MigrantoImmigrants in the Netherlands
2.4M foreigners live in the Netherlands — 14% of the country's population
Immigrants in the Netherlands by country
The 3 largest groups make up 25% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| Turkey | 217388 |
| Poland | 210981 |
| Suriname | 177165 |
| Morocco | 176423 |
| Syria | 153160 |
| Germany | 125024 |
| Ukraine | 120222 |
| Indonesia | 100339 |
| China | 82477 |
| India | 76806 |
| Belgium | 67931 |
| United Kingdom | 62657 |
| Bulgaria | 58481 |
| Romania | 55421 |
| Iraq | 48412 |
| Italy | 48307 |
| Iran | 44869 |
| Spain | 43909 |
| USA | 43208 |
| Afghanistan | 42853 |
| France | 38275 |
| Russia | 36095 |
| Brazil | 34662 |
| South Africa | 31024 |
| Greece | 30769 |
| Bosnia | 28178 |
| Eritrea | 27133 |
| Portugal | 25933 |
| Somalia | 25826 |
| Aruba | 23381 |
| Hungary | 22720 |
| Ethiopia | 22584 |
| Egypt | 20227 |
| Philippines | 19667 |
| Colombia | 19517 |
| Pakistan | 18061 |
| Thailand | 17831 |
| Ghana | 16779 |
| Vietnam | 16343 |
| Curaçao | 3159 |
By region of origin
40% of immigrants come from Europe
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Key facts
Immigrants in the Netherlands in numbers
69% of all emigrants from Suriname live in the Netherlands
No other country has more people born in Suriname.
1 in 4 people born in Suriname lives in the Netherlands
177.2K people born in Suriname live in the Netherlands — 27.93% of the population of Suriname.
Immigration drives population growth
45% of the population growth of the Netherlands since 1990 came from immigrants.
People born in Poland are the fastest-growing group
The number of people born in Poland living in the Netherlands has grown 86% since 2015, from 113.4K to 211K.
The map of origins has changed since 1990
7 countries have entered the top 20 origins since 1990: Syria, Ukraine, Bulgaria. Syria climbed from outside the top 20 to #5.
The immigrant population has grown 25% since 2020
The number of foreigners living in the Netherlands rose from 1.9M to 2.4M in four years.
Immigrant population in the Netherlands over time
Foreigners living in the Netherlands, by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 1060118 |
| 1995 | 1146577 |
| 2000 | 1254110 |
| 2005 | 1373495 |
| 2010 | 1483634 |
| 2015 | 1587943 |
| 2020 | 1942822 |
| 2024 | 2434197 |
Largest groups over time
The 5 largest groups in the Netherlands, by year
| Year | Turks | Poles | Surinamese | Moroccans | Syrians |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 156544 | 10219 | 170264 | 128222 | 1571 |
| 1995 | 166756 | 13221 | 180929 | 140272 | 2540 |
| 2000 | 179820 | 16763 | 185665 | 154195 | 4493 |
| 2005 | 195962 | 27403 | 189795 | 168600 | 6674 |
| 2010 | 197120 | 62077 | 186582 | 167568 | 7027 |
| 2015 | 191653 | 113415 | 180157 | 168524 | 26792 |
| 2020 | 199017 | 159749 | 178623 | 172458 | 94377 |
| 2024 | 217388 | 210981 | 177165 | 176423 | 153160 |
Fastest-changing groups
How each group's numbers have changed since the selected year
Share of each diaspora living in the Netherlands
Of each group's emigrants worldwide, the share who live in the Netherlands
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many foreigners live in the Netherlands?
Around 2.4M immigrants live in the Netherlands — the world's #28 largest immigrant population.
What percentage of the population of the Netherlands are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 14% of the population of the Netherlands — that's 2.4M out of a total population of 18M.
Where do most immigrants in the Netherlands come from?
Most immigrants in the Netherlands come from Turkey, Poland and Suriname — these three countries account for about 25% of all immigrants.
How many Turks live in the Netherlands?
Around 217.4K Turks live in the Netherlands — about 9% of all immigrants, the largest group.
Is the immigrant population in the Netherlands growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of immigrants in the Netherlands has grown from 1.6M to 2.4M, about 53%.
Where does the data on immigrants in the Netherlands come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born abroad who now live in the Netherlands. Their children born in the Netherlands are not included.
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Living in the Netherlands
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