Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Singapore fits inside the Netherlands 56 times
Netherlands: 41,540 km² (2024) · Singapore: 736 km² (2024)
How much coast is there?
The Netherlands’ coastline is 2.3 times as long as Singapore’s
Netherlands: 451 km (2026 edition) · Singapore: 193 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
The Netherlands’ highest peak towers 696 m above Singapore’s
Netherlands: 862 m (2026 edition) · Singapore: 166 m (2026 edition)
How much of the land is farmed?
Farmland covers 53% of the Netherlands, versus 0.9% of Singapore
Netherlands: 53.4% (2024) · Singapore: 0.9% (2024)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
The Netherlands has 3 times as many people as Singapore
Netherlands: 18.1 million (2025) · Singapore: 6.11 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Singapore is 16 times as densely populated as the Netherlands
Netherlands: 537 per km² (2025) · Singapore: 8,432 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in the Netherlands are 10.3 cm taller than in Singapore
Netherlands: 183.8 cm (2019) · Singapore: 173.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in the Netherlands are 9.1 cm taller than in Singapore
Netherlands: 170.4 cm (2019) · Singapore: 161.3 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in the Netherlands is 6.3 years older than in Singapore
Netherlands: 41.4 years (2023) · Singapore: 35.1 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in the Netherlands have 0.5 more children on average than in Singapore
Netherlands: 1.43 children per woman (2024) · Singapore: 0.97 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
21% of people in the Netherlands are 65 or older, versus 14% in Singapore
Netherlands: 20.9% (2025) · Singapore: 14.2% (2025)
How many refugees does it host?
Netherlands: 15.7 per 1,000 (2025) · Singapore: 0 per 1,000 (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
The Netherlands has produced 11.1 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Singapore none
Netherlands: 11.1 (2026) · Singapore: 0 (2026)
How many official languages?
Singapore has 4 official languages, the Netherlands 1
Netherlands: 1 (2026) · Singapore: 4 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
The Netherlands’ economy is 2.2 times the size of Singapore’s
Netherlands: $1.33 trillion (2025) · Singapore: $604 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Singapore produces 87% more per person than the Netherlands
Netherlands: Int$87,320 (2025) · Singapore: Int$163,354 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Netherlands: 25.7 (2021) · Singapore: no data
How many live on less than $3 a day?
Netherlands: 0.1% (2021) · Singapore: no data
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 3.9% in the Netherlands, versus 2.8% in Singapore
Netherlands: 3.9% (2025) · Singapore: 2.8% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Singapore spends 3.0% of its GDP on the military, the Netherlands 2.2%
Netherlands: 2.2% (2025) · Singapore: 3% (2025)
How much does the central government collect in tax?
The Netherlands’ central government collects 25% of GDP in tax, Singapore’s 14%
Netherlands: 25.3% (2024) · Singapore: 13.6% (2024)
How expensive is it?
The Netherlands’ price level (US = 100) is 1.4× Singapore’s
Netherlands: 84% (2025) · Singapore: 60% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
The Netherlands spends 75% more on health per person than Singapore
Netherlands: $6,845 (2024) · Singapore: $3,922 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in Singapore live 1.4 years longer than in the Netherlands
Netherlands: 82 years (2024) · Singapore: 83.3 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in the Netherlands is 55% more likely to die before turning one than in Singapore
Netherlands: 3.4 per 1,000 (2024) · Singapore: 2.2 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
The Netherlands has 37% more doctors per person than Singapore
Netherlands: 3.9 per 1,000 (2022) · Singapore: 2.8 per 1,000 (2022)
How many hospital beds are there?
Singapore has 16% more hospital beds per person than the Netherlands
Netherlands: 2.4 per 1,000 (2022) · Singapore: 2.8 per 1,000 (2023)
How common is suicide?
The suicide rate in the Netherlands is 32% higher than in Singapore
Netherlands: 9.6 per 100k (2023) · Singapore: 7.3 per 100k (2023)
How common is obesity?
The Netherlands and Singapore are practically level
Netherlands: 16.9% (2024) · Singapore: 16.8% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
21% of adults in the Netherlands smoke, versus 14% in Singapore
Netherlands: 20.5% (2024) · Singapore: 13.8% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in the Netherlands rate their lives 0.64 points higher than in Singapore
Netherlands: 7.22 (2025) · Singapore: 6.59 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in the Netherlands drink 3.9 times as much alcohol as in Singapore
Netherlands: 8.6 litres (2023) · Singapore: 2.2 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Netherlands: 71.6 kg (2023) · Singapore: no data
How much food is there per day?
Netherlands: 3,467 kcal (2023) · Singapore: no data
How long do people work?
Workers in Singapore put in 844 more hours a year than in the Netherlands
Netherlands: 1,439 hours (2023) · Singapore: 2,283 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in the Netherlands went to school 0.68 years longer than in Singapore
Netherlands: 12.7 years (2023) · Singapore: 12 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Singapore welcomed 2.4 times as many tourists per resident as the Netherlands (2019)
Netherlands: 0.91 (2022) · Singapore: 2.16 (2024)
How many World Heritage sites?
The Netherlands has 12 more World Heritage sites than Singapore (13 against 1)
Netherlands: 13 (2026) · Singapore: 1 (2026)
How many Olympic medals has it won?
The Netherlands has won 524 Olympic medals, Singapore 6
Netherlands: 524 (2026 edition) · Singapore: 6 (2026 edition)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
97% of people in the Netherlands are online, versus 94% in Singapore
Netherlands: 97% (2024) · Singapore: 94% (2024)
How fast is home internet?
Home internet in Singapore is 2.2 times as fast as in the Netherlands
Netherlands: 324 Mbps (2026) · Singapore: 702 Mbps (2026)
Who has electricity at home?
The Netherlands and Singapore are practically level
Netherlands: 100% (2024) · Singapore: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
100% of people in Singapore live in cities, versus 96% in the Netherlands
Netherlands: 96% (2025) · Singapore: 100% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Singapore has 171 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, the Netherlands 129
Netherlands: 129 (2024) · Singapore: 171 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Netherlands: 3,041 km (2021) · Singapore: no data
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Singapore fly 3.4 times as many passengers per resident as those from the Netherlands
Netherlands: 2.29 (2023) · Singapore: 7.77 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 22% of Singapore, but only 11% of the Netherlands
Netherlands: 11% (2024) · Singapore: 21.8% (2024)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Singapore emits 47% more CO₂ than someone in the Netherlands
Netherlands: 6.3 t (2024) · Singapore: 9.2 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
51% of the Netherlands’ electricity is renewable, versus 5.5% in Singapore
Netherlands: 51.2% (2025) · Singapore: 5.5% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in Singapore carries 27% more fine dust than in the Netherlands
Netherlands: 9.6 µg/m³ (2024) · Singapore: 12.2 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 10 times as likely to be murdered in the Netherlands as in Singapore
Netherlands: 0.7 per 100k (2023) · Singapore: 0.1 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in the Netherlands are 2.2 times as deadly as in Singapore
Netherlands: 5.1 per 100k (2023) · Singapore: 2.3 per 100k (2023)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Netherlands: 11.2°C (2016–2025 avg) · Singapore: no data
How much rain falls?
Netherlands: 887 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Singapore: no data
Between them
People, goods and passports that cross from one to the other
Quick answers
Is the Netherlands bigger than Singapore?
The Netherlands is larger. Singapore fits inside the Netherlands 56 times.
Which has more people, the Netherlands or Singapore?
The Netherlands has 3 times as many people as Singapore (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, the Netherlands or Singapore?
People in Singapore live 1.4 years longer than in the Netherlands. Life expectancy at birth is 82.0 years in the Netherlands and 83.3 in Singapore.
Are people taller in the Netherlands or Singapore?
Men in the Netherlands are 10.3 cm taller than in Singapore (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
