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indicator value unit
Population 17.1 mil.
Visitors per year 11.2 mil.
Renewable energy 4.3 %

How’s Life?

The Netherlands performs well in many dimensions of well-being relative to other countries in the Better Life Index. The Netherlands outperforms the average in  jobs, work-life balance, education, environmental quality, social networks, civic engagement, safety and life satisfaction.. These assessments are based on available selected data.

Money, while it cannot buy happiness, is an important means to achieving higher living standards. In the Netherlands, the average household net-adjusted disposable income per capita is USD 34 984 a year, more than the OECD average of USD 30 490 a year.

In terms of employment, about 78% of people aged 15 to 64 in the Netherlands have a paid job, above the OECD employment average of 66%. Some 82% of men are in paid work, compared with 74% of women. In the Netherlands, almost 0% of employees work very long hours in paid work, below the OECD average of 10%, with 1% of men working very long hours in paid work compared with 0% of women.

Good education and skills are important requisites for finding a job. In the Netherlands, 81% of adults aged 25-64 have completed upper secondary education, higher than the OECD average of 79%. Completion does not vary between men and women in the Netherlands. In terms of the quality of the education system, the average student scored 502 in reading literacy, maths and science in the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). This score is higher than the OECD average of 488. On average in the Netherlands, girls outperformed boys by 12 points, well above the average OECD gap of 5 points.

In terms of health, life expectancy at birth in the Netherlands is around 82 years, one year higher than the OECD average of 81 years. Life expectancy for women is 84 years, compared with 81 for men. The level of atmospheric PM2.5 – tiny air pollutant particles small enough to enter and cause damage to the lungs – is 12.2 micrograms per cubic meter, below the OECD average of 14 micrograms per cubic meter. In the Netherlands, 91% of people say they are satisfied with the quality of their water, higher than the OECD average of 84%.

Concerning the public sphere, there is a strong sense of community and high levels of civic participation in the Netherlands, where 94% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in time of need, more than the OECD average of 91%. Voter turnout, a measure of citizens' participation in the political process, was 79% during recent elections, higher than the OECD average of 69%. Social and economic status can affect voting rates; voter turnout for the top 20% of the population is an estimated 88% and for the bottom 20% it is an estimated 68%.

When asked to rate their general satisfaction with life on a scale from 0 to 10, Dutch people gave it a 7.5 grade on average, higher than the OECD average of 6.7.

 

For more information on estimates and years of reference, see FAQ section and BLI database.

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OECD in Action

OECD Economic Surveys: Netherlands

OECD’s periodic surveys of the Dutch economy. Each edition surveys the major challenges faced by the country, evaluates the short-term outlook, and makes specific policy recommendations. Special chapters take a more detailed look at specific challenges. Extensive statistical information is included in charts and graphs.

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Netherlands in Detail