Netherlands Industry Employment
Employment in industry SL.IND.EMPL.ZS
Netherlands's industry employment was 13.76% in 2025, ranked 34th globally. This represents a 1.9% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Netherlands's industry employment stood at 13.76% in 2025, a decline of +0.26% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 13.82% by 2026. Netherlands ranked 34th globally.
Netherlands’ share of employment in industry has fallen sharply over the 35‑year span, dropping from an all‑time peak of 24.83 % in 1991 to a trough of 13.76 % in 2025, the latter placing the country 34th globally. The decline reflects a long‑standing shift toward services and high‑value knowledge sectors, a pattern also evident in other advanced economies such as Singapore, which recorded a comparable industry employment share of 14.00 % in the same year. By contrast, lower‑income economies like the Central African Republic remain near the bottom of the distribution with 13.39 %, underscoring the structural divergence between highly industrialised and developing labour markets. The persistent downward trajectory suggests that without targeted policy interventions to revive manufacturing or expand high‑tech industrial clusters, the Netherlands is likely to continue moving farther from its historical peak, reinforcing its position as a service‑oriented economy.
Data & projection
| Year | Industry Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 13.63% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 13.72% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 13.82% | - | - |
| 2025 | 13.76% | −0.26% | #34 |
| 2024 | 14.02% | −0.31% | #35 |
| 2023 | 14.33% | +0.06% | #41 |
| 2022 | 14.27% | +0.17% | #40 |
| 2021 | 14.10% | −1.58% | #40 |
| 2020 | 15.68% | −0.26% | #56 |
| 2019 | 15.93% | −0.15% | #56 |
| 2018 | 16.08% | −0.50% | #56 |
| 2017 | 16.58% | +0.47% | #63 |
| 2016 | 16.11% | −0.37% | #58 |
| 2015 | 16.47% | +0.43% | #62 |
| 2014 | 16.04% | −0.65% | #57 |
| 2013 | 16.69% | −0.80% | #64 |
| 2012 | 17.49% | +0.65% | #74 |
| 2011 | 16.84% | −0.87% | #64 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Netherlands matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2021. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw industry employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Netherlands's industry employment was 13.76% in 2025. Ranked 34th globally. This represents a 1.9% decrease from the previous year.
Netherlands's industry employment peaked at 24.83% in 1991.
The lowest industry employment in Netherlands was 13.76% in 2025.
Netherlands ranks 34th globally in industry employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.IND.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Netherlands's industry employment is projected to reach 13.82% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The industry employment of Netherlands in 2025 was 13.76%. This ranks 34th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_netherlands_industry-employment,
title = {Netherlands Industry Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/netherlands/industry-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}