Provinces of the Netherlands: population and official figures
the Netherlands is divided into 12 provinces. The largest by population is South Holland with 3,882,708 people (21.4% of the total); the smallest is Zeeland with 394,538. Each page sets the region's economy, jobs, incomes, poverty, health and education figures from Eurostat beside the national and EU figures.
Who governs the Netherlands's provinces?
Provinces (12): Provincial council (Provinciale Staten) elected every four years; King's Commissioner appointed by the Crown. Spatial planning, nature, regional transport, supervising municipalities. Provincial councillors also elect the Senate.
How local power works in the Netherlands · Level 5: devolved and state governments worldwide
All 12 provinces, largest first
| # | Province | Population | Year | GDP per person (PPS) | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Holland | 3,882,708 | 2026 | 51,500 | 4.8% |
| 2 | North Holland | 3,009,386 | 2026 | 69,900 | 3.8% |
| 3 | North Brabant | 2,676,955 | 2026 | 55,400 | 3.5% |
| 4 | Gelderland | 2,173,349 | 2026 | 45,700 | 3.4% |
| 5 | Utrecht | 1,415,104 | 2026 | 64,900 | 3.8% |
| 6 | Overijssel | 1,202,375 | 2026 | 46,400 | 3.7% |
| 7 | Limburg (NL) | 1,138,374 | 2026 | 44,100 | 3.0% |
| 8 | Friesland (NL) | 665,208 | 2026 | 39,100 | 4.0% |
| 9 | Groningen | 601,286 | 2026 | 46,800 | 4.5% |
| 10 | Drenthe | 508,109 | 2026 | 38,300 | 3.6% |
| 11 | Flevoland | 462,816 | 2026 | 41,300 | 3.7% |
| 12 | Zeeland | 394,538 | 2026 | 45,100 | 2.2% |
Cities: the largest cities of the Netherlands.
More on the Netherlands: official statistics · government and power · local power
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_d2jan: Population on 1 January, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1572e74fa245…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_d3dens: Population density, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f4b59fe9d121…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_fagec: Live births, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6a1490d549d5…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_magec: Deaths, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d4821a589633…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_mlifexp: Life expectancy at birth, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 62800ed9bbb3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_04: Adults (25-64) with a degree-level education, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6ff9f4bfff72…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_peps11n: At risk of poverty or social exclusion, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 94dcf245d20e…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset isoc_r_broad_h: Households with broadband, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b02c9a1ef222…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.