Land use map of the Netherlands, 2000

Land use in the Netherlands

On this map, the Veluwe area in the centre is conspicuous in having nature as its principal function. A concentration of urban land use forms can be clearly seen in the west of the country. In the east, and particularly in the north of the country, there is much less urban development. Agriculture and horticulture continue to account for most land use in the Netherlands: in 2000, approximately 69% of the surface area of the country was used by the agricultural sector.

Technical note

The legend is a composite using the main categories in the CBS Bodemstatistiek (Statistics on land use). The map includes five categories: Urban areas, Nature and recreational sites, Horticulture under glass, Other agricultural and horicultural areas, and Inland waters. The urban areas consist of built-up and semi-built-up areas. Nature includes wet and dry natural areas, as well as forest. The main categories 'Traffic and transport' (railways, motorways and trunk roads, airfields) and 'Non-inland waters' (North Sea, Wadden Sea, Eems, Dollard, Oosterschelde, Westerschelde) from the CBS Bodemstatistiek are not drawn in this map.

References

• CBS (2003). Statline. Bodemgebruik in Nederland. Statistics Netherlands, Voorburg/Heerlen.
• Visser, H. (2000). Bodemgebruik in Nederland. Kwartaalbericht Milieustatistieken 2000/2. Statistics Netherlands, Voorburg/Heerlen.

Relevant sections and indicators in the Environmental Data Compendium

• Space: use, spatial policy and the consequences for nature and landscape in the Netherlands
• Land use in the Netherlands, 1977-2000
• Space per capita in the Netherlands, 1900-2000
• Urban areas in the Netherlands, 1970-2000

Relevant information outside of the Environmental Data Compendium

• More information about land use can be found on Statline (Statistics Netherlands).