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Population density: Netherlands vs Singapore compared

Updated on by Georank team

The Netherlands has a population density of 1,402 people per square mile compared to 22,064 people in Singapore. The Netherlands has 22,360 sq ft of land per person vs 1,282 sq ft in Singapore. The Netherlands and Singapore rank 17th and 2nd 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 0.07% of the population and 0.0005% of the land area for Singapore, making the population density in the Netherlands 93.6% lower than in Singapore.

Population density by year

Netherlands
Singapore

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Netherlands Singapore
2026 1,402 22,064
2025 1,394 21,926
2024 1,384 21,776
2023 1,375 21,346
2022 1,362 20,334
2021 1,349 19,672
2020 1,342 20,510
2019 1,334 20,632
2018 1,326 20,454
2017 1,318 20,415
2016 1,310 20,483
2015 1,303 20,219
2014 1,297 19,981
2013 1,292 19,779
2012 1,287 19,489
2011 1,282 19,071
2010 1,276 18,730
2009 1,269 18,454
2008 1,262 17,906
2007 1,257 17,100
2006 1,254 16,426
2005 1,252 16,035
2004 1,249 15,663
2003 1,245 15,513
2002 1,239 16,023
2001 1,231 15,996
2000 1,222 15,570
1999 1,213 15,303
1998 1,205 15,181
1997 1,198 14,674
1996 1,191 14,190
1995 1,186 13,625
1994 1,180 13,217
1993 1,173 12,809
1992 1,165 12,489
1991 1,156 12,119
1990 1,147 11,779
1989 1,139 11,330
1988 1,132 11,002
1987 1,125 10,726
1986 1,118 10,566
1985 1,112 10,576
1984 1,107 10,562
1983 1,102 10,364
1982 1,098 10,230
1981 1,093 9,791
1980 1,086 9,331
1979 1,077 9,214
1978 1,070 9,098
1977 1,063 8,989
1976 1,057 8,865
1975 1,048 8,746
1974 1,039 8,620
1973 1,031 8,477
1972 1,023 8,320
1971 1,012 8,168
1970 1,000 8,019
1969 988 7,896
1968 977 7,778
1967 967 7,645
1966 956 7,478
1965 943 7,294
1964 930 7,119
1963 918 6,939
1962 906 6,766
1961 893 6,581

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/singapore | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in the Netherlands increased by 11.8%, compared to a 34.3% growth in Singapore.

In 2006, the Netherlands ranked 15th by population density and is 17th now. Singapore was 2nd in 2006 and still ranks 2nd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Netherlands
Singapore
1x
Year Urban population
Netherlands Singapore
2024 95.6% 100%
2023 95.3% 100%
2022 95% 100%
2021 94.6% 100%
2020 94.3% 100%
2019 93.9% 100%
2018 92.6% 100%
2017 91.1% 100%
2016 90.6% 100%
2015 90.3% 100%
2014 89.8% 100%
2013 89.2% 100%
2012 88.5% 100%
2011 88% 100%
2010 87.4% 100%
2009 86.2% 100%
2008 85.6% 100%
2007 85.4% 100%
2006 84.7% 100%
2005 83.5% 100%
2004 82.3% 100%
2003 81.3% 100%
2002 80.8% 100%
2001 80.2% 100%
2000 78.5% 100%
1999 77.1% 100%
1998 76.8% 100%
1997 75.6% 100%
1996 72.4% 100%
1995 70.7% 100%
1994 70.4% 100%
1993 69.8% 100%
1992 69.3% 100%
1991 69.2% 100%
1990 69% 100%
1989 68.8% 100%
1988 68.4% 100%
1987 68.2% 100%
1986 68% 100%
1985 67.6% 100%
1984 67.4% 100%
1983 66.9% 100%
1982 66.5% 100%
1981 65.7% 100%
1980 65% 100%
1979 64.8% 100%
1978 64.6% 100%
1977 64.6% 100%
1976 64.5% 100%
1975 64.4% 100%
1974 64.2% 100%
1973 63.5% 100%
1972 63.1% 100%
1971 62.8% 100%
1970 62.1% 100%
1969 61.8% 100%
1968 61.8% 100%
1967 61.6% 100%
1966 61.3% 100%
1965 61.2% 100%
1964 60.9% 100%
1963 60.3% 100%
1962 60.3% 100%
1961 60.1% 100%
1960 59.9% 100%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 82.3% to 95.6% in the Netherlands and from 100% to 100% in Singapore.

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
Singapore
City Population
Singapore 5.87M
Bukit Merah 152K

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/singapore | 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. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2018–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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