Data / Rankings / Population / Regions of Netherlands (NUTS 2)

Regions of Netherlands (NUTS 2) by population

Zuid-Holland had the highest population of 12 regions in 2021, at 3.73 million. Zeeland had the lowest, at 385,400. The median was 1.14 million and the figure for the Netherlands was 17.48 million. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest3,726,050Zuid-Holland
Lowest385,400Zeeland
Median1,141,20312 regions
Netherlands17,475,415History

All regions, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

Zuid-HollandZuid-Holland: 3,726,050 persons3,726,050Noord-HollandNoord-Holland: 2,888,486 persons2,888,486Noord-BrabantNoord-Brabant: 2,573,949 persons2,573,949GelderlandGelderland: 2,096,603 persons2,096,603UtrechtUtrecht: 1,361,153 persons1,361,153OverijsselOverijssel: 1,166,533 persons1,166,533Limburg (NL)Limburg (NL): 1,115,872 persons1,115,872Friesland (NL)Friesland (NL): 651,435 persons651,435GroningenGroningen: 586,937 persons586,937DrentheDrenthe: 494,771 persons494,771FlevolandFlevoland: 428,226 persons428,226ZeelandZeeland: 385,400 persons385,400
persons. Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankRegions2021
persons		Change on 2020
1Zuid-Holland3,726,050+0.5%
2Noord-Holland2,888,486+0.3%
3Noord-Brabant2,573,949+0.4%
4Gelderland2,096,603+0.5%
5Utrecht1,361,153+0.5%
6Overijssel1,166,533+0.4%
7Limburg (NL)1,115,872-0.1%
8Friesland (NL)651,435+0.2%
9Groningen586,937+0.2%
10Drenthe494,771+0.2%
11Flevoland428,226+1.2%
12Zeeland385,400+0.5%

Other periods

About this ranking

Resident population. Spain and the EU: 1 January, with Spanish figures from the official municipal register (Padrón). 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 3.73 million in 2021, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which region has the lowest population?

Zeeland, with 385,400 in 2021.

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