Regions of Netherlands (NUTS 2) by population, 2025

Zuid-Holland had the highest population of 12 regions in 2025, at 3.86 million. Zeeland had the lowest, at 392,969. The median was 1.17 million and the figure for the Netherlands was 18.04 million. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest3,863,397Zuid-Holland
Lowest392,969Zeeland
Median1,165,55912 regions
Netherlands18,044,027History

All regions, 2025

CSVChart (SVG)

Zuid-HollandZuid-Holland: 3,863,397 persons3,863,397Noord-HollandNoord-Holland: 2,992,016 persons2,992,016Noord-BrabantNoord-Brabant: 2,664,047 persons2,664,047GelderlandGelderland: 2,161,358 persons2,161,358UtrechtUtrecht: 1,409,144 persons1,409,144OverijsselOverijssel: 1,195,789 persons1,195,789Limburg (NL)Limburg (NL): 1,135,328 persons1,135,328Friesland (NL)Friesland (NL): 664,222 persons664,222GroningenGroningen: 602,833 persons602,833DrentheDrenthe: 506,529 persons506,529FlevolandFlevoland: 456,395 persons456,395ZeelandZeeland: 392,969 persons392,969
persons. Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankRegions2025
persons
Change on 2024
1Zuid-Holland3,863,397+0.6%
2Noord-Holland2,992,016+0.5%
3Noord-Brabant2,664,047+0.7%
4Gelderland2,161,358+0.6%
5Utrecht1,409,144+0.6%
6Overijssel1,195,789+0.6%
7Limburg (NL)1,135,328+0.2%
8Friesland (NL)664,222+0.4%
9Groningen602,833+0.2%
10Drenthe506,529+0.5%
11Flevoland456,395+1.2%
12Zeeland392,969+0.3%

Other periods

About this ranking

Resident population. Spain and the EU: 1 January, with Spanish figures from the official municipal register (PadrĂ³n). United States: Census Bureau population estimates for 1 July. Other countries and the World: World Bank mid-year estimates, which count all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.

For Denmark, Statistics Denmark counts the registered resident population on 1 January. Greenland and the Faroe Islands are excluded. The annual series selects the first-quarter reference date from FOLK1A. The World Bank series exists for every country, so use it (through compare) to rank countries on one basis.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the regions are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Eurostat. Population on 1 January by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_pjanaggr3). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/demo_r_pjanaggr3/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which region has the highest population?

Zuid-Holland, with 3.86 million in 2025, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which region has the lowest population?

Zeeland, with 392,969 in 2025.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Eurostat, European Commission, Population on 1 January by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_pjanaggr3). Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Population: other rankings

Regions of Netherlands (NUTS 2): more rankings