Which covers more ground: the Netherlands or Germany?

The gap is 9.56×: Germany 357,569, the Netherlands 37,391. Total area of the country, inland water included. reg_area3 · 2026.

Where do more people live: the Netherlands or Germany?

The gap is 4.63×: Germany 83.6m, the Netherlands 18m. People usually resident in the country on 1 January. demo_pjan · 2025.

Which spends a larger share on protecting the environment: the Netherlands or Germany?

The gap is 2.5 points: the Netherlands 3.6%, Germany 1.2%. Waste and waste water, pollution control, biodiversity and landscape protection. gov_10a_exp · 2024.

Which has more forest: the Netherlands or Germany?

The gap is 21.6 points: Germany 32.5%, the Netherlands 10.9%. Share of the land area under forest. for_area · 2025.

Where are there more hospital beds per 100,000 people: the Netherlands or Germany?

The gap is 3.43×: Germany 759, the Netherlands 221. Beds available in hospitals, per 100,000 residents. hlth_rs_bds1 · 2024.

Which is more crowded: the Netherlands or Germany?

The gap is 2.24×: the Netherlands 531, Germany 237. People per square kilometre of that total area. reg_area3 · 2026.

Where do housing costs eat more of the income: the Netherlands or Germany?

The gap is 4.7 points: Germany 11.2%, the Netherlands 6.5%. Share whose housing costs exceed 40% of their disposable income. ilc_lvho07a · 2025.

Where do more people own their home: the Netherlands or Germany?

The gap is 21.6 points: the Netherlands 68.8%, Germany 47.2%. Share of people living in a home owned by their household, mortgaged or outright. ilc_lvho02 · 2025.

Which government owes more: the Netherlands or Germany?

The gap is 19.1 points: Germany 63.5%, the Netherlands 44.4%. Consolidated gross debt of the general government, against GDP. gov_10dd_edpt1 · 2025.

Where are there more university students per 1,000 people: the Netherlands or Germany?

The gap is 37.8%: the Netherlands 54.0, Germany 39.2. People in higher education, per 1,000 residents. educ_uoe_enrt01 · 2024.

Side by side

the Netherlands and Germany

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.

Swap sides

the Netherlands

Germany

Add a country

The widest gap is Housing costs over 40% of income: Germany 11.2% against the Netherlands 6.5%, 4.7 points apart.

Ageall ages

Sex

Household

One question per row

Figure

the Netherlands

Germany

People

Median age2.9 years

42.6 years

45.5 years

Life expectancy at birth0.7 years

81.9 years

81.2 years

People4.63×

18m

83.6m

People per square kilometre2.24×

531 per km²

237 per km²

Women in the population0.4 points

50.2%

50.7%

Born abroad3.7 points

16.8%

20.5%

Born outside the EU0.6 points

12.4%

13.0%

Money and work

Disposable income per person19.3%

€34,466

€28,891

Average net income14.0%

€37,983

€33,324

Take-home pay, average-wage worker11.7%

€40,793

€36,535

Gross pay, average-wage worker4.5%

€60,636

€58,008

Minimum wage0.2%

€2,338

€2,343

In work, age 20 to 642.3 points

83.4%

81.1%

Out of work0.1 points

3.9%

3.8%

Hours worked a week2.0 hours

33.0 hours

35.0 hours

At risk of poverty2.7 points

13.4%

16.1%

Housing costs over 40% of income4.7 points

6.5%

11.2%

GDP per person19.3%

€64,710

€54,240

Family and home

People at home5.0%

2.1

2.0

Households with children2.5 points

25.9%

23.4%

Children per woman5.1%

1.43

1.36

Own their home21.6 points

68.8%

47.2%

Health and daily life

Hospital beds3.43×

221 per 100,000 people

759 per 100,000 people

Doctors19.9%

397 per 100,000 people

476 per 100,000 people

Nurses9.3%

1,133 per 100,000 people

1,237 per 100,000 people

Education

With a degree10.7 points

46.1%

35.4%

Students per 1,000 people37.8%

54.0 per 1,000 people

39.2 per 1,000 people

Public spending

Public spending on them8.4%

€27,783

€25,639

Tax raised per person16.2%

€24,633

€21,194

Government debt19.1 points

44.4%

63.5%

Country and infrastructure

Land area9.56×

37,391 km²

357,569 km²

Railway density22.6%

89.5 per 1,000 km²

109.8 per 1,000 km²

Motorway density2.21×

82.6 per 1,000 km²

37.4 per 1,000 km²

Cars per 1,000 people14.3%

519 per 1,000 people

593 per 1,000 people

Households with internet5.7 points

99.3%

93.6%

Tourist nights per resident53.7%

8.1

5.27

Environment

Renewable energy1.2 points

22.7%

23.9%

Land under forest21.6 points

10.9%

32.5%

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 Netherlands

Germany

Function

the Netherlands

Germany

9.3%

13.0%

3.7%

2.7%

4.3%

3.3%

9.9%

11.0%

3.6%

1.2%

1.4%

1.0%

16.4%

15.4%

2.7%

2.2%

11.5%

9.1%

37.3%

41.3%

Reference year 2024. Total public spending €100.00 in every column, so the ten shares always add up to one hundred.

Frequently asked: the Netherlands and Germany

Which covers more ground: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 9.56×: Germany 357,569, the Netherlands 37,391. Total area of the country, inland water included. reg_area3 · 2026. See the figure
Where do more people live: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 4.63×: Germany 83.6m, the Netherlands 18m. People usually resident in the country on 1 January. demo_pjan · 2025. See the figure
Which spends a larger share on protecting the environment: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 2.5 points: the Netherlands 3.6%, Germany 1.2%. Waste and waste water, pollution control, biodiversity and landscape protection. gov_10a_exp · 2024. See the figure
Which has more forest: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 21.6 points: Germany 32.5%, the Netherlands 10.9%. Share of the land area under forest. for_area · 2025. See the figure
Where are there more hospital beds per 100,000 people: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 3.43×: Germany 759, the Netherlands 221. Beds available in hospitals, per 100,000 residents. hlth_rs_bds1 · 2024. See the figure
Which is more crowded: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 2.24×: the Netherlands 531, Germany 237. People per square kilometre of that total area. reg_area3 · 2026. See the figure
Where do housing costs eat more of the income: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 4.7 points: Germany 11.2%, the Netherlands 6.5%. Share whose housing costs exceed 40% of their disposable income. ilc_lvho07a · 2025. See the figure
Where do more people own their home: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 21.6 points: the Netherlands 68.8%, Germany 47.2%. Share of people living in a home owned by their household, mortgaged or outright. ilc_lvho02 · 2025. See the figure
Which government owes more: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 19.1 points: Germany 63.5%, the Netherlands 44.4%. Consolidated gross debt of the general government, against GDP. gov_10dd_edpt1 · 2025. See the figure
Where are there more university students per 1,000 people: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 37.8%: the Netherlands 54.0, Germany 39.2. People in higher education, per 1,000 residents. educ_uoe_enrt01 · 2024. 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.