Share of employment in agriculture in Netherlands
Netherlands: Share of employment in agriculture was 1.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Share of employment in agriculture in Netherlands, 1500–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026); Broadberry and Gardner (2013); International Labor Organization (via World Bank) (2013) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Netherlands recorded 1.7% for share of employment in agriculture in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 41 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.4% on the previous year and down 23.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of employment in agriculture in Netherlands peaked at 56.8% in 1500 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 2025.
Netherlands ranks 164th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of employment in agriculture in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1500 | 56.8% | — |
| 1600 | 48.7% | -14.3% |
| 1700 | 41.6% | -14.6% |
| 1750 | 42.1% | +1.2% |
| 1800 | 40.7% | -3.3% |
| 1981 | 5.3% | -87.0% |
| 1991 | 4.3% | -19.1% |
| 1992 | 4.2% | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 4.1% | -2.6% |
| 1994 | 4.0% | -2.2% |
| 1995 | 3.8% | -3.9% |
| 1996 | 3.8% | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 3.7% | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 3.5% | -5.8% |
| 1999 | 3.2% | -8.0% |
| 2000 | 3.3% | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 3.1% | -4.9% |
| 2002 | 2.9% | -5.9% |
| 2003 | 3.0% | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 3.3% | +9.0% |
| 2005 | 3.7% | +11.7% |
| 2006 | 3.3% | -9.8% |
| 2007 | 3.2% | -3.7% |
| 2008 | 2.7% | -15.4% |
| 2009 | 3.0% | +10.4% |
| 2010 | 2.8% | -7.7% |
| 2011 | 2.7% | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 2.7% | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 2.2% | -17.7% |
| 2014 | 2.3% | +5.0% |
| 2015 | 2.2% | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 2.2% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 2.2% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 2.1% | -7.6% |
| 2019 | 2.0% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 2.1% | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 2.1% | +4.7% |
| 2022 | 1.8% | -14.0% |
| 2023 | 1.8% | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 1.7% | -3.7% |
| 2025 | 1.7% | -2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1500s | 56.8% | 56.8% | 56.8% | 1 |
| 1600s | 48.7% | 48.7% | 48.7% | 1 |
| 1700s | 41.6% | 41.6% | 41.6% | 1 |
| 1750s | 42.1% | 42.1% | 42.1% | 1 |
| 1800s | 40.7% | 40.7% | 40.7% | 1 |
| 1980s | 5.3% | 5.3% | 5.3% | 1 |
| 1990s | 3.8% | 3.2% | 4.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.2% | 2.7% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.3% | 2.0% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.9% | 1.7% | 2.1% | 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 share of employment in agriculture in Netherlands?
- Share of employment in agriculture in Netherlands was 1.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026); Broadberry and Gardner (2013); International Labor Organization (via World Bank) (2013) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of employment in agriculture recorded in Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 56.8% in 1500.
- What is the lowest share of employment in agriculture recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 2025.
- How does Netherlands rank for share of employment in agriculture?
- Netherlands ranks 164th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of employment in agriculture rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Netherlands data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026); Broadberry and Gardner (2013); International Labor Organization (via World Bank) (2013) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of employment in agriculture. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of working people employed in agriculture, including hunting, forestry and fishing.