Netherlands Elderly Overtake Youth for First Time Ever
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported that approximately 3.76 million residents aged 65 and older now surpass the 3.72 million people under age 20 as of early 2025—a gap projected to expand dramatically over coming decades.
By 2070, the agency forecasts the elderly population will balloon to roughly 5.4 million, while youth numbers are expected to reach only 4.1 million, creating an unprecedented generational imbalance.
The surge in the oldest age brackets appears particularly striking. Citizens aged 80-plus are projected to skyrocket from over 900,000 currently to approximately 2.1 million within 45 years. Meanwhile, those aged 99 and above could explode from about 4,400 today to more than 38,000 by 2070.
CBS identified two primary drivers behind the aging crisis: extended lifespans and plummeting fertility. Birth registrations have collapsed since 2002, when the country last recorded over 200,000 newborns annually. Last year saw merely 166,000 births.
Analysts warn the demographic shift threatens severe economic disruption, particularly workforce deficits as retirees multiply faster than working-age adults. Healthcare sector staffing crises are anticipated to intensify precisely when eldercare demand surges.
The agency projects the Netherlands' total population could hit 20.6 million by 2070, though officials acknowledge significant uncertainty. Future demographic trajectories hinge on variables including immigration patterns, longevity trends, and reproductive rates.
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