Public budgets

Netherlands: public budget

What Netherlands's government raised and what it spent it on, from the figures its own budget laws or a statistics office publish. Solon places every figure on the same international classification, so it can be compared with any other place.

General government, 2008

Outturn: what came in and was spent

General government: central, state and local government and social security funds together, consolidated so that money passed between them is counted once, as Eurostat's government finance statistics (ESA 2010) count it.

Amounts in USD, converted from EUR at 2008's average rate (Eurostat).

Revenue
$423.42B · 44.2% of GDP
Spending
$423.97B · 44.3% of GDP
Surplus (+) or deficit (−)
-$701.57M · -0.1% of GDP

What the money is spent on

Netherlands, 2008: spending by function, as a share of all spending
Netherlands, 2008: spending by function, as a share of all spending
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social protection34.1$144.74B
Health14.7$62.31B
General public services13$55.13B
Education11.9$50.36B
Economic affairs11.5$48.55B
Public order and safety4.1$17.4B
Environmental protection3.5$14.84B
Recreation, culture and religion3.2$13.43B
Defence2.8$11.88B
Housing and community amenities1.3$5.33B
Social protection$144.74B
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Old age35.9$51.98B
Sickness and disability31.3$45.27B
Social exclusion n.e.c.12.9$18.62B
Family and children11.1$16.01B
Unemployment4.9$7.1B
Housing2.2$3.21B
Survivors1.4$2.07B
Social protection n.e.c.0.3$367.7M
R&D Social protection0.1$119.13M
Health$62.31B
Health, in detail, as a share of it
Health, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Hospital services44.4$27.69B
Outpatient services30.4$18.96B
Medical products, appliances and equipment15.1$9.42B
R&D Health4.1$2.54B
Health n.e.c.3.5$2.2B
Public health services2.4$1.5B
General public services$55.13B
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Public debt transactions37.1$20.47B
Executive and legislative organs, financial and fiscal affairs, external affairs33.3$18.36B
Foreign economic aid13.7$7.56B
Basic research7.9$4.35B
General services7.3$4.01B
General public services n.e.c.0.5$252.98M
R&D General public services0.2$129.43M
Transfers of a general character between different levels of government0$0
Education$50.36B
Education, in detail, as a share of it
Education, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Secondary education39.1$19.7B
Pre-primary and primary education31$15.6B
Tertiary education23.7$11.95B
Subsidiary services to education4.5$2.29B
Education not definable by level0.9$463.3M
Education n.e.c.0.4$188.26M
R&D Education0.3$172.08M
Post-secondary non-tertiary education0$0
Economic affairs$48.55B
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Transport48.9$23.76B
Fuel and energy16.2$7.86B
General economic, commercial and labour affairs13.9$6.74B
R&D Economic affairs7.7$3.73B
Other industries5.8$2.81B
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting3.7$1.78B
Mining, manufacturing and construction2.2$1.08B
Economic affairs n.e.c.1.3$632.44M
Communication0.3$163.26M
Public order and safety$17.4B
Public order and safety, in detail, as a share of it
Public order and safety, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Police services42.2$7.35B
Prisons22$3.83B
Law courts15.1$2.63B
Fire-protection services12.1$2.1B
Public order and safety n.e.c.8$1.39B
R&D Public order and safety0.6$110.31M
Environmental protection$14.84B
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Waste management37.6$5.58B
Waste water management34.3$5.09B
Pollution abatement17.2$2.56B
Protection of biodiversity and landscape8.2$1.21B
Environmental protection n.e.c.1.6$241.21M
R&D Environmental protection1$148.55M
Recreation, culture and religion$13.43B
Recreation, culture and religion, in detail, as a share of it
Recreation, culture and religion, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Recreational and sporting services40.4$5.43B
Cultural services36.2$4.86B
Broadcasting and publishing services14.1$1.9B
Religious and other community services5.4$725.1M
Recreation, culture and religion n.e.c.2.6$342.7M
R&D Recreation, culture and religion1.4$182.38M
Defence$11.88B
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Military defence81.4$9.67B
Defence n.e.c.12.3$1.46B
Foreign military aid5.1$603.03M
R&D Defence1.3$150.02M
Civil defence0$0
Housing and community amenities$5.33B
Housing and community amenities, in detail, as a share of it
Housing and community amenities, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Housing development48.3$2.57B
Community development33.8$1.8B
Housing and community amenities n.e.c.6.3$338.28M
R&D Housing and community amenities6.1$325.05M
Street lighting2.8$148.55M
Water supply2.8$147.08M

Where the money comes from

Netherlands, 2008: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
Netherlands, 2008: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social contributions31.2$132.21B
Taxes on sales, production and imports26.3$111.29B
Taxes on income and wealth24.7$104.6B
Sales, fees and charges10.6$44.91B
Income from property (interest, dividends, rent)5.3$22.63B
Other transfers received0.9$3.98B
Capital transfers and taxes received0.8$3.3B
Subsidies received0.1$504.48M
Taxes on sales, production and imports$111.29B
Taxes on sales, production and imports, in detail, as a share of it
Taxes on sales, production and imports, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Value added tax57.2$63.7B
Not broken down, or fitting no category42.8$47.6B

Over the years

46.1 % of GDPRevenue · 1,99546.2 % of GDPRevenue · 1,99644.9 % of GDPRevenue · 1,99744.1 % of GDPRevenue · 1,99844.6 % of GDPRevenue · 1,99944.3 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00043.6 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00142.6 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00242.6 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00342.9 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00442.9 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00544 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00643.1 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00744.2 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00843.3 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00943.6 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01043.4 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01143.8 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01244.6 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01344.5 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01443.5 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01544.1 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01644.2 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01743.9 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01844 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01944.1 % of GDPRevenue · 2,02043.6 % of GDPRevenue · 2,02143.3 % of GDPRevenue · 2,02243.7 % of GDPRevenue · 2,02343.6 % of GDPRevenue · 2,02443.6 % of GDPRevenue · 2,02554.8 % of GDPSpending · 1,99548.1 % of GDPSpending · 1,99646.5 % of GDPSpending · 1,99745.4 % of GDPSpending · 1,99844.3 % of GDPSpending · 1,99943.2 % of GDPSpending · 2,00044.1 % of GDPSpending · 2,00144.8 % of GDPSpending · 2,00245.8 % of GDPSpending · 2,00344.7 % of GDPSpending · 2,00443.4 % of GDPSpending · 2,00544 % of GDPSpending · 2,00643.3 % of GDPSpending · 2,00744.3 % of GDPSpending · 2,00848.4 % of GDPSpending · 2,00948.9 % of GDPSpending · 2,01047.8 % of GDPSpending · 2,01147.6 % of GDPSpending · 2,01247.5 % of GDPSpending · 2,01346.7 % of GDPSpending · 2,01445.3 % of GDPSpending · 2,01543.9 % of GDPSpending · 2,01642.8 % of GDPSpending · 2,01742.4 % of GDPSpending · 2,01842.1 % of GDPSpending · 2,01947.8 % of GDPSpending · 2,02045.9 % of GDPSpending · 2,02143.3 % of GDPSpending · 2,02244 % of GDPSpending · 2,02344.4 % of GDPSpending · 2,024
Netherlands: revenue and spending, 1995–2025
Netherlands: revenue and spending, 1995–2025
PeriodRevenue (% of GDP)Spending (% of GDP)
1,99546.154.8
1,99646.248.1
1,99744.946.5
1,99844.145.4
1,99944.644.3
2,00044.343.2
2,00143.644.1
2,00242.644.8
2,00342.645.8
2,00442.944.7
2,00542.943.4
2,0064444
2,00743.143.3
2,00844.244.3
2,00943.348.4
2,01043.648.9
2,01143.447.8
2,01243.847.6
2,01344.647.5
2,01444.546.7
2,01543.545.3
2,01644.143.9
2,01744.242.8
2,01843.942.4
2,0194442.1
2,02044.147.8
2,02143.645.9
2,02243.343.3
2,02343.744
2,02443.644.4
2,02543.6
Where these figures come from

Series read from Eurostat, government finance statistics (gov_10a_main, gov_10a_exp) on 2026-11-11.

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