Population and households

Figure 3: Development of population and number of households in the Netherlands. Source: (http://statline.cbs.nl/StatWeb/publication/?VW=T&DM=SLNL&PA=37556&D1=0-2,16-20&D2=a&HD=100119-1125&HDR=T&STB=G1 )

The Dutch population has grown to 16.49 million inhabitants in 2009. Life expectancy is still increasing, both for men and women. The number of households (7.24 million in 2009) and the need for housing are increasing faster than the population.

Urban land and nature reserves on the increase

Fig. 4: Relative contribution of land-cover categories to uptake by urban and other artificial land development (a) and nature reserves (b) (CORINE)

During the period between 1990 and 2004, both urban land and nature reserves have increased in size, while agricultural land areas have decreased. This development is the same for the rest of Europe. Abandonment of agricultural land is stimulated through government funding in nature management organisation for the acquisition of agricultural land and nature development purposes.

Agricultural emissions decreased

Emissions of nitrates and phosphates from agricultural land have decreased sharply during the last decades, due to legislation. The decrease in emissions to land from manuring was also stimulated by an adaptation of animal feed, and by the decline in livestock numbers resulting from production quota and cattle diseases. These emission reductions improved the quality of groundwater.

Figure 5: Emissions of nitrogen and phosphate from Dutch agriculture.
Source: http://www.compendiumvoordeleefomgeving.nl/indicatoren/nl0093-Stikstof--en-fosforbalans.html?i=11-60