Land use in the Netherlands, 1977-2000
In 2000, the amount of land used for traffic and transport, built-up areas, recreation and forest increased and the proportion of agricultural land fell.
| 1979 | 1985 | 1989 | 1993 | 1996 | 1996 1) | 2000 | ||
| km2 | ||||||||
| Total | 37 283 | 37 334 | 39 858 | 41 028 | 41 526 | 41 526 | 41 528 | |
| Traffic and transport 1) | 1 263 | 1 328 | 1 306 | 1 331 | 1 340 | 1 125 | 1 130 | |
| among which | railways1) | 101 | 103 | 101 | 101 | 99 | 91 | 88 |
| motorways and trunk roads1) | 927 | 1 013 | 1 068 | 1 096 | 1 132 | 1 008 | 1 016 | |
| Buildings1) | 2 674 | 2 885 | 2 905 | 3 027 | 3 150 | 3 048 | 3 183 | |
| of which | residential areas | 1 935 | 2 085 | 2 101 | 2 168 | 2 242 | 2 138 | 2 211 |
| company premises 1) | 443 | 485 | 478 | 526 | 567 | 600 | 659 | |
| other built-up areas | 296 | 316 | 326 | 333 | 341 | 311 | 312 | |
| Semi-built-up | 531 | 452 | 414 | 440 | 436 | 378 | 486 | |
| among which | mining and quarrying 1) | 70 | 65 | 65 | 66 | 51 | 31 | 32 |
| construction sites | 341 | 254 | 215 | 237 | 235 | 217 | 327 | |
| Recreation 1) | 675 | 782 | 760 | 809 | 827 | 862 | 889 | |
| Agriculture | 24 252 | 23 974 | 23 991 | 23 755 | 23 508 | 23 604 | 23 260 | |
| among which | horticulture under glass | 137 | 138 | 127 | 142 | 143 | 139 | 150 |
| Forest and nature | 4 543 | 4 500 | 4 505 | 4 517 | 4 612 | 4 784 | 4 835 | |
| of which | forest | 2 940 | 3 003 | 3 098 | 3 108 | 3 233 | 3 441 | 3 501 |
| dry natural areas | 866 | 839 | 867 | 866 | 839 | 836 | 833 | |
| wet natural areas | 737 | 659 | 540 | 543 | 539 | 507 | 501 | |
| Inland waters | 1 595 | 1 677 | 1 794 | 2 973 | 3 479 | 3 553 | 3 574 | |
| among which | closed estuary | . | . | . | . | . | 321 | 321 |
| Non-inland waters | 1 749 | 1 737 | 4 182 | 4 175 | 4 174 | 4 173 | 4 170 | |
| among which | Wadden Sea | 419 | 421 | 2 593 | 2 590 | 2 591 | 2 591 | 2 594 |
| Oosterschelde 1) | 727 | 705 | 644 | 644 | 642 | 346 | 346 | |
| Westerschelde | . | . | . | . | . | 298 | 298 | |
| Source: CBS. | CBS/EDC/May03/0060 | |||||||
| 1) The use of a new classification system means that the figures for 1996 (revised) and 2000 have been compiled differently from previous years. For further information, see Statline. | ||||||||
Changes in land use
The table shows land use in all areas incorporated within municipalities. Until 1996, municipal borders were frequently redrawn. This was due mainly to the incorporation of bodies of water and the revision of national borders. The increase of both incorporated and surface waters between 1989 and 1996 is due to the allocation of the Wadden Sea and large areas of the IJsselmeer to municipalities.
The amount of land for transport and traffic, built-up areas and forest has increased, while less land is used for agriculture. There has been a slight fall in natural areas in favour of forest.
Relevance
Economic and demographic developments have resulted in the expansion of more urban functions such as 'built-up land' and 'traffic and transport'. There has also been a steady increase in the amount of land used for recreational purposes. The increase in the amount of space used for these purposes is almost always achieved at the expense of agricultural land. Given the fact that the land used for forest is increasing, the negative implications for forest and nature are limited.
Methodology prior to 1997
Between 1985 and 1989, changes were made to the method used to collect data. Municipal authorities supplied the figures for 1989. From 1989 onwards, aerial photography was used. In addition, there have been minor amendments to the various categories (CBS, 1992). These changes also have an effect on data continuity. This emerges in, for example, the categories 'recreational areas' and 'traffic and transport'.
Methodology for 2000
The survey of land use in 2000 used a new method. In that year, the base geometry was adopted that is used in TOP10Vector, the digital topographical base file of the Dutch Topographical Service (Topografische Dienst Nederland). This makes possible a proper exchange of geographical information about land use (the Bestand Bodemgebruik (BBG)) with other sources of geographical information based on the TOP10Vector. To establish a link with the results of previous sets of land statistics, the new method was also used to calculate land use in 1996.
