per square kilometre | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 62.31 units per square kilometre | -7.7% |
| 2011 | 59.38 units per square kilometre | -4.7% |
| 2012 | 56.97 units per square kilometre | -4.1% |
| 2013 | 53.99 units per square kilometre | -5.2% |
| 2014 | 50.88 units per square kilometre | -5.8% |
| 2015 | 48.91 units per square kilometre | -3.9% |
| 2016 | 47.64 units per square kilometre | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 45.17 units per square kilometre | -5.2% |
| 2018 | 37.84 units per square kilometre | -16.2% |
| 2019 | 31.48 units per square kilometre | -16.8% |
| 2020 | 29.77 units per square kilometre | -5.4% |
| 2021 | 27.97 units per square kilometre | -6.1% |
| 2022 | 26.36 units per square kilometre | -5.7% |
| 2023 | 24.84 units per square kilometre | -5.8% |
Netherlands compared with similar countries
- Netherlands's 24.84 units per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 18.09 units per square kilometre, 1.4× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Netherlands's 24.84 units per square kilometre is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 25.88 units per square kilometre, 96% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 141.63 units per square kilometre | 137.42 units per square kilometre | 145.72 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 145.31 units per square kilometre | 143.56 units per square kilometre | 146.43 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 140.47 units per square kilometre | 137.36 units per square kilometre | 146.73 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 127.43 units per square kilometre | 107.44 units per square kilometre | 138.04 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 82.54 units per square kilometre | 67.52 units per square kilometre | 101.5 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.46 units per square kilometre | 31.48 units per square kilometre | 62.31 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.23 units per square kilometre | 24.84 units per square kilometre | 29.77 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
- 110 Liberia 25.66 units per square kilometre compare
- 111 Zimbabwe 25.64 units per square kilometre compare
- 112 Malaysia 25.18 units per square kilometre compare
- 114 Cuba 24.28 units per square kilometre compare
- 115 Kyrgyzstan 24.17 units per square kilometre compare
- 116 Faroe Islands 24.14 units per square kilometre compare
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 rural population, per square kilometre in Netherlands?
- Rural population, per square kilometre in Netherlands was 24.84 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 146.73 units per square kilometre in 1980.
- What is the lowest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.84 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- How does Netherlands rank for rural population, per square kilometre?
- Netherlands ranks 113th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is rural population, per square kilometre rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Netherlands data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Rural population, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Rural population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.