Ukrainian refugees pushed NL population growth in first quarter

The population of the Netherlands grew by 49,800 people in the first quarter of this year, exceptionally strong growth for the first quarter. The growth was entirely due to immigration, pushed by the influx of refugees from Ukraine, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported. 

At 49,800 added members, the growth of the Netherlands population was much higher than even the record year 2019, when 23,500 inhabitants were added in the first quarter. 

In the first three months of 2022, 87,600 immigrants settled in the Netherlands, including 25,100 people from Ukraine. And 35,000 people moved abroad. Therefore, migration-based population growth amounted to 52,600 people, compared to 15,600 in the first quarter of last year. Even without the refugees fleeing the Russian war in Ukraine, the number of immigrants was 1,100 more than in the first quarter of 2019, when immigration reached a record high. 

There was no population growth due to natural increase in the first quarter. More people died (43,100) than babies were born (40,300). "Natural growth has been negative every first quarter for the past five years," CBS said. "Relatively few children are born in that period, and more people die in the winter than at other times of the year."