1. Overview
The Netherlands covers roughly 41,500 square kilometers and is home to about 17.5 million people (2025 estimate).
Jujuy, a province in northwestern Argentina, spans around 53,000 square kilometers and has approximately 770,000 inhabitants.
Although their land areas are broadly similar, the Netherlands’ population is around 23 times larger, making it one of the most densely populated countries in the world.
2. Context and Scope
This article examines two regions of comparable physical size but very different demographic profiles:
- The Netherlands, a Western European country characterized by flat landscapes, advanced infrastructure, and extensive urbanization.
- Jujuy, a province in Argentina’s Andean Northwest, known for its mountainous geography and dispersed rural settlements.
The purpose is to present a clear, factual comparison of their area, population, and density, based on verified data from recognized statistical and governmental institutions.
3. Geographic and Demographic Comparison
3.1 Land Area
Jujuy and the Netherlands are close in size. Jujuy measures about 53,000 km², while the Netherlands occupies approximately 41,500 km².
That makes Jujuy around 28% larger, yet the difference is modest compared to global territorial scales.
3.2 Population and Density
The Netherlands has an estimated 17.5 million residents, whereas Jujuy’s population is about 770,000.
Dividing these figures gives a ratio of roughly 23 to 1, meaning the Netherlands has about twenty-three times as many inhabitants.
Population density reflects this contrast clearly:
- The Netherlands: around 420 people per square kilometer.
- Jujuy: about 14 people per square kilometer.
Despite its smaller land area, the Netherlands supports an extremely concentrated population, while Jujuy remains largely open and sparsely settled.
3.3 Urbanization and Geography
The Netherlands is among the world’s most urbanized nations. Over 90 % of its citizens live in cities such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and The Hague.
By contrast, Jujuy’s population centers—most notably San Salvador de Jujuy—are smaller, and large parts of the province consist of valleys and high-altitude terrain where settlements are limited.
Geography, climate, and economic development explain why two similarly sized territories exhibit such different human distributions.
4. Key Insights
- Comparable Size: Jujuy is slightly larger than the Netherlands, but the difference is relatively small.
- Population Gap: The Netherlands has roughly 23 times more people.
- Density Difference: The Dutch population density is nearly 30 times higher.
- Underlying Causes: Geography, economic opportunity, and historical development shape these contrasts more strongly than surface area alone.
5. Sources
- Statistics Netherlands (CBS – Central Bureau of Statistics) – https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb
- World Bank Data – Netherlands Population (2025 estimate) – https://data.worldbank.org/country/netherlands
- National Institute of Statistics and Censuses of Argentina (INDEC) – https://www.indec.gob.ar
- Government of Jujuy – Territorial and Demographic Data – https://jujuy.gob.ar
- CIA World Factbook – Country Profiles – https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 