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Population density: Netherlands vs Poland compared

Updated on by Georank team

The Netherlands has a population density of 1,402 people per square mile compared to 303 people in Poland. The Netherlands has 22,360 sq ft of land per person vs 92,061 sq ft in Poland. The Netherlands and Poland rank 17th and 80th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. The Netherlands has 0.22% of the world's population and 0.02% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.45% of the population and 0.21% of the land area for Poland, making the population density in the Netherlands 363% higher than in Poland.

Population density by year

Netherlands
Poland

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Netherlands Poland
2026 1,402 303
2025 1,394 306
2024 1,384 309
2023 1,375 310
2022 1,362 312
2021 1,349 313
2020 1,342 317
2019 1,334 321
2018 1,326 321
2017 1,318 321
2016 1,310 321
2015 1,303 321
2014 1,297 322
2013 1,292 322
2012 1,287 322
2011 1,282 322
2010 1,276 322
2009 1,269 323
2008 1,262 322
2007 1,257 322
2006 1,254 322
2005 1,252 323
2004 1,249 323
2003 1,245 323
2002 1,239 323
2001 1,231 323
2000 1,222 324
1999 1,213 327
1998 1,205 327
1997 1,198 327
1996 1,191 327
1995 1,186 326
1994 1,180 326
1993 1,173 325
1992 1,165 324
1991 1,156 323
1990 1,147 322
1989 1,139 321
1988 1,132 320
1987 1,125 319
1986 1,118 317
1985 1,112 315
1984 1,107 312
1983 1,102 309
1982 1,098 306
1981 1,093 304
1980 1,086 301
1979 1,077 298.1
1978 1,070 295.7
1977 1,063 293.3
1976 1,057 290.5
1975 1,048 287.6
1974 1,039 284.8
1973 1,031 282.1
1972 1,023 279.5
1971 1,012 277.2
1970 1,000 276.2
1969 988 275.2
1968 977 273.1
1967 967 270.5
1966 956 267.9
1965 943 265.9
1964 930 263.3
1963 918 259.7
1962 906 256.3
1961 893 253.4

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/population-density/netherlands/poland | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in the Netherlands increased by 11.8%, compared to a 6.1% decline in Poland.

In 2006, the Netherlands ranked 15th by population density and is 17th now. Poland was 64th in 2006 and ranks 80th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Netherlands
Poland
1x
Year Urban population
Netherlands Poland
2024 95.6% 60%
2023 95.3% 59.9%
2022 95% 59.8%
2021 94.6% 59.8%
2020 94.3% 59.9%
2019 93.9% 60%
2018 92.6% 60.1%
2017 91.1% 60.1%
2016 90.6% 60.2%
2015 90.3% 60.3%
2014 89.8% 60.4%
2013 89.2% 60.5%
2012 88.5% 60.6%
2011 88% 60.7%
2010 87.4% 60.8%
2009 86.2% 61%
2008 85.6% 61.1%
2007 85.4% 61.3%
2006 84.7% 61.4%
2005 83.5% 61.5%
2004 82.3% 61.7%
2003 81.3% 61.7%
2002 80.8% 61.8%
2001 80.2% 61.8%
2000 78.5% 61.7%
1999 77.1% 61.7%
1998 76.8% 61.7%
1997 75.6% 61.7%
1996 72.4% 61.6%
1995 70.7% 61.6%
1994 70.4% 61.5%
1993 69.8% 61.5%
1992 69.3% 61.4%
1991 69.2% 61.4%
1990 69% 61.3%
1989 68.8% 61.2%
1988 68.4% 61.1%
1987 68.2% 61%
1986 68% 60.7%
1985 67.6% 60.4%
1984 67.4% 60.1%
1983 66.9% 59.6%
1982 66.5% 59.2%
1981 65.7% 58.7%
1980 65% 58.2%
1979 64.8% 57.7%
1978 64.6% 57.2%
1977 64.6% 56.7%
1976 64.5% 56%
1975 64.4% 55.3%
1974 64.2% 54.6%
1973 63.5% 53.9%
1972 63.1% 53.2%
1971 62.8% 52.6%
1970 62.1% 52.1%
1969 61.8% 51.6%
1968 61.8% 51.2%
1967 61.6% 50.9%
1966 61.3% 50.6%
1965 61.2% 50.2%
1964 60.9% 49.9%
1963 60.3% 49.5%
1962 60.3% 49.1%
1961 60.1% 48.6%
1960 59.9% 48.1%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/netherlands/poland | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 82.3% to 95.6% in the Netherlands and from 61.7% to 60% in Poland.

Densely populated cities

Netherlands
City Population
Amsterdam 921K
Rotterdam 664K
The Hague 548K
Utrecht 359K
Eindhoven 244K
Groningen 238K
Tilburg 228K
Almere 215K
Breda 188K
Nijmegen 177K
Poland
City Population
Warsaw 1.86M
Krakow 804K
Wroclaw 674K
Lodz 649K
Poznan 547K
Gdansk 488K
Szczecin 388K
Lublin 335K
Bydgoszcz 325K
Bialystok 290K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population-density/netherlands/poland | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2021–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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