The population of the Netherlands rose to 18,131,238 by the end of 2025, according to figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS), an increase of 87,211 residents over the year. Official data show that population growth is now entirely driven by migration, as deaths once again exceeded births.
Growth slowed to less than 0.05%, marking the third consecutive year of declining population expansion. While the Netherlands previously recorded annual increases of more than 100,000 people, the slowdown reflects reduced immigration, record-high emigration, and an aging population.
In 2025, nearly 307,000 people immigrated to the Netherlands, while about 212,000 emigrated, resulting in net migration of roughly 95,000. This was down from 108,000 the year before. Migration from European countries declined further, with fewer arrivals from Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Russia, and the UK. Net migration from Africa rose slightly to 16,000, while net Asian migration fell to 55,000—due to lower inflows from China, India, and Iran.
Emigration reached a record level, driven largely by former migrant workers and international students leaving the country. Meanwhile, demographic pressures intensified as deaths reached 173,338, exceeding the 165,863 births recorded in 2025. The Netherlands now has more residents over 65 than under 20.
A new minority coalition government formed by the progressive-liberal D66, Christian-democratic CDA, and liberal VVD has earmarked migration as one of its priority issues, as well as affordable housing.
However, writing for europeanconservative.com in December, NieuwRechts editor Daniel de Liever stressed that its three parties
were central in shaping the policies that produced the crises now dominating Dutch politics: mass migration, the farmer and nitrogen crisis, the housing shortage, and accelerating climate regulation.
