The Central Bureau of Statistics has published the latest numbers on the population for the first quarter of this year.
The population grew slower this quarter compared to the same timespan last year. This year, the population grew by 15,500, while last year, it grew by 24,200 for the same quarter. Part of the reason for this decrease is due to how the coronavirus has impacted migration flows to the Netherlands, reports RTL Nieuws.
Higher deaths than births
Principally due to the coronavirus, more people died in the month of March than usual.
Mortality and births are usually balanced, but this quarter, there were 3000 more deaths than births.
Nevertheless, the country’s population has continued to grow as people decided to move to the Netherlands nonetheless, according to CBS sociologist Tanja Traag.
Less emigration
According to Traag, people who were working abroad have decided to come back to the Netherlands.
Besides that, there have also been people who have refrained from emigrating, such as those who had a job position opening abroad but decided to cancel plans due to the coronavirus.
Immigration has also decreased
There have been fewer immigrants coming into the country as well, according to the CBS.
Immigrants from countries like Turkey and India arrived in lower numbers in the month of March, and the CBS has said that they expect the impact of the coronavirus on immigration will be more visible once the data for April will become available.
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Feature Image: Ivaylo Kirov/Supplied