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Population density: Netherlands vs Vanuatu compared

Updated on by Georank team

The Netherlands has a population density of 1,402 people per square mile compared to 72.8 people in Vanuatu. The Netherlands has 22,360 sq ft of land per person vs 400,309 sq ft in Vanuatu. The Netherlands and Vanuatu rank 17th and 160th 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 0.004% of the population and 0.008% of the land area for Vanuatu, making the population density in the Netherlands 1,825% higher than in Vanuatu.

Population density by year

Netherlands
Vanuatu

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Netherlands Vanuatu
2026 1,402 72.8
2025 1,394 71.2
2024 1,384 69.6
2023 1,375 68.1
2022 1,362 66.5
2021 1,349 65
2020 1,342 63.5
2019 1,334 62
2018 1,326 60.6
2017 1,318 59.2
2016 1,310 57.8
2015 1,303 56.5
2014 1,297 55.3
2013 1,292 54.1
2012 1,287 52.9
2011 1,282 51.7
2010 1,276 50.6
2009 1,269 49.4
2008 1,262 48.2
2007 1,257 47
2006 1,254 45.9
2005 1,252 44.8
2004 1,249 43.7
2003 1,245 42.7
2002 1,239 41.6
2001 1,231 40.6
2000 1,222 39.6
1999 1,213 38.7
1998 1,205 37.9
1997 1,198 37.1
1996 1,191 36.3
1995 1,186 35.5
1994 1,180 34.7
1993 1,173 33.9
1992 1,165 33.1
1991 1,156 32.3
1990 1,147 31.5
1989 1,139 30.7
1988 1,132 29.9
1987 1,125 29.1
1986 1,118 28.4
1985 1,112 27.7
1984 1,107 27
1983 1,102 26.3
1982 1,098 25.7
1981 1,093 25.1
1980 1,086 24.6
1979 1,077 24
1978 1,070 23.4
1977 1,063 22.7
1976 1,057 22
1975 1,048 21.3
1974 1,039 20.7
1973 1,031 20
1972 1,023 19.5
1971 1,012 18.9
1970 1,000 18.3
1969 988 17.8
1968 977 17.3
1967 967 16.8
1966 956 16.3
1965 943 15.8
1964 930 15.3
1963 918 14.9
1962 906 14.5
1961 893 14.1

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/vanuatu | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in the Netherlands increased by 11.8%, compared to a 58.7% growth in Vanuatu.

In 2006, the Netherlands ranked 15th by population density and is 17th now. Vanuatu was 159th in 2006 and ranks 160th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Netherlands
Vanuatu
1x
Year Urban population
Netherlands Vanuatu
2024 95.6% 22.3%
2023 95.3% 22.3%
2022 95% 22.3%
2021 94.6% 22.3%
2020 94.3% 22.4%
2019 93.9% 23.5%
2018 92.6% 24.3%
2017 91.1% 24.8%
2016 90.6% 24.9%
2015 90.3% 24.9%
2014 89.8% 24.9%
2013 89.2% 24.8%
2012 88.5% 24.8%
2011 88% 24.8%
2010 87.4% 24.7%
2009 86.2% 24.3%
2008 85.6% 23.9%
2007 85.4% 23.6%
2006 84.7% 23.3%
2005 83.5% 23%
2004 82.3% 22.7%
2003 81.3% 22.5%
2002 80.8% 22.2%
2001 80.2% 21.9%
2000 78.5% 21.7%
1999 77.1% 21.4%
1998 76.8% 21.1%
1997 75.6% 20.8%
1996 72.4% 20.5%
1995 70.7% 20.2%
1994 70.4% 20%
1993 69.8% 19.7%
1992 69.3% 19.4%
1991 69.2% 19.1%
1990 69% 18.8%
1989 68.8% 18.4%
1988 68.4% 18.1%
1987 68.2% 17.7%
1986 68% 17.3%
1985 67.6% 16.9%
1984 67.4% 16.5%
1983 66.9% 16%
1982 66.5% 15.6%
1981 65.7% 15.2%
1980 65% 14.8%
1979 64.8% 14.4%
1978 64.6% 14%
1977 64.6% 13.6%
1976 64.5% 13.2%
1975 64.4% 12.8%
1974 64.2% 12.5%
1973 63.5% 12.1%
1972 63.1% 11.7%
1971 62.8% 11.4%
1970 62.1% 11%
1969 61.8% 10.7%
1968 61.8% 10.3%
1967 61.6% 9.99%
1966 61.3% 9.69%
1965 61.2% 9.39%
1964 60.9% 9.1%
1963 60.3% 8.81%
1962 60.3% 8.53%
1961 60.1% 8.25%
1960 59.9% 7.98%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 82.3% to 95.6% in the Netherlands and from 22.7% to 22.3% in Vanuatu.

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

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/vanuatu | 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 (2021–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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