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, 2021

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 2021's average rate (Eurostat).

Revenue
$460.14B · 43.6% of GDP
Spending
$483.93B · 45.9% of GDP
Surplus (+) or deficit (−)
-$23.88B · -2.3% of GDP

What the money is spent on

Netherlands, 2021: spending by function, as a share of all spending
Netherlands, 2021: spending by function, as a share of all spending
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social protection35.8$173.25B
Health18$87.21B
Economic affairs13.5$65.35B
Education10.8$52.28B
General public services8.3$40.21B
Public order and safety4.1$19.97B
Environmental protection3.1$14.81B
Defence2.7$13.22B
Recreation, culture and religion2.5$12.31B
Housing and community amenities1.1$5.32B
Social protection$173.25B
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Old age38.3$66.35B
Sickness and disability26.1$45.15B
Social exclusion n.e.c.14$24.2B
Family and children13.7$23.69B
Unemployment4.9$8.49B
Housing2.7$4.75B
Survivors0.3$438.78M
R&D Social protection0.1$112.36M
Social protection n.e.c.0$61.5M
Health$87.21B
Health, in detail, as a share of it
Health, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Hospital services45.7$39.89B
Outpatient services27.1$23.65B
Public health services10.8$9.42B
Medical products, appliances and equipment8.4$7.29B
R&D Health4.6$4.01B
Health n.e.c.3.4$2.95B
Economic affairs$65.35B
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Transport37.1$24.22B
General economic, commercial and labour affairs35$22.9B
Fuel and energy11.4$7.47B
R&D Economic affairs8.2$5.36B
Other industries5$3.28B
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting2.7$1.77B
Mining, manufacturing and construction0.3$188.05M
Communication0.2$128.91M
Economic affairs n.e.c.0.1$46.13M
Education$52.28B
Education, in detail, as a share of it
Education, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Secondary education40$20.9B
Pre-primary and primary education30.6$15.98B
Tertiary education24.5$12.81B
Subsidiary services to education4.2$2.21B
Education not definable by level0.3$177.41M
R&D Education0.3$166.76M
Education n.e.c.0.1$27.2M
Post-secondary non-tertiary education0$0
General public services$40.21B
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Executive and legislative organs, financial and fiscal affairs, external affairs46.2$18.58B
Public debt transactions17.3$6.96B
Basic research14.1$5.68B
Foreign economic aid11.2$4.48B
General services10.9$4.37B
General public services n.e.c.0.2$76.88M
R&D General public services0.1$52.04M
Transfers of a general character between different levels of government0$0
Public order and safety$19.97B
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 services44.9$8.97B
Prisons17.9$3.57B
Law courts13.7$2.73B
Fire-protection services11.5$2.29B
Public order and safety n.e.c.10.8$2.16B
R&D Public order and safety1.3$250.73M
Environmental protection$14.81B
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Waste management42.6$6.31B
Waste water management26.1$3.86B
Pollution abatement18.1$2.69B
Protection of biodiversity and landscape8.8$1.3B
R&D Environmental protection2.6$382.01M
Environmental protection n.e.c.1.8$269.66M
Defence$13.22B
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Military defence92.4$12.21B
Defence n.e.c.3.5$468.35M
Foreign military aid2.7$363.09M
R&D Defence1.3$172.67M
Civil defence0$0
Recreation, culture and religion$12.31B
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 services41.9$5.16B
Cultural services39.2$4.82B
Broadcasting and publishing services11.9$1.47B
Religious and other community services6$740.37M
R&D Recreation, culture and religion1$126.55M
Recreation, culture and religion n.e.c.0$0
Housing and community amenities$5.32B
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 development51.5$2.74B
Community development33.5$1.78B
R&D Housing and community amenities6.6$348.9M
Street lighting4.2$221.16M
Water supply2.7$144.29M
Housing and community amenities n.e.c.1.6$85.15M

Where the money comes from

Netherlands, 2021: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
Netherlands, 2021: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social contributions31.2$143.54B
Taxes on income and wealth29.5$135.97B
Taxes on sales, production and imports28.3$130.42B
Sales, fees and charges7.6$35.18B
Other transfers received1.2$5.75B
Income from property (interest, dividends, rent)1$4.74B
Capital transfers and taxes received0.9$4.06B
Subsidies received0.1$495.55M
Taxes on sales, production and imports$130.42B
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 tax59.3$77.35B
Not broken down, or fitting no category40.7$53.07B

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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