The population of the Netherlands grew to 17.9 million in the first nine months of this year, but the number of deaths exceeded the number of births.
“Only” 123,400 children were born between January and the end of September, 3,400 fewer than a year ago. But 124,300 people died, which means that the population, excluding immigration, actually fell, and that is ‘exceptional’.
The birth rate in the Netherlands has been falling since 2010.
The population growth was entirely due to immigration, which totalled 111,600 people during the period. This is 76,400 fewer than the same period in 2022, when 85,500 Ukrainians came to the Netherlands following the Russian invasion.
However, the number of new arrivals decreased for all population groups, with 5,400 fewer new arrivals from Europe and 2,000 fewer new arrivals from Asia.
Apart from the 19,000 new arrivals from Ukraine, the largest population groups to move to the Netherlands in the first nine months were Syria (13,000), Turkey (8,400), India (6,700) and Poland (6,600). Some 3,300 British citizens also arrived.
