The Netherlands has a population density of 1,402 people per square mile compared to 302 people in Portugal. The Netherlands has 22,360 sq ft of land per person vs 92,822 sq ft in Portugal. The Netherlands and Portugal rank 17th and 81st 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 0.13% of the population and 0.06% of the land area for Portugal, making the population density in the Netherlands 365% higher than in Portugal.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Netherlands
|
Portugal
|
|
| 2026 | 1,402 | 302 |
| 2025 | 1,394 | 302 |
| 2024 | 1,384 | 302 |
| 2023 | 1,375 | 299.1 |
| 2022 | 1,362 | 295 |
| 2021 | 1,349 | 293 |
| 2020 | 1,342 | 291.1 |
| 2019 | 1,334 | 290.8 |
| 2018 | 1,326 | 290.8 |
| 2017 | 1,318 | 291.2 |
| 2016 | 1,310 | 291.9 |
| 2015 | 1,303 | 292.9 |
| 2014 | 1,297 | 294.1 |
| 2013 | 1,292 | 295.7 |
| 2012 | 1,287 | 297.3 |
| 2011 | 1,282 | 298.5 |
| 2010 | 1,276 | 299 |
| 2009 | 1,269 | 298.8 |
| 2008 | 1,262 | 299 |
| 2007 | 1,257 | 298.5 |
| 2006 | 1,254 | 297.9 |
| 2005 | 1,252 | 297.4 |
| 2004 | 1,249 | 296.8 |
| 2003 | 1,245 | 296 |
| 2002 | 1,239 | 294.9 |
| 2001 | 1,231 | 293.3 |
| 2000 | 1,222 | 291.3 |
| 1999 | 1,213 | 289.2 |
| 1998 | 1,205 | 287.6 |
| 1997 | 1,198 | 286.1 |
| 1996 | 1,191 | 284.9 |
| 1995 | 1,186 | 283.8 |
| 1994 | 1,180 | 282.8 |
| 1993 | 1,173 | 282.1 |
| 1992 | 1,165 | 281.7 |
| 1991 | 1,156 | 281.9 |
| 1990 | 1,147 | 282.6 |
| 1989 | 1,139 | 283.2 |
| 1988 | 1,132 | 283.6 |
| 1987 | 1,125 | 283.9 |
| 1986 | 1,118 | 284 |
| 1985 | 1,112 | 283.7 |
| 1984 | 1,107 | 283 |
| 1983 | 1,102 | 281.9 |
| 1982 | 1,098 | 280.6 |
| 1981 | 1,093 | 278.9 |
| 1980 | 1,086 | 276.4 |
| 1979 | 1,077 | 273.5 |
| 1978 | 1,070 | 270.6 |
| 1977 | 1,063 | 267.7 |
| 1976 | 1,057 | 264.8 |
| 1975 | 1,048 | 257.4 |
| 1974 | 1,039 | 247.8 |
| 1973 | 1,031 | 244.4 |
| 1972 | 1,023 | 244.3 |
| 1971 | 1,012 | 244.7 |
| 1970 | 1,000 | 245.7 |
| 1969 | 988 | 247.9 |
| 1968 | 977 | 250.1 |
| 1967 | 967 | 251.2 |
| 1966 | 956 | 252.8 |
| 1965 | 943 | 254.7 |
| 1964 | 930 | 255.8 |
| 1963 | 918 | 255.6 |
| 1962 | 906 | 254.6 |
| 1961 | 893 | 252.8 |
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/portugal | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in the Netherlands increased by 11.8%, compared to a 1.23% growth in Portugal.
In 2006, the Netherlands ranked 15th by population density and is 17th now. Portugal was 68th in 2006 and ranks 81st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Netherlands
|
Portugal
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,402 ppl/mi² | 302 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 17/197 | 81/197 |
| Population |
18252623
|
10667081
|
| Land area | 13,000 sq mi | 35,369 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 20,142 sq ft | 92,199 sq ft |
| Rural population | 4.36% | 38.7% |
| Urban population | 95.6% | 61.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Netherlands
|
Portugal
|
|
| 2024 | 95.6% | 61.3% |
| 2023 | 95.3% | 61.2% |
| 2022 | 95% | 61.1% |
| 2021 | 94.6% | 61.1% |
| 2020 | 94.3% | 61.1% |
| 2019 | 93.9% | 61.1% |
| 2018 | 92.6% | 61.1% |
| 2017 | 91.1% | 61.1% |
| 2016 | 90.6% | 61.1% |
| 2015 | 90.3% | 61.1% |
| 2014 | 89.8% | 61.1% |
| 2013 | 89.2% | 61.1% |
| 2012 | 88.5% | 61.1% |
| 2011 | 88% | 61.1% |
| 2010 | 87.4% | 61.1% |
| 2009 | 86.2% | 60.8% |
| 2008 | 85.6% | 60.4% |
| 2007 | 85.4% | 59.7% |
| 2006 | 84.7% | 59% |
| 2005 | 83.5% | 58.2% |
| 2004 | 82.3% | 57.4% |
| 2003 | 81.3% | 56.6% |
| 2002 | 80.8% | 55.8% |
| 2001 | 80.2% | 55.1% |
| 2000 | 78.5% | 54.4% |
| 1999 | 77.1% | 53.7% |
| 1998 | 76.8% | 53.1% |
| 1997 | 75.6% | 52.4% |
| 1996 | 72.4% | 51.7% |
| 1995 | 70.7% | 51% |
| 1994 | 70.4% | 50.3% |
| 1993 | 69.8% | 49.7% |
| 1992 | 69.3% | 49% |
| 1991 | 69.2% | 48.4% |
| 1990 | 69% | 47.7% |
| 1989 | 68.8% | 47.1% |
| 1988 | 68.4% | 46.5% |
| 1987 | 68.2% | 45.8% |
| 1986 | 68% | 45.2% |
| 1985 | 67.6% | 44.5% |
| 1984 | 67.4% | 43.9% |
| 1983 | 66.9% | 43.2% |
| 1982 | 66.5% | 42.6% |
| 1981 | 65.7% | 41.9% |
| 1980 | 65% | 41.3% |
| 1979 | 64.8% | 40.6% |
| 1978 | 64.6% | 40% |
| 1977 | 64.6% | 39.3% |
| 1976 | 64.5% | 38.7% |
| 1975 | 64.4% | 38.1% |
| 1974 | 64.2% | 37.5% |
| 1973 | 63.5% | 36.9% |
| 1972 | 63.1% | 36.3% |
| 1971 | 62.8% | 35.8% |
| 1970 | 62.1% | 35.2% |
| 1969 | 61.8% | 34.7% |
| 1968 | 61.8% | 34.2% |
| 1967 | 61.6% | 33.7% |
| 1966 | 61.3% | 33.2% |
| 1965 | 61.2% | 32.7% |
| 1964 | 60.9% | 32.3% |
| 1963 | 60.3% | 31.9% |
| 1962 | 60.3% | 31.5% |
| 1961 | 60.1% | 31.2% |
| 1960 | 59.9% | 30.8% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/netherlands/portugal | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 82.3% to 95.6% in the Netherlands and from 57.4% to 61.3% in Portugal.
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 |
|
Portugal
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Lisbon | 546K |
| Sintra | 386K |
| Vila Nova de Gaia | 304K |
| Porto | 232K |
| Cascais | 214K |
| Loures | 202K |
| Braga | 193K |
| Almada | 177K |
| Matosinhos | 173K |
| Oeiras | 172K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
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/portugal | CC BY
Help us show the world through your eyes
Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.
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)
- Wikidata (2021–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.