Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
The Netherlands fits inside Norway 15 times
Netherlands: 41,540 km² (2024) · Norway: 624,500 km² (2024)
How much coast is there?
Norway’s coastline is 56 times as long as the Netherlands’
Netherlands: 451 km (2026 edition) · Norway: 25,148 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Norway’s highest peak towers 1,607 m above the Netherlands’
Netherlands: 862 m (2026 edition) · Norway: 2,469 m (2026 edition)
How much of the land is farmed?
Farmland covers 53% of the Netherlands, versus 2.7% of Norway
Netherlands: 53.4% (2024) · Norway: 2.7% (2024)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
The Netherlands has 3.2 times as many people as Norway
Netherlands: 18.1 million (2025) · Norway: 5.61 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
The Netherlands is 35 times as densely populated as Norway
Netherlands: 537 per km² (2025) · Norway: 15 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in the Netherlands are 3.3 cm taller than in Norway
Netherlands: 183.8 cm (2019) · Norway: 180.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in the Netherlands are 3.9 cm taller than in Norway
Netherlands: 170.4 cm (2019) · Norway: 166.5 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in the Netherlands is 1.9 years older than in Norway
Netherlands: 41.4 years (2023) · Norway: 39.5 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Norway and the Netherlands are practically level
Netherlands: 1.43 children per woman (2024) · Norway: 1.45 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
21% of people in the Netherlands are 65 or older, versus 19% in Norway
Netherlands: 20.9% (2025) · Norway: 19.1% (2025)
How many refugees does it host?
Norway hosts 41% more refugees per resident than the Netherlands
Netherlands: 15.7 per 1,000 (2025) · Norway: 22.1 per 1,000 (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Norway has produced 23.2 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, the Netherlands 11.1
Netherlands: 11.1 (2026) · Norway: 23.2 (2026)
How many official languages?
Norway has 3 official languages, the Netherlands 1
Netherlands: 1 (2026) · Norway: 3 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
The Netherlands’ economy is 2.5 times the size of Norway’s
Netherlands: $1.33 trillion (2025) · Norway: $531 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Norway produces 19% more per person than the Netherlands
Netherlands: Int$87,320 (2025) · Norway: Int$104,044 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Norway than in the Netherlands (Gini 0.8 points higher)
Netherlands: 25.7 (2021) · Norway: 26.5 (2023)
How many live on less than $3 a day?
Norway and the Netherlands are practically level
Netherlands: 0.1% (2021) · Norway: 0.2% (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 4.6% in Norway, versus 3.9% in the Netherlands
Netherlands: 3.9% (2025) · Norway: 4.6% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Norway spends 3.3% of its GDP on the military, the Netherlands 2.2%
Netherlands: 2.2% (2025) · Norway: 3.3% (2025)
How much does the central government collect in tax?
The Netherlands’ central government collects 25% of GDP in tax, Norway’s 25%
Netherlands: 25.3% (2024) · Norway: 24.5% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Norway’s price level (US = 100) is 1.1× the Netherlands’
Netherlands: 84% (2025) · Norway: 91% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Norway spends 21% more on health per person than the Netherlands
Netherlands: $6,845 (2024) · Norway: $8,296 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in Norway live 1.2 years longer than in the Netherlands
Netherlands: 82 years (2024) · Norway: 83.2 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in the Netherlands is 70% more likely to die before turning one than in Norway
Netherlands: 3.4 per 1,000 (2024) · Norway: 2 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Norway has 28% more doctors per person than the Netherlands
Netherlands: 3.9 per 1,000 (2022) · Norway: 5 per 1,000 (2023)
How many hospital beds are there?
Norway has 36% more hospital beds per person than the Netherlands
Netherlands: 2.4 per 1,000 (2022) · Norway: 3.3 per 1,000 (2023)
How common is suicide?
The suicide rate in Norway is 21% higher than in the Netherlands
Netherlands: 9.6 per 100k (2023) · Norway: 11.6 per 100k (2023)
How common is obesity?
21% of adults in Norway are obese, versus 17% in the Netherlands
Netherlands: 16.9% (2024) · Norway: 20.7% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
21% of adults in the Netherlands smoke, versus 13% in Norway
Netherlands: 20.5% (2024) · Norway: 12.9% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
Norway and the Netherlands are practically level
Netherlands: 7.22 (2025) · Norway: 7.24 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in the Netherlands drink 23% more alcohol than in Norway
Netherlands: 8.6 litres (2023) · Norway: 7 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
The Netherlands has 2% more meat per person than Norway
Netherlands: 71.6 kg (2023) · Norway: 70.4 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Norway and the Netherlands are practically level
Netherlands: 3,467 kcal (2023) · Norway: 3,476 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in the Netherlands put in 27 more hours a year than in Norway
Netherlands: 1,439 hours (2023) · Norway: 1,412 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Norway went to school 0.45 years longer than in the Netherlands
Netherlands: 12.7 years (2023) · Norway: 13.1 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Norway and the Netherlands are nearly identical here
Netherlands: 0.91 (2022) · Norway: 0.91 (2022)
How many World Heritage sites?
The Netherlands has 5 more World Heritage sites than Norway (13 against 8)
Netherlands: 13 (2026) · Norway: 8 (2026)
How many Olympic medals has it won?
Norway has won 616 Olympic medals, the Netherlands 524
Netherlands: 524 (2026 edition) · Norway: 616 (2026 edition)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
99% of people in Norway are online, versus 97% in the Netherlands
Netherlands: 97% (2024) · Norway: 99% (2024)
How fast is home internet?
Home internet in the Netherlands is 42% faster than in Norway
Netherlands: 324 Mbps (2026) · Norway: 228 Mbps (2026)
Who has electricity at home?
The Netherlands and Norway are practically level
Netherlands: 100% (2024) · Norway: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
96% of people in the Netherlands live in cities, versus 84% in Norway
Netherlands: 96% (2025) · Norway: 84% (2025)
How many phones per person?
The Netherlands has 129 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Norway 109
Netherlands: 129 (2024) · Norway: 109 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Norway’s railway network is 28% longer than the Netherlands’
Netherlands: 3,041 km (2021) · Norway: 3,885 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Netherlands: 2.29 (2023) · Norway: no data
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 33% of Norway, but only 11% of the Netherlands
Netherlands: 11% (2024) · Norway: 33.2% (2024)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Norway emits 6% more CO₂ than someone in the Netherlands
Netherlands: 6.3 t (2024) · Norway: 6.7 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
99% of Norway’s electricity is renewable, versus 51% in the Netherlands
Netherlands: 51.2% (2025) · Norway: 99% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in the Netherlands carries 43% more fine dust than in Norway
Netherlands: 9.6 µg/m³ (2024) · Norway: 6.7 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 5% more likely to be murdered in Norway than in the Netherlands
Netherlands: 0.7 per 100k (2023) · Norway: 0.7 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in the Netherlands are 76% deadlier than in Norway
Netherlands: 5.1 per 100k (2023) · Norway: 2.9 per 100k (2023)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
The Netherlands is on average 9.6 °C warmer than Norway
Netherlands: 11.2°C (2016–2025 avg) · Norway: 1.6°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Norway gets 42% more rain than the Netherlands
Netherlands: 887 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Norway: 1,259 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Between them
People, goods and passports that cross from one to the other
Quick answers
Is the Netherlands bigger than Norway?
Norway is larger. The Netherlands fits inside Norway 15 times.
Which has more people, the Netherlands or Norway?
The Netherlands has 3.2 times as many people as Norway (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, the Netherlands or Norway?
People in Norway live 1.2 years longer than in the Netherlands. Life expectancy at birth is 82.0 years in the Netherlands and 83.2 in Norway.
Are people taller in the Netherlands or Norway?
Men in the Netherlands are 3.3 cm taller than in Norway (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
