Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
The Netherlands fits inside Finland 8.1 times.
Finland: 338,480 km² (2023) · Netherlands: 41,540 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Finland’s coastline is 2.8 times as long as the Netherlands’.
Finland: 1,250 km (2026 edition) · Netherlands: 451 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Finland’s highest peak towers 466 m above the Netherlands’.
Finland: 1,328 m (2026 edition) · Netherlands: 862 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
The Netherlands has 3.2 times as many people as Finland.
Finland: 5.65 million (2025) · Netherlands: 18.1 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
The Netherlands is 29 times as densely populated as Finland.
Finland: 19 per km² (2025) · Netherlands: 537 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in the Netherlands are 3.2 cm taller than in Finland.
Finland: 180.6 cm (2019) · Netherlands: 183.8 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in the Netherlands are 3.9 cm taller than in Finland.
Finland: 166.5 cm (2019) · Netherlands: 170.4 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Finland is 1.4 years older than in the Netherlands.
Finland: 42.8 years (2023) · Netherlands: 41.4 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in the Netherlands have 0.2 more children on average than in Finland.
Finland: 1.25 children per woman (2024) · Netherlands: 1.43 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
24% of people in Finland are 65 or older, versus 21% in the Netherlands.
Finland: 24.2% (2025) · Netherlands: 20.9% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
The Netherlands has produced 11.1 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Finland 8.9.
Finland: 8.9 (2025) · Netherlands: 11.1 (2025)
How many official languages?
Finland has 2 official languages, the Netherlands 1.
Finland: 2 (2026) · Netherlands: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
The Netherlands’ economy is 4.2 times the size of Finland’s.
Finland: $317 billion (2025) · Netherlands: $1.33 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
The Netherlands produces 33% more per person than Finland.
Finland: Int$65,885 (2025) · Netherlands: Int$87,320 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Finland than in the Netherlands (Gini 1.7 points higher).
Finland: 27.4 (2023) · Netherlands: 25.7 (2021)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 9.5% in Finland, versus 3.9% in the Netherlands.
Finland: 9.5% (2025) · Netherlands: 3.9% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Finland and the Netherlands are practically level.
Finland: 2.3% (2024) · Netherlands: 1.9% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Finland and the Netherlands are nearly identical here.
Finland: 85% (2025) · Netherlands: 84% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
The Netherlands spends 24% more on health per person than Finland.
Finland: $5,515 (2023) · Netherlands: $6,845 (2024)
How long do people live?
Finland and the Netherlands are practically level.
Finland: 82.3 years (2024) · Netherlands: 82 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in the Netherlands is 79% more likely to die before turning one than in Finland.
Finland: 1.9 per 1,000 (2024) · Netherlands: 3.4 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
The Netherlands has 7% more doctors per person than Finland.
Finland: 3.6 per 1,000 (2021) · Netherlands: 3.9 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
26% of adults in Finland are obese, versus 17% in the Netherlands.
Finland: 26.2% (2024) · Netherlands: 16.9% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
21% of adults in Finland smoke, versus 21% in the Netherlands.
Finland: 21.4% (2024) · Netherlands: 20.5% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Finland rate their lives 0.54 points higher than in the Netherlands.
Finland: 7.76 (2025) · Netherlands: 7.22 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Finland drink 10% more alcohol than in the Netherlands.
Finland: 9.4 litres (2023) · Netherlands: 8.6 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
The Netherlands has 3% more meat per person than Finland.
Finland: 69.4 kg (2023) · Netherlands: 71.6 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
The Netherlands has 121 kcal more food per person per day than Finland.
Finland: 3,346 kcal (2023) · Netherlands: 3,467 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in Finland put in 58 more hours a year than in the Netherlands.
Finland: 1,497 hours (2023) · Netherlands: 1,439 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Finland went to school 0.31 years longer than in the Netherlands.
Finland: 13 years (2023) · Netherlands: 12.7 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
The Netherlands welcomed 14% more tourists per resident than Finland (2019).
Finland: 0.8 (2024) · Netherlands: 0.91 (2022)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
97% of people in the Netherlands are online, versus 94% in Finland.
Finland: 94% (2024) · Netherlands: 97% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Finland and the Netherlands are practically level.
Finland: 100% (2024) · Netherlands: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
96% of people in the Netherlands live in cities, versus 75% in Finland.
Finland: 75% (2025) · Netherlands: 96% (2025)
How many phones per person?
The Netherlands has 129 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Finland 126.
Finland: 126 (2024) · Netherlands: 129 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Finland’s railway network is 95% longer than the Netherlands’.
Finland: 5,918 km (2021) · Netherlands: 3,041 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from the Netherlands fly 20% more passengers per resident than those from Finland.
Finland: 1.91 (2023) · Netherlands: 2.29 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 74% of Finland, but only 11% of the Netherlands.
Finland: 73.7% (2023) · Netherlands: 11.1% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in the Netherlands emits 19% more CO₂ than someone in Finland.
Finland: 5.3 t (2024) · Netherlands: 6.3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
56% of Finland’s electricity is renewable, versus 51% in the Netherlands.
Finland: 56.5% (2025) · Netherlands: 51.2% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in the Netherlands carries 78% more fine dust than in Finland.
Finland: 5.4 µg/m³ (2024) · Netherlands: 9.6 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 42% more likely to be murdered in Finland than in the Netherlands.
Finland: 1 per 100k (2023) · Netherlands: 0.7 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Finland are 24% deadlier than in the Netherlands.
Finland: 4.2 per 100k (2021) · Netherlands: 3.4 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
The Netherlands is on average 7.6 °C warmer than Finland.
Finland: 3.6°C (2016–2025 avg) · Netherlands: 11.2°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
The Netherlands gets 17% more rain than Finland.
Finland: 758 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Netherlands: 887 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Finland bigger than the Netherlands?
Finland is larger. The Netherlands fits inside Finland 8.1 times.
Which has more people, Finland or the Netherlands?
The Netherlands has 3.2 times as many people as Finland (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Finland or the Netherlands?
Finland and the Netherlands are practically level. Life expectancy at birth is 82.3 years in Finland and 82.0 in the Netherlands.
Are people taller in Finland or the Netherlands?
Men in the Netherlands are 3.2 cm taller than in Finland (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
