Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
The Netherlands fits inside Spain 12 times.
Netherlands: 41,540 km² (2023) · Spain: 505,976 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Spain’s coastline is 11 times as long as the Netherlands’.
Netherlands: 451 km (2026 edition) · Spain: 4,964 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Spain’s highest peak towers 2,856 m above the Netherlands’.
Netherlands: 862 m (2026 edition) · Spain: 3,718 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Spain has 2.7 times as many people as the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 18.1 million (2025) · Spain: 49.4 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
The Netherlands is 5.4 times as densely populated as Spain.
Netherlands: 537 per km² (2025) · Spain: 99 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in the Netherlands are 7.7 cm taller than in Spain.
Netherlands: 183.8 cm (2019) · Spain: 176.1 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in the Netherlands are 8.3 cm taller than in Spain.
Netherlands: 170.4 cm (2019) · Spain: 162 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Spain is 3.5 years older than in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 41.4 years (2023) · Spain: 44.9 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in the Netherlands have 0.3 more children on average than in Spain.
Netherlands: 1.43 children per woman (2024) · Spain: 1.1 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
22% of people in Spain are 65 or older, versus 21% in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 20.9% (2025) · Spain: 21.6% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
The Netherlands has produced 11.1 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Spain 1.4.
Netherlands: 11.1 (2025) · Spain: 1.4 (2025)
How many official languages?
The Netherlands and Spain are practically level.
Netherlands: 1 (2026) · Spain: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Spain’s economy is 43% larger than the Netherlands’.
Netherlands: $1.33 trillion (2025) · Spain: $1.91 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
The Netherlands produces 46% more per person than Spain.
Netherlands: Int$87,320 (2025) · Spain: Int$59,868 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Spain than in the Netherlands (Gini 7.7 points higher).
Netherlands: 25.7 (2021) · Spain: 33.4 (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 10% in Spain, versus 3.9% in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 3.9% (2025) · Spain: 10.4% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
The Netherlands and Spain are practically level.
Netherlands: 1.9% (2024) · Spain: 1.4% (2024)
How expensive is it?
The Netherlands’ price level (US = 100) is 1.3× Spain’s.
Netherlands: 84% (2025) · Spain: 65% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
The Netherlands spends 2.2 times as much on health per person as Spain.
Netherlands: $6,845 (2024) · Spain: $3,107 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in Spain live 1.9 years longer than in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 82 years (2024) · Spain: 83.9 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in the Netherlands is 31% more likely to die before turning one than in Spain.
Netherlands: 3.4 per 1,000 (2024) · Spain: 2.6 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Spain has 11% more doctors per person than the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 3.9 per 1,000 (2022) · Spain: 4.3 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
19% of adults in Spain are obese, versus 17% in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 16.9% (2024) · Spain: 18.9% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
28% of adults in Spain smoke, versus 21% in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 20.5% (2024) · Spain: 27.6% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in the Netherlands rate their lives 0.68 points higher than in Spain.
Netherlands: 7.22 (2025) · Spain: 6.54 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Spain drink 41% more alcohol than in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 8.6 litres (2023) · Spain: 12.1 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Spain has 41% more meat per person than the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 71.6 kg (2023) · Spain: 100.8 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
The Netherlands has 90 kcal more food per person per day than Spain.
Netherlands: 3,467 kcal (2023) · Spain: 3,377 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in Spain put in 199 more hours a year than in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 1,439 hours (2023) · Spain: 1,638 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in the Netherlands went to school 1.9 years longer than in Spain.
Netherlands: 12.7 years (2023) · Spain: 10.8 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Spain welcomed 2.1 times as many tourists per resident as the Netherlands (2019).
Netherlands: 0.91 (2022) · Spain: 1.92 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
97% of people in the Netherlands are online, versus 96% in Spain.
Netherlands: 97% (2024) · Spain: 96% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
The Netherlands and Spain are practically level.
Netherlands: 100% (2024) · Spain: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
96% of people in the Netherlands live in cities, versus 81% in Spain.
Netherlands: 96% (2025) · Spain: 81% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Spain has 130 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, the Netherlands 129.
Netherlands: 129 (2024) · Spain: 130 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Spain’s railway network is 5.2 times as long as the Netherlands’.
Netherlands: 3,041 km (2021) · Spain: 15,963 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from the Netherlands fly 20% more passengers per resident than those from Spain.
Netherlands: 2.29 (2023) · Spain: 1.91 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 37% of Spain, but only 11% of the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 11.1% (2023) · Spain: 37.2% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in the Netherlands emits 37% more CO₂ than someone in Spain.
Netherlands: 6.3 t (2024) · Spain: 4.6 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
56% of Spain’s electricity is renewable, versus 51% in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 51.2% (2025) · Spain: 55.9% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in Spain carries 4% more fine dust than in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 9.6 µg/m³ (2024) · Spain: 10 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
The Netherlands and Spain are nearly identical here.
Netherlands: 0.7 per 100k (2023) · Spain: 0.7 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Spain are 3% deadlier than in the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 3.4 per 100k (2021) · Spain: 3.5 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Spain is on average 3.6 °C warmer than the Netherlands.
Netherlands: 11.2°C (2016–2025 avg) · Spain: 14.8°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
The Netherlands gets 33% more rain than Spain.
Netherlands: 887 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Spain: 665 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is the Netherlands bigger than Spain?
Spain is larger. The Netherlands fits inside Spain 12 times.
Which has more people, the Netherlands or Spain?
Spain has 2.7 times as many people as the Netherlands (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, the Netherlands or Spain?
People in Spain live 1.9 years longer than in the Netherlands. Life expectancy at birth is 82.0 years in the Netherlands and 83.9 in Spain.
Are people taller in the Netherlands or Spain?
Men in the Netherlands are 7.7 cm taller than in Spain (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
