The Netherlands has a population density of 1,402 people per square mile compared to 750 people in the United Kingdom. The Netherlands has 22,360 sq ft of land per person vs 37,705 sq ft in the United Kingdom. The Netherlands and the United Kingdom rank 17th and 35th 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 0.85% of the population and 0.16% of the land area for the United Kingdom, making the population density in the Netherlands 87% higher than in the United Kingdom.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Netherlands
|
United Kingdom
|
|
| 2026 | 1,402 | 750 |
| 2025 | 1,394 | 746 |
| 2024 | 1,384 | 741 |
| 2023 | 1,375 | 733 |
| 2022 | 1,362 | 724 |
| 2021 | 1,349 | 717 |
| 2020 | 1,342 | 715 |
| 2019 | 1,334 | 713 |
| 2018 | 1,326 | 710 |
| 2017 | 1,318 | 706 |
| 2016 | 1,310 | 702 |
| 2015 | 1,303 | 697 |
| 2014 | 1,297 | 692 |
| 2013 | 1,292 | 687 |
| 2012 | 1,287 | 682 |
| 2011 | 1,282 | 677 |
| 2010 | 1,276 | 672 |
| 2009 | 1,269 | 667 |
| 2008 | 1,262 | 662 |
| 2007 | 1,257 | 656 |
| 2006 | 1,254 | 651 |
| 2005 | 1,252 | 647 |
| 2004 | 1,249 | 642 |
| 2003 | 1,245 | 639 |
| 2002 | 1,239 | 636 |
| 2001 | 1,231 | 633 |
| 2000 | 1,222 | 630 |
| 1999 | 1,213 | 628 |
| 1998 | 1,205 | 626 |
| 1997 | 1,198 | 624 |
| 1996 | 1,191 | 623 |
| 1995 | 1,186 | 621 |
| 1994 | 1,180 | 619 |
| 1993 | 1,173 | 618 |
| 1992 | 1,165 | 616 |
| 1991 | 1,156 | 615 |
| 1990 | 1,147 | 613 |
| 1989 | 1,139 | 611 |
| 1988 | 1,132 | 609 |
| 1987 | 1,125 | 608 |
| 1986 | 1,118 | 607 |
| 1985 | 1,112 | 605 |
| 1984 | 1,107 | 604 |
| 1983 | 1,102 | 603 |
| 1982 | 1,098 | 603 |
| 1981 | 1,093 | 603 |
| 1980 | 1,086 | 603 |
| 1979 | 1,077 | 602 |
| 1978 | 1,070 | 602 |
| 1977 | 1,063 | 602 |
| 1976 | 1,057 | 602 |
| 1975 | 1,048 | 602 |
| 1974 | 1,039 | 602 |
| 1973 | 1,031 | 602 |
| 1972 | 1,023 | 600 |
| 1971 | 1,012 | 598 |
| 1970 | 1,000 | 596 |
| 1969 | 988 | 594 |
| 1968 | 977 | 591 |
| 1967 | 967 | 588 |
| 1966 | 956 | 585 |
| 1965 | 943 | 582 |
| 1964 | 930 | 578 |
| 1963 | 918 | 574 |
| 1962 | 906 | 570 |
| 1961 | 893 | 565 |
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/united-kingdom | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in the Netherlands increased by 11.8%, compared to a 15.1% growth in the United Kingdom.
In 2006, the Netherlands ranked 15th by population density and is 17th now. The United Kingdom was 35th in 2006 and still ranks 35th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Netherlands
|
United Kingdom
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,402 ppl/mi² | 750 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 17/197 | 35/197 |
| Population |
18252623
|
70154914
|
| Land area | 13,000 sq mi | 93,410 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 20,142 sq ft | 37,618 sq ft |
| Rural population | 4.36% | 16.8% |
| Urban population | 95.6% | 83.2% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 14.2% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Netherlands
|
United Kingdom
|
|
| 2024 | 95.6% | 83.2% |
| 2023 | 95.3% | 83.2% |
| 2022 | 95% | 83.1% |
| 2021 | 94.6% | 83% |
| 2020 | 94.3% | 82.9% |
| 2019 | 93.9% | 82.7% |
| 2018 | 92.6% | 82.4% |
| 2017 | 91.1% | 82.2% |
| 2016 | 90.6% | 82% |
| 2015 | 90.3% | 81.8% |
| 2014 | 89.8% | 81.6% |
| 2013 | 89.2% | 81.5% |
| 2012 | 88.5% | 81.3% |
| 2011 | 88% | 81.1% |
| 2010 | 87.4% | 81% |
| 2009 | 86.2% | 80.9% |
| 2008 | 85.6% | 80.8% |
| 2007 | 85.4% | 80.6% |
| 2006 | 84.7% | 80.5% |
| 2005 | 83.5% | 80.4% |
| 2004 | 82.3% | 80.3% |
| 2003 | 81.3% | 80.2% |
| 2002 | 80.8% | 80.1% |
| 2001 | 80.2% | 80% |
| 2000 | 78.5% | 79.8% |
| 1999 | 77.1% | 79.6% |
| 1998 | 76.8% | 79.4% |
| 1997 | 75.6% | 79.1% |
| 1996 | 72.4% | 78.9% |
| 1995 | 70.7% | 78.7% |
| 1994 | 70.4% | 78.4% |
| 1993 | 69.8% | 78.3% |
| 1992 | 69.3% | 78.2% |
| 1991 | 69.2% | 78.1% |
| 1990 | 69% | 78.1% |
| 1989 | 68.8% | 78.1% |
| 1988 | 68.4% | 78.2% |
| 1987 | 68.2% | 78.3% |
| 1986 | 68% | 78.3% |
| 1985 | 67.6% | 78.4% |
| 1984 | 67.4% | 78.5% |
| 1983 | 66.9% | 78.5% |
| 1982 | 66.5% | 78.6% |
| 1981 | 65.7% | 78.6% |
| 1980 | 65% | 78.6% |
| 1979 | 64.8% | 78.5% |
| 1978 | 64.6% | 78.3% |
| 1977 | 64.6% | 78.1% |
| 1976 | 64.5% | 77.8% |
| 1975 | 64.4% | 77.5% |
| 1974 | 64.2% | 77.3% |
| 1973 | 63.5% | 77.1% |
| 1972 | 63.1% | 77% |
| 1971 | 62.8% | 76.9% |
| 1970 | 62.1% | 76.9% |
| 1969 | 61.8% | 77% |
| 1968 | 61.8% | 77.1% |
| 1967 | 61.6% | 77.2% |
| 1966 | 61.3% | 77.4% |
| 1965 | 61.2% | 77.6% |
| 1964 | 60.9% | 77.8% |
| 1963 | 60.3% | 78% |
| 1962 | 60.3% | 78.2% |
| 1961 | 60.1% | 78.4% |
| 1960 | 59.9% | 78.6% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/netherlands/united-kingdom | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 82.3% to 95.6% in the Netherlands and from 80.3% to 83.2% in the United Kingdom.
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 |
|
United Kingdom
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| London | 8.8M |
| Birmingham | 1.14M |
| Glasgow | 626K |
| Manchester | 548K |
| Leeds | 536K |
| Sheffield | 518K |
| Liverpool | 513K |
| Edinburgh | 488K |
| Bristol | 472K |
| Cardiff | 384K |
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/united-kingdom | 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 (2011–2024, 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.