Rural population share — all countries

Rural population share — Netherlands

Rural population share in the Netherlands in 2025 — 4.1%. Ranked 203 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has fallen by 36 pp.

2025 4.1% −0.3 pp vs 2024
World rank 203of 217
Period maximum 40.1%1960
Period minimum 4.1%2025

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Rural population share — Netherlands, 1960–2025020406019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 40.1%1962: 39.7%1964: 39.1%1966: 38.7%1968: 38.2%1970: 37.9%1972: 36.9%1974: 35.8%1976: 35.5%1978: 35.4%1980: 35%1982: 33.5%1984: 32.6%1986: 32%1988: 31.6%1990: 31%1992: 30.7%1994: 29.6%1996: 27.6%1998: 23.2%2000: 21.5%2002: 19.2%2004: 17.7%2006: 15.3%2008: 14.4%2010: 12.6%2012: 11.5%2014: 10.2%2016: 9.4%2018: 7.4%2020: 5.7%2022: 5%2024: 4.4%2025: 4.1%
Change over the period: −36 pp Annual average: -0.55 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Netherlands

Netherlands 4.1%
World 42.2%
Western Europe computed 17.8%
High-income countries computed 19.7%
Rural population share — Netherlands, by year Netherlands All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 4.1 −0.3 pp
2024 4.4 −0.3 pp
2023 4.7 −0.3 pp
2022 5 −0.4 pp
2021 5.4 −0.4 pp
2020 5.7 −0.4 pp
2019 6.1 −1.3 pp
2018 7.4 −1.5 pp
2017 8.9 −0.5 pp
2016 9.4 −0.3 pp
2015 9.7 −0.4 pp
2014 10.2 −0.7 pp
2013 10.8 −0.6 pp
2012 11.5 −0.5 pp
2011 12 −0.7 pp
2010 12.6 −1.1 pp
2009 13.8 −0.6 pp
2008 14.4 −0.2 pp
2007 14.6 −0.8 pp
2006 15.3 −1.1 pp
2005 16.5 −1.3 pp
2004 17.7 −0.9 pp
2003 18.7 −0.5 pp
2002 19.2 −0.6 pp
2001 19.8 −1.7 pp
2000 21.5 −1.4 pp
1999 22.9 −0.3 pp
1998 23.2 −1.2 pp
1997 24.4 −3.1 pp
1996 27.6 −1.7 pp
1995 29.3 −0.3 pp
1994 29.6 −0.7 pp
1993 30.2 −0.4 pp
1992 30.7 −0.1 pp
1991 30.8 −0.2 pp
1990 31 −0.2 pp
1989 31.2 −0.3 pp
1988 31.6 −0.3 pp
1987 31.8 −0.2 pp
1986 32 −0.4 pp
1985 32.4 −0.3 pp
1984 32.6 −0.4 pp
1983 33.1 −0.5 pp
1982 33.5 −0.7 pp
1981 34.3 −0.8 pp
1980 35 −0.2 pp
1979 35.2 −0.2 pp
1978 35.4 −0 pp
1977 35.4 −0.1 pp
1976 35.5 −0.1 pp
1975 35.6 −0.2 pp
1974 35.8 −0.7 pp
1973 36.5 −0.4 pp
1972 36.9 −0.3 pp
1971 37.2 −0.7 pp
1970 37.9 −0.3 pp
1969 38.2 −0 pp
1968 38.2 −0.2 pp
1967 38.4 −0.3 pp
1966 38.7 −0.1 pp
1965 38.8 −0.3 pp
1964 39.1 −0.5 pp
1963 39.7 −0 pp
1962 39.7 −0.2 pp
1961 39.9 −0.2 pp
1960 40.1

Western Europe, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The share of population living outside urban settlements, as a percent of the total. It is computed as the difference between total and urban population, and therefore inherits every particularity of national definitions of urban areas.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.