Netherlands
Netherlands claims the 9th spot worldwide for human development index. That 0.955 figure is hard to beat. How well do you really know Netherlands?
Netherlands is a country in Europe with a population of 17.83M and an area of 41,865 km². Life expectancy is 81.9 years.
At a Glance
The numbers that define this country
Human Development Index
0.95The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Life Satisfaction
7.62How satisfied people are with their lives, rated on a scale from 0 to 10.
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
84.2KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
GDP Per Capita
$70.9KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
Internet Users (%)
97.0%The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
University Enrollment Rate
86.6%Total university and college enrollment as a percentage of the typical college-age population.
Where They Stand Out
Global rankings worth knowing
🚀Human Development Index
0.95The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
💰GDP Per Capita (PPP)
84.2KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
💰GDP Per Capita
$70.9KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
👥Urban Population (%)
95.6%The percentage of people living in cities and urban areas.
📡Internet Users (%)
97.0%The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
Did You Know?
Facts that catch players off guard
Ranks #9 globally in human development index
Human Development Index: 0.95
The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Our World in Data 2023Has one of the highest rates of inequality (gini)
Inequality (Gini): 25.7
A measure of income inequality where 0 means everyone earns the same and 100 means one person has everything.
World Bank 2023Ranks #12 globally in gdp per capita (ppp)
GDP Per Capita (PPP): 84.2K
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
World Bank 2023Only ranks #186 in fdi inflows (% gdp)
FDI Inflows (% GDP): -1.4%
Foreign investment flowing into the country as a percentage of GDP.
World Bank 2023Only ranks #202 in teen birth rate
Teen Birth Rate: 1.86
The number of births per 1,000 women aged 15-19.
World Bank 2023Surprised? See how you stack up.
Play NowHow Netherlands Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
GDP per Capita
Above avgGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
World Bank 2023Life Expectancy
Above avgHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
World Bank 2023Human Development Index
Above avgThe Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Our World in Data 2023Internet Users
Above avgThe percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
World Bank 2023Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Test Your IntuitionAbout Netherlands
The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1581; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After 18 years of French domination, the Netherlands regained its independence in 1813. In 1830, Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I but suffered German invasion and occupation in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU) and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999. In 2010, the former Netherlands Antilles was dissolved and the three smallest islands -- Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba -- became special municipalities in the Netherlands administrative structure. The larger islands of Sint Maarten and Curacao joined the Netherlands and Aruba as constituent countries forming the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
In 2018, the Sint Eustatius island council (governing body) was dissolved and replaced by a government commissioner to restore the integrity of public administration. According to the Dutch Government, the intervention will be as "short as possible and as long as needed."
- Location
- Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
- Climate
- temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters
- Terrain
- mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast
- Natural Resources
- natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land
- Natural Hazards
- flooding volcanism: Mount Scenery (887 m), located on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, last erupted in 1640; Round Hill (601 m), a dormant volcano also known as "The Quill," is located on the island of St. Eustatius in the Caribbean; these islands are at the northern end of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends south to Grenada
- Size Comparison
- slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
- Languages
- Dutch (official), Frisian (official in Fryslan province)
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.8% (includes Dutch Reformed, Protestant Church of The Netherlands, Calvinist), Muslim 5%, other 5.9% (includes Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish), none 54.1% (2019 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Dutch 75.4%, EU (excluding Dutch) 6.4%, Turkish 2.4%, Moroccan 2.4%, Surinamese 2.1%, Indonesian 2%, other 9.3% (2021 est.)
- Major Cities
- 1.174 million AMSTERDAM (capital), 1.018 million Rotterdam (2023)
- Government Type
- parliamentary constitutional monarchy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
- Capital
- Amsterdam
- Capital Coordinates
- 52 21 N, 4 55 E
- Capital Timezone
- UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Kingdom of the Netherlands
- Name Origin
- the English name is derived from the country's Dutch name, which means "the lowlands" and describes the geographic area; only about half the Netherlands is more than 1 meter (3.3 ft) above sea level
- Independence
- 26 July 1581
- National Symbols
- lion, daisy
- National Anthem
- "Het Wilhelmus" (The William)
- UNESCO Heritage
- 13 (12 cultural, 1 natural)
- Overview
- high-income, core EU- and eurozone-member economy; strong services, logistics, and tech sectors; strongly trade-oriented with heightened risks from global tensions; declining inflation aided by easing energy prices and wage growth; rising but manageable deficits and public debt; strong ratings for innovation, competitiveness, and business climate
- Industries
- agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing
- Agricultural Products
- milk, sugar beets, potatoes, onions, pork, wheat, chicken, tomatoes, carrots/turnips, beef (2023)
- Export Partners
- Germany 16%, Belgium 15%, France 11%, Italy 6%, USA 6% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- refined petroleum, vaccines, machinery, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment (2023)
- Import Partners
- Germany 16%, Belgium 10%, China 10%, USA 10%, UK 5% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- crude petroleum, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, cars, natural gas (2023)
- Military Forces
- Netherlands (Dutch) Armed Forces (Nederlandse Krijgsmacht): Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Military Constabulary) (2025)
- Military Service
- 17 years of age for voluntary service for men and women; the military is an all-volunteer force; conscription remains in place, but the requirement to show up for compulsory military service was suspended in 1997 (2025)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 46.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); nuclear: 3.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 17.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 24.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); biomass and waste: 8.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Broadcast Media
- more than 90% of households are connected to cable or satellite TV systems with a wide range of domestic and foreign channels; public service broadcast system includes multiple broadcasters, 3 with a national reach and the remainder in regional and local markets; 2 nationwide commercial TV companies, each with 3 or more stations, and many commercial TV stations in regional and local markets; nearly 600 radio stations with a mix of public and private stations
- Space Program
- has a national space program focused on developing advanced space technologies and services based on satellite data; builds and operates a range of satellites, including communications and remote sensing (RS); researches and develops technologies related to astrophysics, atmospheric measuring instruments, planetary/exoplanetary research, propulsion systems, RS, robotics, and telecommunications; founding member of the ESA and active in the EU space community; hosts the ESA's main research and technology center; participates in building European satellite launch vehicles and a range of other European space programs, such as Copernicus Earth observation and the Galileo global navigation satellite system; participates in international programs, including the International Space Station and the Square Kilometer Array project; works with other foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Japan and the US; has a robust commercial space sector (2025)
Deep Dive
79 of 157 metricsEvery stat we track, organized by category
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Share something surprising about Netherlands!
The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Frequently Asked Questions about Netherlands
Netherlands has a population of 17.83M, ranking #72 globally by population.
Netherlands is located in Europe. It has an area of 41,865 km².
Life expectancy in Netherlands is 81.9 years, ranking #33 globally.
Netherlands's GDP per capita (PPP) is 84.2K, ranking #12 globally.
Netherlands ranks particularly high in Human Development Index (#9), Life Satisfaction (#9), GDP Per Capita (PPP) (#12).
Netherlands has an HDI of 0.955, ranking #9 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
Netherlands has a population density of 531.0 people per km², ranking #22 globally.
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