Netherlands vs United Kingdom
Netherlands vs United Kingdom: Urban population
Urban population in 2025: 95.9% in Netherlands and 83.3% in United Kingdom, by UN estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Netherlands, by 12.6 percentage points, or 1.15 times that in United Kingdom.
% of people · UN
What the numbers say
- Netherlands has been higher since 2001, when it overtook United Kingdom.
- In 2025, Netherlands ranked 17 and United Kingdom ranked 54 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) puts Netherlands at 98.9% and United Kingdom at 84.4% in 2050.
Every year
% of people · UN
| Year | Netherlands | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 95.9 | 83.3 |
| 2024 | 95.6 | 83.2 |
| 2023 | 95.3 | 83.2 |
| 2022 | 95 | 83.1 |
| 2021 | 94.6 | 83 |
| 2020 | 94.3 | 82.9 |
| 2019 | 93.9 | 82.7 |
| 2018 | 92.6 | 82.5 |
| 2017 | 91.1 | 82.2 |
| 2016 | 90.6 | 82 |
| 2015 | 90.3 | 81.8 |
| 2014 | 89.8 | 81.6 |
| 2013 | 89.2 | 81.5 |
| 2012 | 88.5 | 81.3 |
| 2011 | 88 | 81.1 |
| 2010 | 87.4 | 81 |
| 2009 | 86.2 | 80.9 |
| 2008 | 85.6 | 80.8 |
| 2007 | 85.4 | 80.7 |
| 2006 | 84.7 | 80.6 |
| 2005 | 83.5 | 80.5 |
| 2004 | 82.3 | 80.3 |
| 2003 | 81.3 | 80.2 |
| 2002 | 80.8 | 80.1 |
| 2001 | 80.2 | 80 |
| 2000 | 78.5 | 79.8 |
| 1999 | 77.1 | 79.6 |
| 1998 | 76.8 | 79.4 |
| 1997 | 75.6 | 79.1 |
| 1996 | 72.4 | 78.9 |
| 1995 | 70.7 | 78.7 |
| 1994 | 70.4 | 78.5 |
| 1993 | 69.8 | 78.3 |
| 1992 | 69.3 | 78.2 |
| 1991 | 69.2 | 78.1 |
| 1990 | 69 | 78.1 |
| 1989 | 68.8 | 78.1 |
| 1988 | 68.4 | 78.2 |
| 1987 | 68.2 | 78.3 |
| 1986 | 68 | 78.3 |
| 1985 | 67.6 | 78.4 |
| 1984 | 67.4 | 78.5 |
| 1983 | 66.9 | 78.5 |
| 1982 | 66.5 | 78.6 |
| 1981 | 65.7 | 78.6 |
| 1980 | 65 | 78.6 |
| 1979 | 64.8 | 78.5 |
| 1978 | 64.6 | 78.3 |
| 1977 | 64.6 | 78.1 |
| 1976 | 64.5 | 77.8 |
| 1975 | 64.4 | 77.6 |
| 1974 | 64.2 | 77.3 |
| 1973 | 63.5 | 77.1 |
| 1972 | 63.1 | 77 |
| 1971 | 62.8 | 76.9 |
| 1970 | 62.1 | 76.9 |
| 1969 | 61.8 | 77 |
| 1968 | 61.8 | 77.1 |
| 1967 | 61.6 | 77.2 |
| 1966 | 61.3 | 77.4 |
| 1965 | 61.2 | 77.6 |
| 1964 | 60.9 | 77.8 |
| 1963 | 60.3 | 78 |
| 1962 | 60.3 | 78.2 |
| 1961 | 60.1 | 78.4 |
| 1960 | 59.9 | 78.6 |
| 1959 | 59.8 | 78.8 |
| 1958 | 59.2 | 79 |
| 1957 | 58.7 | 79.3 |
| 1956 | 58.6 | 79.5 |
| 1955 | 58.5 | 79.8 |
| 1954 | 58.1 | 80 |
| 1953 | 57.3 | 80.1 |
| 1952 | 57 | 80.2 |
| 1951 | 57 | 80.3 |
| 1950 | 56.6 | 80.3 |
UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) · 2026–2050
| Year | Netherlands | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 96.2 | 83.4 |
| 2027 | 96.5 | 83.5 |
| 2028 | 96.7 | 83.6 |
| 2029 | 97 | 83.6 |
| 2030 | 97.2 | 83.7 |
| 2031 | 97.4 | 83.8 |
| 2032 | 97.6 | 83.8 |
| 2033 | 97.7 | 83.9 |
| 2034 | 97.9 | 83.9 |
| 2035 | 98 | 84 |
| 2036 | 98.2 | 84.1 |
| 2037 | 98.3 | 84.1 |
| 2038 | 98.4 | 84.2 |
| 2039 | 98.5 | 84.2 |
| 2040 | 98.6 | 84.2 |
| 2041 | 98.6 | 84.3 |
| 2042 | 98.7 | 84.3 |
| 2043 | 98.7 | 84.3 |
| 2044 | 98.8 | 84.4 |
| 2045 | 98.8 | 84.4 |
| 2046 | 98.9 | 84.4 |
| 2047 | 98.9 | 84.4 |
| 2048 | 98.9 | 84.4 |
| 2049 | 98.9 | 84.4 |
| 2050 | 98.9 | 84.4 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of people living in places the country itself counts as urban.
- Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Netherlands vs United Kingdom
Health
- Life expectancyNetherlands: 82.2 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityNetherlands: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024United Kingdom: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityNetherlands: 3.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Kingdom: 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterNetherlands: 100% in 2022United Kingdom: 99.8% in 2022
- DepressionNetherlands: 4.03% in 2017United Kingdom: 4.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateNetherlands: 9.2 per 100,000 people in 2017United Kingdom: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationNetherlands: 18.1 million people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthNetherlands: 0.81% a year in 2023United Kingdom: 0.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateNetherlands: 1.43 births per woman in 2023United Kingdom: 1.56 births per woman in 2023
- Median ageNetherlands: 41.4 years in 2023United Kingdom: 39.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overNetherlands: 20.2% in 2023United Kingdom: 19.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateNetherlands: 8 per 1,000 people in 2023United Kingdom: 6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personNetherlands: $51,820 in 2025United Kingdom: $48,420 in 2025
- GDP growthNetherlands: 1.6% a year in 2025United Kingdom: 1.2% a year in 2025
- InflationNetherlands: 3% a year in 2025United Kingdom: 3.4% a year in 2025
- Government debtNetherlands: 44.7% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 102.1% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingNetherlands: 2.2% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 2.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsNetherlands: $27B in 2025United Kingdom: $88B in 2025
- Military spending per personNetherlands: $1,582 in 2025United Kingdom: $1,283 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingNetherlands: 4.8% of government spending in 2025United Kingdom: 5.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelNetherlands: 41,000 people in 2020United Kingdom: 153,000 people in 2020
- National powerNetherlands: 0.38% of world capability in 2022United Kingdom: 1.25% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersNetherlands: 0.42% of the labour force in 2020United Kingdom: 0.45% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsNetherlands: 824 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 609 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsNetherlands: 601 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 702 million TIV in 2025