The Netherlands has a population density of 1,384 people per square mile compared to 253 people in Spain. The Netherlands has 22,359 sq ft of land per person vs 111,591 sq ft in Spain. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, the Netherlands and Spain are ranked 17th and 95th, 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 the land area of all countries, compared to 0.6% of the population and 0.34% of the land area for Spain, hence the population density in the Netherlands is 447% higher than in Spain.
Population density comparison
Netherlands
|
Spain
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,384 ppl/mi² | 253 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 17/197 | 95/197 |
| Population |
18191638
|
48786181
|
| Land area | 13,000 sq mi | 192,934 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 20,141 sq ft | 110,203 sq ft |
| Rural population | 6.55% | 18.2% |
| Urban population | 93.5% | 81.8% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 10.5% |
the Netherlands vs Spain:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in the Netherlands increased by 10.8%, compared to a 13.6% growth in Spain.
In 2004, the Netherlands ranked 15th for population density and is in 17th place now. Spain was 85th in 2004 and ranks 95th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Netherlands
|
Spain
|
|
| 2024 | 1,384 | 253 |
| 2023 | 1,375 | 250.6 |
| 2022 | 1,362 | 247.7 |
| 2021 | 1,349 | 245.9 |
| 2020 | 1,342 | 245.5 |
| 2019 | 1,334 | 244.3 |
| 2018 | 1,326 | 242.5 |
| 2017 | 1,318 | 241.5 |
| 2016 | 1,310 | 240.9 |
| 2015 | 1,303 | 240.6 |
| 2014 | 1,297 | 240.6 |
| 2013 | 1,292 | 241.3 |
| 2012 | 1,287 | 242.2 |
| 2011 | 1,282 | 242.2 |
| 2010 | 1,276 | 241.3 |
| 2009 | 1,269 | 240.8 |
| 2008 | 1,262 | 238.6 |
| 2007 | 1,257 | 234.7 |
| 2006 | 1,254 | 230.4 |
| 2005 | 1,252 | 226.5 |
| 2004 | 1,249 | 222.7 |
| 2003 | 1,245 | 218.9 |
| 2002 | 1,239 | 215 |
| 2001 | 1,231 | 212.2 |
| 2000 | 1,222 | 210.6 |
| 1999 | 1,213 | 209.4 |
| 1998 | 1,205 | 208.6 |
| 1997 | 1,198 | 207.7 |
| 1996 | 1,191 | 206.9 |
| 1995 | 1,186 | 206 |
| 1994 | 1,180 | 205.1 |
| 1993 | 1,173 | 204.1 |
| 1992 | 1,165 | 203.1 |
| 1991 | 1,156 | 202.1 |
| 1990 | 1,147 | 201.6 |
| 1989 | 1,139 | 201.4 |
| 1988 | 1,132 | 201 |
| 1987 | 1,125 | 200.6 |
| 1986 | 1,118 | 200.1 |
| 1985 | 1,112 | 199.5 |
| 1984 | 1,107 | 198.8 |
| 1983 | 1,102 | 198 |
| 1982 | 1,098 | 197 |
| 1981 | 1,093 | 195.8 |
| 1980 | 1,086 | 194.4 |
| 1979 | 1,077 | 192.8 |
| 1978 | 1,070 | 191.1 |
| 1977 | 1,063 | 189.3 |
| 1976 | 1,057 | 187.4 |
| 1975 | 1,048 | 185.4 |
| 1974 | 1,039 | 183.3 |
| 1973 | 1,031 | 181.3 |
| 1972 | 1,023 | 179.3 |
| 1971 | 1,012 | 177.4 |
| 1970 | 1,000 | 175.2 |
| 1969 | 988 | 173.3 |
| 1968 | 977 | 171.6 |
| 1967 | 967 | 169.4 |
| 1966 | 956 | 167.3 |
| 1965 | 943 | 165.6 |
| 1964 | 930 | 163.8 |
| 1963 | 918 | 162.2 |
| 1962 | 906 | 160.8 |
| 1961 | 893 | 159.3 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Netherlands
|
Spain
|
|
| 2024 | 93.5% | 81.8% |
| 2023 | 93.2% | 81.6% |
| 2022 | 92.9% | 81.3% |
| 2021 | 92.6% | 81.1% |
| 2020 | 92.2% | 80.8% |
| 2019 | 91.9% | 80.6% |
| 2018 | 91.5% | 80.3% |
| 2017 | 91.1% | 80.1% |
| 2016 | 90.6% | 79.8% |
| 2015 | 90.2% | 79.6% |
| 2014 | 89.7% | 79.4% |
| 2013 | 89.2% | 79.1% |
| 2012 | 88.6% | 78.9% |
| 2011 | 87.9% | 78.7% |
| 2010 | 87.1% | 78.4% |
| 2009 | 86.3% | 78.2% |
| 2008 | 85.4% | 78% |
| 2007 | 84.5% | 77.7% |
| 2006 | 83.6% | 77.5% |
| 2005 | 82.6% | 77.3% |
| 2004 | 81.5% | 77% |
| 2003 | 80.3% | 76.8% |
| 2002 | 79.1% | 76.5% |
| 2001 | 77.8% | 76.3% |
| 2000 | 76.8% | 76.3% |
| 1999 | 76% | 76.2% |
| 1998 | 75.3% | 76.1% |
| 1997 | 74.5% | 76% |
| 1996 | 73.6% | 75.9% |
| 1995 | 72.8% | 75.9% |
| 1994 | 72% | 75.8% |
| 1993 | 71.1% | 75.7% |
| 1992 | 70.2% | 75.6% |
| 1991 | 69.3% | 75.5% |
| 1990 | 68.7% | 75.4% |
| 1989 | 68.3% | 75.1% |
| 1988 | 67.9% | 74.9% |
| 1987 | 67.5% | 74.7% |
| 1986 | 67.1% | 74.4% |
| 1985 | 66.7% | 74.2% |
| 1984 | 66.3% | 74% |
| 1983 | 65.9% | 73.7% |
| 1982 | 65.5% | 73.5% |
| 1981 | 65.1% | 73.3% |
| 1980 | 64.7% | 72.8% |
| 1979 | 64.4% | 72.2% |
| 1978 | 64.1% | 71.5% |
| 1977 | 63.8% | 70.9% |
| 1976 | 63.5% | 70.2% |
| 1975 | 63.2% | 69.6% |
| 1974 | 62.9% | 68.9% |
| 1973 | 62.6% | 68.2% |
| 1972 | 62.2% | 67.5% |
| 1971 | 61.9% | 66.8% |
| 1970 | 61.7% | 66% |
| 1969 | 61.5% | 65.1% |
| 1968 | 61.3% | 64.2% |
| 1967 | 61.1% | 63.2% |
| 1966 | 60.9% | 62.3% |
| 1965 | 60.8% | 61.3% |
| 1964 | 60.6% | 60.3% |
| 1963 | 60.4% | 59.3% |
| 1962 | 60.2% | 58.3% |
| 1961 | 60% | 57.3% |
| 1960 | 59.8% | 56.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 81.5% to 93.5% in the Netherlands and from 77% to 81.8% in Spain.
Densely populated cities
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