Skip to content

Population in the Netherlands compared to Nigeria: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of the Netherlands was 17,993,485 in 2024 vs 232,679,478 people in Nigeria in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Netherlands' population is 18,252,623 people compared to 243,824,469 in Nigeria.

Population statistics:

  • Nigeria's population is 13.4 times bigger than the Netherlands'.
  • The Netherlands is ranked the 72nd most populous country in the world, while Nigeria is the 6th.
  • The countries together account for 3.16% of the world: 0.22% for the Netherlands vs 2.94% for Nigeria.
  • For the last 10 years, the Netherlands has had an average growth rate of +0.62% per year vs +2.31% in Nigeria.
  • Since 2006, the population of the Netherlands has increased from 16.3M people to 18.3M (11.7% growth), while Nigeria has grown from 149M to 244M (63.6% growth).

Netherlands vs Nigeria: population by year and forecast

Netherlands
Factual

Projection
Nigeria
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Netherlands Nigeria
2100 17,359,081 481,678,166
2099 17,392,412 481,494,914
2098 17,425,508 481,219,866
2097 17,459,827 480,876,108
2096 17,495,124 480,460,381
2095 17,532,593 479,976,454
2094 17,571,051 479,432,855
2093 17,610,792 478,807,152
2092 17,649,611 478,097,591
2091 17,688,532 477,274,569
2090 17,730,570 476,367,086
2089 17,770,380 475,363,859
2088 17,809,825 474,268,867
2087 17,845,820 473,072,894
2086 17,885,001 471,769,229
2085 17,921,302 470,365,292
2084 17,957,639 468,843,169
2083 17,994,232 467,224,322
2082 18,029,404 465,509,151
2081 18,063,233 463,679,779
2080 18,093,703 461,741,930
2079 18,124,294 459,680,797
2078 18,152,738 457,513,367
2077 18,181,372 455,254,796
2076 18,206,864 452,885,729
2075 18,227,791 450,402,898
2074 18,245,652 447,825,224
2073 18,263,765 445,152,156
2072 18,280,443 442,375,349
2071 18,295,700 439,499,004
2070 18,311,141 436,539,777
2069 18,326,509 433,472,204
2068 18,341,711 430,320,190
2067 18,356,770 427,066,199
2066 18,374,904 423,736,078
2065 18,396,018 420,318,527
2064 18,417,894 416,811,285
2063 18,441,434 413,231,409
2062 18,464,922 409,583,480
2061 18,492,436 405,859,509
2060 18,520,315 402,073,494
2059 18,548,786 398,228,736
2058 18,577,700 394,315,883
2057 18,608,370 390,341,867
2056 18,638,918 386,298,064
2055 18,666,514 382,193,151
2054 18,692,598 378,030,342
2053 18,718,268 373,799,276
2052 18,741,740 369,501,634
2051 18,768,309 365,149,555
2050 18,789,481 360,734,783
2049 18,809,886 356,271,401
2048 18,827,655 351,752,501
2047 18,844,635 347,169,674
2046 18,855,920 342,532,578
2045 18,867,286 337,834,528
2044 18,877,101 333,076,416
2043 18,882,735 328,256,555
2042 18,885,839 323,388,886
2041 18,885,255 318,469,120
2040 18,879,571 313,492,800
2039 18,870,248 308,474,350
2038 18,855,512 303,423,786
2037 18,837,172 298,351,344
2036 18,811,873 293,250,795
2035 18,783,312 288,138,368
2034 18,750,125 283,018,151
2033 18,708,101 277,897,810
2032 18,662,054 272,769,123
2031 18,609,452 267,666,779
2030 18,549,634 262,583,487
2029 18,481,269 257,504,936
2028 18,404,195 252,465,743
2027 18,320,644 247,457,208
2026 18,227,403 242,477,499
2025 18,118,662 237,546,527
2024 17,993,485 232,679,478
2023 17,877,117 227,882,945
2022 17,700,982 223,150,896
2021 17,533,044 218,529,286
2020 17,441,500 213,996,181
2019 17,344,874 209,485,641
2018 17,231,624 204,938,755
2017 17,131,296 200,254,579
2016 17,030,314 195,443,700
2015 16,939,923 190,671,878
2014 16,865,008 185,896,915
2013 16,804,432 181,049,443
2012 16,754,962 176,200,625
2011 16,693,074 171,379,598
2010 16,615,394 166,642,886
2009 16,530,388 162,049,464
2008 16,445,593 157,595,014
2007 16,381,696 153,267,261
2006 16,346,101 149,077,334
2005 16,319,868 145,017,253
2004 16,281,779 141,057,045
2003 16,225,302 137,202,644
2002 16,148,929 133,471,989
2001 16,046,180 129,862,595
2000 15,925,513 126,382,494
1999 15,812,088 123,047,320
1998 15,707,209 119,846,254
1997 15,610,650 116,754,792
1996 15,530,498 113,754,779
1995 15,459,006 110,819,428
1994 15,382,838 107,935,714
1993 15,290,368 105,122,069
1992 15,184,166 102,372,770
1991 15,069,798 99,720,162
1990 14,951,510 97,120,925
1989 14,848,907 94,531,014
1988 14,760,094 92,020,090
1987 14,665,037 89,591,716
1986 14,572,278 87,235,953
1985 14,491,632 84,897,973
1984 14,424,211 82,526,443
1983 14,367,070 80,438,260
1982 14,312,690 78,378,701
1981 14,247,208 76,068,103
1980 14,149,800 73,764,641
1979 14,038,270 71,498,242
1978 13,941,700 69,326,532
1977 13,856,185 67,234,590
1976 13,774,037 65,258,009
1975 13,666,335 63,410,815
1974 13,545,056 61,679,144
1973 13,439,322 60,082,139
1972 13,328,593 58,601,748
1971 13,194,497 57,214,684
1970 13,038,526 55,893,838
1969 12,877,984 54,631,914
1968 12,729,721 53,432,783
1967 12,598,201 52,293,065
1966 12,456,251 51,188,234
1965 12,294,732 50,086,764
1964 12,127,120 49,012,016
1963 11,965,966 47,973,575
1962 11,805,689 46,965,292
1961 11,638,712 45,989,310
1960 11,486,631 45,053,782

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/netherlands/nigeria | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of the Netherlands increased by 684,213 people (a 4.19% growth), while Nigeria gained 46,366,366 people (a 31.1% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, the Netherlands gained 1,222,309 people (a 7.18% growth), while Nigeria's population increased by 48,380,769 people (a 24.8% growth).

The Netherlands was ranked 61st most populous country in 2006 and is 72nd in 2026. Nigeria was ranked 7th in 2006 and ranked 6th now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) the Netherlands' population will grow by 2.94% to 18,789,481 people with a rank change from 72nd to 77th. The population of Nigeria will increase by 47.9% to 360,734,783 people and rank change from 6th to 5th.

The Netherlands is projected to reach its peak in 2042 at 18.9M people compared to the peak of 482M people in 2100 for Nigeria.

Population growth rate by year

Netherlands
Factual

Projection
Nigeria
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Netherlands Nigeria
2100 -0.19% 0.04%
2099 -0.19% 0.06%
2098 -0.2% 0.07%
2097 -0.2% 0.09%
2096 -0.21% 0.1%
2095 -0.22% 0.11%
2094 -0.23% 0.13%
2093 -0.22% 0.15%
2092 -0.22% 0.17%
2091 -0.24% 0.19%
2090 -0.22% 0.21%
2089 -0.22% 0.23%
2088 -0.2% 0.25%
2087 -0.22% 0.28%
2086 -0.2% 0.3%
2085 -0.2% 0.32%
2084 -0.2% 0.35%
2083 -0.2% 0.37%
2082 -0.19% 0.39%
2081 -0.17% 0.42%
2080 -0.17% 0.45%
2079 -0.16% 0.47%
2078 -0.16% 0.5%
2077 -0.14% 0.52%
2076 -0.11% 0.55%
2075 -0.1% 0.58%
2074 -0.1% 0.6%
2073 -0.09% 0.63%
2072 -0.08% 0.65%
2071 -0.08% 0.68%
2070 -0.08% 0.71%
2069 -0.08% 0.73%
2068 -0.08% 0.76%
2067 -0.1% 0.79%
2066 -0.11% 0.81%
2065 -0.12% 0.84%
2064 -0.13% 0.87%
2063 -0.13% 0.89%
2062 -0.15% 0.92%
2061 -0.15% 0.94%
2060 -0.15% 0.97%
2059 -0.16% 0.99%
2058 -0.16% 1.02%
2057 -0.16% 1.05%
2056 -0.15% 1.07%
2055 -0.14% 1.1%
2054 -0.14% 1.13%
2053 -0.13% 1.16%
2052 -0.14% 1.19%
2051 -0.11% 1.22%
2050 -0.11% 1.25%
2049 -0.09% 1.28%
2048 -0.09% 1.32%
2047 -0.06% 1.35%
2046 -0.06% 1.39%
2045 -0.05% 1.43%
2044 -0.03% 1.47%
2043 -0.02% 1.51%
2042 0.003% 1.54%
2041 0.03% 1.59%
2040 0.05% 1.63%
2039 0.08% 1.66%
2038 0.1% 1.7%
2037 0.13% 1.74%
2036 0.15% 1.77%
2035 0.18% 1.81%
2034 0.22% 1.84%
2033 0.25% 1.88%
2032 0.28% 1.91%
2031 0.32% 1.94%
2030 0.37% 1.97%
2029 0.42% 2%
2028 0.46% 2.02%
2027 0.51% 2.05%
2026 0.6% 2.08%
2025 0.7% 2.09%
2024 0.65% 2.1%
2023 1% 2.12%
2022 0.96% 2.11%
2021 0.52% 2.12%
2020 0.56% 2.15%
2019 0.66% 2.22%
2018 0.59% 2.34%
2017 0.59% 2.46%
2016 0.53% 2.5%
2015 0.44% 2.57%
2014 0.36% 2.68%
2013 0.3% 2.75%
2012 0.37% 2.81%
2011 0.47% 2.84%
2010 0.51% 2.83%
2009 0.52% 2.83%
2008 0.39% 2.82%
2007 0.22% 2.81%
2006 0.16% 2.8%
2005 0.23% 2.81%
2004 0.35% 2.81%
2003 0.47% 2.8%
2002 0.64% 2.78%
2001 0.76% 2.75%
2000 0.72% 2.71%
1999 0.67% 2.67%
1998 0.62% 2.65%
1997 0.52% 2.64%
1996 0.46% 2.65%
1995 0.5% 2.67%
1994 0.6% 2.68%
1993 0.7% 2.69%
1992 0.76% 2.66%
1991 0.79% 2.68%
1990 0.69% 2.74%
1989 0.6% 2.73%
1988 0.65% 2.71%
1987 0.64% 2.7%
1986 0.56% 2.75%
1985 0.47% 2.87%
1984 0.4% 2.6%
1983 0.38% 2.63%
1982 0.46% 3.04%
1981 0.69% 3.12%
1980 0.79% 3.17%
1979 0.69% 3.13%
1978 0.62% 3.11%
1977 0.6% 3.03%
1976 0.79% 2.91%
1975 0.9% 2.81%
1974 0.79% 2.66%
1973 0.83% 2.53%
1972 1.02% 2.42%
1971 1.2% 2.36%
1970 1.25% 2.31%
1969 1.16% 2.24%
1968 1.04% 2.18%
1967 1.14% 2.16%
1966 1.31% 2.2%
1965 1.38% 2.19%
1964 1.35% 2.16%
1963 1.36% 2.15%
1962 1.43% 2.12%
1961 1.32% 2.08%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1961–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/netherlands/nigeria | CC BY

In 2024, the population of the Netherlands grew by 0.65%, while Nigeria's population grew by 2.1%.

Live population counters

Netherlands Nigeria
Current population
18252623
243824469
Population rank 72/197 6/197
Percent of world population 0.22% 2.94%
One net population change
4.52 minutes
6.58 seconds
One birth every
3.2 minutes
4.2 seconds
One death every
3.09 minutes
11.8 seconds
Daily growth/decline +319 +13,141
Annual growth/decline +116,368 +4,796,533
Annual growth/decline rate +0.65% +2.1%
Population growth rate rank 121/197 48/197
One migration net change every
5.03 minutes
34.5 minutes
Annual migration change +104,681 -15,258
Net migration rank 16/196 145/196
Foreign-born residents 2,956,518 1,403,281
Foreign-born residents rank 23/195 49/195
Foreign-born share of population 16.2% 0.6%
Foreign-born share rank 40/195 173/195

Natural population change vs migration

Netherlands
Natural

Migration
Nigeria
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Netherlands Nigeria
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - 104,681 - -15,258
2024 - 121,628 - -35,202
2023 -5,363 144,558 4,834,309 -57,936
2022 -1,770 224,472 4,739,502 -51,680
2021 7,014 106,416 4,641,562 -86,115
2020 0 67,598 4,525,164 -14,497
2019 17,345 109,003 4,609,941 -99,722
2018 15,508 87,197 4,659,898 -76,565
2017 18,844 86,332 4,706,183 78,685
2016 23,843 88,743 4,761,594 75,265
2015 23,716 55,585 4,823,045 -116,162
2014 35,417 36,591 4,862,319 -19,376
2013 30,248 19,973 4,811,751 40,201
2012 35,186 14,861 4,774,508 71,138
2011 45,072 31,224 4,728,363 67,808
2010 48,184 33,703 4,629,173 47,966
2009 51,244 39,832 4,528,149 -18,422
2008 49,337 32,406 4,412,976 -13,646
2007 49,145 -304 4,265,428 -9,162
2006 49,038 -25,401 4,135,703 -12,093
2005 50,592 -22,496 4,013,788 -17,146
2004 56,987 -9,230 3,877,376 46,370
2003 58,411 7,937 3,751,120 33,857
2002 59,751 28,824 3,606,814 69,594
2001 62,580 56,096 3,478,370 64,163
2000 66,887 59,308 3,343,196 74,535
1999 60,086 47,179 3,155,425 97,195
1998 61,258 52,058 3,003,946 145,575
1997 56,198 31,302 2,936,500 96,885
1996 51,251 21,792 2,882,205 84,448
1995 54,106 15,056 2,830,771 73,243
1994 61,532 20,193 2,735,198 128,134
1993 58,103 44,514 2,673,675 90,200
1992 66,811 50,148 2,596,173 138,412
1991 69,321 51,670 2,527,807 42,760
1990 68,777 53,564 2,491,928 135,959
1989 59,396 31,165 2,452,324 99,588
1988 61,993 31,026 2,376,419 93,510
1987 64,526 39,559 2,322,397 64,418
1986 59,746 30,380 2,295,003 29,682
1985 55,069 27,356 2,289,784 61,514
1984 54,812 12,902 2,278,060 113,758
1983 51,722 11,007 2,292,089 -507,539
1982 54,388 7,644 2,233,401 101,116
1981 62,688 17,643 2,179,884 106,723
1980 66,504 54,010 2,121,618 198,672
1979 63,172 42,772 2,074,807 137,721
1978 61,344 26,639 2,019,621 111,258
1977 63,739 19,809 1,923,917 129,075
1976 63,361 18,774 1,827,289 72,889
1975 64,232 68,569 1,718,623 75,603
1974 75,853 31,645 1,624,813 44,281
1973 84,668 18,705 1,525,485 -618
1972 101,297 17,470 1,448,928 -12,962
1971 116,112 32,756 1,373,896 -35,639
1970 129,082 32,438 1,295,507 7,953
1969 139,082 21,850 1,213,484 6,912
1968 132,389 7,243 1,168,254 9,615
1967 138,580 -10,673 1,082,884 18,683
1966 138,265 20,740 1,095,582 12,513
1965 146,308 19,444 1,061,840 32,988
1964 157,653 15,014 1,028,272 26,411
1963 154,361 -21 995,116 27,115
1962 153,474 18,024 966,452 27,906
1961 159,450 8,258 932,111 25,515
1960 151,623 -13,235 901,301 12,131

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/netherlands/nigeria | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 11.8% of the population change in the Netherlands is from natural causes (a gain of 134,554 people) and 88.2% is from migration (a gain of 1,006,495 people). In Nigeria 99.2% is from natural causes (a gain of 47,163,517 people) and 0.77% is from migration (a loss of 368,103 people).

As of 2024, 2,956,518 residents or 16.2% of the population were not native-born in the Netherlands, compared to 1,403,281 people or 0.6% in Nigeria.

Biggest cities by population

Netherlands
City Population
Amsterdam 921K
Rotterdam 664K
The Hague 548K
Utrecht 359K
Eindhoven 244K
Groningen 238K
Tilburg 228K
Almere 215K
Breda 188K
Nijmegen 177K
Nigeria
City Population
Lagos 15.1M
Kano 4.35M
Port Harcourt 3.32M
Ibadan 2.55M
Benin 1.78M
Abuja 1.69M
Onitsha 1.48M
Maiduguri 1.2M
Aba 1.16M
Enugu 1.03M

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population/netherlands/nigeria | 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:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. 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.