Side by side
the European Union and the Netherlands
The same question asked of every column. Numbers that break down by age or sex follow the controls; the rest stay country-wide and say so.
The widest gap is Disposable income per person: the Netherlands €34,466 against the European Union €22,939, 50.3% apart.
One question per row
People
Money and work
Family and home
Health and daily life
Education
Public spending
Country and infrastructure
Environment
Where €100 of public spending goes
Every euro each general government spends, sorted into the ten functions all 27 countries report against. Open a row for the ranking of 27 and what sits inside it.
the European Union
the Netherlands
Reference year 2024. Total public spending €100.00 in every column, so the ten shares always add up to one hundred.
Frequently asked: the European Union and the Netherlands
Which covers more ground: the European Union or the Netherlands?
The gap is 113×: the European Union 4,225,104, the Netherlands 37,391. Total area of the country, inland water included. Eurostat · Land area & People per square kilometre · 2026. See the figure
Where do more people live: the European Union or the Netherlands?
The gap is 24.97×: the European Union 450.6m, the Netherlands 18m. People usually resident in the country on 1 January. Eurostat · People & Women in the population · 2025. See the figure
Which is more crowded: the European Union or the Netherlands?
The gap is 4.83×: the Netherlands 531, the European Union 110. People per square kilometre of that total area. Eurostat · Land area & People per square kilometre · 2026. See the figure
Where are there more hospital beds per 100,000 people: the European Union or the Netherlands?
The gap is 2.29×: the European Union 507, the Netherlands 221. Beds available in hospitals, per 100,000 residents. Eurostat · Hospital beds · 2024. See the figure
Which spends a larger share on protecting the environment: the European Union or the Netherlands?
The gap is 1.9 points: the Netherlands 3.6%, the European Union 1.7%. Waste and waste water, pollution control, biodiversity and landscape protection. Eurostat · Public spending by function · 2024. See the figure
Where is there more railway per 1,000 km²: the European Union or the Netherlands?
The gap is 82.4%: the Netherlands 89.5, the European Union 49.1. Railway line in use for every 1,000 square kilometres of the country. Eurostat · Railway network & Railway density · 2024. See the figure
Where is unemployment higher: the European Union or the Netherlands?
The gap is 2.1 points: the European Union 6.0%, the Netherlands 3.9%. Share of 15 to 74 year olds in the labour force who are without work and looking for it. Eurostat · Out of work · 2025. See the figure
Where are there more university students per 1,000 people: the European Union or the Netherlands?
The gap is 27.4%: the Netherlands 54.0, the European Union 42.4. People in higher education, per 1,000 residents. Eurostat · University students & Students per 1,000 people · 2024. See the figure
Where does more energy come from renewables: the European Union or the Netherlands?
The gap is 3.5 points: the European Union 26.2%, the Netherlands 22.7%. Share of final energy use that comes from renewable sources. Eurostat · Renewable energy · 2025. See the figure
Where do more households have children: the European Union or the Netherlands?
The gap is 2.8 points: the European Union 28.7%, the Netherlands 25.9%. Share of private households with at least one dependent child. Eurostat · Households with children · 2025. See the figure
Medians where possible, per-capita averages for spending. This person is a composite of published statistics, not the most common person in the country.