Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
The Netherlands fits inside Russia 412 times.
Netherlands: 41,540 km² (2023) · Russia: 17,125,200 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Russia’s coastline is 83 times as long as the Netherlands’.
Netherlands: 451 km (2026 edition) · Russia: 37,653 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Russia’s highest peak towers 4,780 m above the Netherlands’.
Netherlands: 862 m (2026 edition) · Russia: 5,642 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Russia has 7.9 times as many people as the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 18.1 million (2025) · Russia: 144 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
The Netherlands is 61 times as densely populated as Russia.
Netherlands: 537 per km² (2025) · Russia: 9 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in the Netherlands are 7.1 cm taller than in Russia.
Netherlands: 183.8 cm (2019) · Russia: 176.7 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in the Netherlands are 5.8 cm taller than in Russia.
Netherlands: 170.4 cm (2019) · Russia: 164.5 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in the Netherlands is 1.9 years older than in Russia.
Netherlands: 41.4 years (2023) · Russia: 39.5 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
The Netherlands and Russia are practically level.
Netherlands: 1.43 children per woman (2024) · Russia: 1.42 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
21% of people in the Netherlands are 65 or older, versus 18% in Russia.
Netherlands: 20.9% (2025) · Russia: 17.8% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
The Netherlands has produced 11.1 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Russia 2.0.
Netherlands: 11.1 (2025) · Russia: 2 (2025)
How many official languages?
The Netherlands and Russia are practically level.
Netherlands: 1 (2026) · Russia: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Russia’s economy is 92% larger than the Netherlands’.
Netherlands: $1.33 trillion (2025) · Russia: $2.56 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
The Netherlands produces 76% more per person than Russia.
Netherlands: Int$87,320 (2025) · Russia: Int$49,568 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Russia than in the Netherlands (Gini 7.3 points higher).
Netherlands: 25.7 (2021) · Russia: 33 (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 3.9% in the Netherlands, versus 2.1% in Russia.
Netherlands: 3.9% (2025) · Russia: 2.1% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Russia spends 7.1% of its GDP on the military, the Netherlands 1.9%.
Netherlands: 1.9% (2024) · Russia: 7.1% (2024)
How expensive is it?
The Netherlands’ price level (US = 100) is 2.4× Russia’s.
Netherlands: 84% (2025) · Russia: 35% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
The Netherlands spends 6.8 times as much on health per person as Russia.
Netherlands: $6,845 (2024) · Russia: $1,003 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in the Netherlands live 8.5 years longer than in Russia.
Netherlands: 82 years (2024) · Russia: 73.4 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Russia is 21% more likely to die before turning one than in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 3.4 per 1,000 (2024) · Russia: 4.1 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Russia has 32% more doctors per person than the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 3.9 per 1,000 (2022) · Russia: 5.1 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
21% of adults in Russia are obese, versus 17% in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 16.9% (2024) · Russia: 21.2% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
27% of adults in Russia smoke, versus 21% in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 20.5% (2024) · Russia: 27% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in the Netherlands rate their lives 1.39 points higher than in Russia.
Netherlands: 7.22 (2025) · Russia: 5.83 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Russia drink 22% more alcohol than in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 8.6 litres (2023) · Russia: 10.4 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Russia has 18% more meat per person than the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 71.6 kg (2023) · Russia: 84.8 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Russia has 61 kcal more food per person per day than the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 3,467 kcal (2023) · Russia: 3,528 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in Russia put in 648 more hours a year than in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 1,439 hours (2023) · Russia: 2,087 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in the Netherlands went to school 0.26 years longer than in Russia.
Netherlands: 12.7 years (2023) · Russia: 12.4 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Netherlands: 0.91 (2022) · Russia: no data
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
97% of people in the Netherlands are online, versus 94% in Russia.
Netherlands: 97% (2024) · Russia: 94% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
The Netherlands and Russia are practically level.
Netherlands: 100% (2024) · Russia: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
96% of people in the Netherlands live in cities, versus 75% in Russia.
Netherlands: 96% (2025) · Russia: 75% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Russia has 186 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, the Netherlands 129.
Netherlands: 129 (2024) · Russia: 186 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Russia’s railway network is 28 times as long as the Netherlands’.
Netherlands: 3,041 km (2021) · Russia: 85,544 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from the Netherlands fly 3.3 times as many passengers per resident as those from Russia.
Netherlands: 2.29 (2023) · Russia: 0.69 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 50% of Russia, but only 11% of the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 11.1% (2023) · Russia: 49.8% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Russia emits 2 times as much CO₂ as someone in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 6.3 t (2024) · Russia: 12.3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
51% of the Netherlands’ electricity is renewable, versus 17% in Russia.
Netherlands: 51.2% (2025) · Russia: 17.4% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in Russia carries 34% more fine dust than in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 9.6 µg/m³ (2024) · Russia: 12.9 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 11 times as likely to be murdered in Russia as in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 0.7 per 100k (2023) · Russia: 7.8 per 100k (2024)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Russia are 3.1 times as deadly as in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 3.4 per 100k (2021) · Russia: 10.6 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
The Netherlands is on average 13.8 °C warmer than Russia.
Netherlands: 11.2°C (2016–2025 avg) · Russia: -2.6°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
The Netherlands gets 51% more rain than Russia.
Netherlands: 887 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Russia: 586 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is the Netherlands bigger than Russia?
Russia is larger. The Netherlands fits inside Russia 412 times.
Which has more people, the Netherlands or Russia?
Russia has 7.9 times as many people as the Netherlands (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, the Netherlands or Russia?
People in the Netherlands live 8.5 years longer than in Russia. Life expectancy at birth is 82.0 years in the Netherlands and 73.4 in Russia.
Are people taller in the Netherlands or Russia?
Men in the Netherlands are 7.1 cm taller than in Russia (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
