Key Takeaways
- The Netherlands (Europe) is smaller than Veracruz, Mexico (North America) by land area, and it fits into Veracruz almost two times.
- The Netherlands (Europe) has more than double the population of Veracruz, Mexico (North America), so it is far more densely populated.
- Many countries set a “normal” retirement age in the mid-sixties, but there are clear exceptions—both lower and higher.
- The Netherlands (Europe) does not require age seventy to retire today; age seventy appears as a future path in some countries’ laws, not as the standard age for people retiring now.
Story & Details
A claim that turns into a clear comparison
The central topic is simple: comparing the Netherlands (Europe) with Veracruz, Mexico (North America) in size, people, and what “retirement age” really means.
Start with land. The Netherlands (Europe) covers about 37,391 square kilometres. Veracruz, Mexico (North America) covers about 71,823.5 square kilometres. In plain terms, the Netherlands (Europe) is a little over half the size of Veracruz, Mexico (North America). Put another way, the Netherlands (Europe) fits into Veracruz, Mexico (North America) about 1.9 times.
Now add people. The Netherlands (Europe) has about 18,044,027 residents. Veracruz, Mexico (North America) had 8,062,579 residents in the most recent full census count used here. That means the population of Veracruz, Mexico (North America) fits into the Netherlands (Europe) about 2.2 times.
This is why the “feel” of each place can be so different. The Netherlands (Europe) ends up with a much higher population density—roughly more than four times higher than Veracruz, Mexico (North America), using these figures.
A quick note on names: Holland and the Netherlands
“Holland” is a common informal name, but it is not the full country name. In everyday talk, many people say “Holland” when they mean the Netherlands (Europe) as a whole. For a clean comparison, the full country is the Netherlands (Europe).
Retirement age: why most countries cluster near the mid-sixties
A simple belief often sounds right: most countries sit around sixty-five to sixty-seven for retirement. In broad strokes, many systems do cluster near that range. But “retirement age” is not one single rule. Countries often have a normal age, an early option, and special paths based on long careers or different benefit types.
Across the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries (a group that includes the Netherlands (Europe), Mexico (North America), Germany (Europe), Greece (Europe), and the United States (North America)), the average normal retirement age for a full-career worker retiring in two thousand twenty-four is in the mid-sixties. Yet some places are far below that, and some are at the top end.
The retirement ages asked for, in plain language
In the Netherlands (Europe), the state pension age for the basic public pension is sixty-seven in two thousand twenty-six. That is a clear “no” to the idea that the Netherlands (Europe) requires age seventy today.
In Mexico (North America), the public social insurance system commonly ties an old-age pension to age sixty-five, with an earlier pathway around age sixty in certain situations, depending on the type of pension and conditions.
In Argentina (South America), the standard contributory retirement ages are commonly sixty for women and sixty-five for men, tied to contribution requirements.
In the United States (North America), the normal age for full Social Security retirement benefits depends on birth year and is commonly described as moving up to sixty-seven for later cohorts.
In Germany (Europe), the statutory retirement age has been rising toward sixty-seven, phased in by birth cohort.
In Greece (Europe), the standard pension age is often described as sixty-seven, with a common alternative route at sixty-two for people with a very long contribution history, under specific rules.
Who is “seventy or more,” and is that happening now?
For people retiring today, age seventy as the normal retirement age is not the standard across the OECD group. The more important point is what current laws are set to produce for younger workers. Under current legislation tracked in international comparisons, future normal retirement ages can reach seventy or more in Denmark (Europe), Estonia (Europe), Italy (Europe), the Netherlands (Europe), and Sweden (Europe).
So the sharp answer is this: age seventy is a future legal destination in some countries, not the normal retirement age for the Netherlands (Europe) today.
A tiny Dutch mini-lesson that fits the theme
Retirement talk in the Netherlands (Europe) often uses short, practical phrases.
A simple sentence:
“Wanneer ga je met pensioen?”
A very direct word-by-word guide:
Wanneer = when
ga = go
je = you
met = with
pensioen = pension
A natural, everyday sense:
It is a normal, friendly way to ask when someone plans to retire.
Another phrase often seen in official contexts:
“AOW-leeftijd”
A very direct word-by-word guide:
AOW = state pension law name
leeftijd = age
A natural, everyday sense:
It points to the official state pension age for the basic public pension.
Conclusions
The Netherlands (Europe) really is smaller than Veracruz, Mexico (North America) in land area, and it fits into Veracruz, Mexico (North America) almost two times. Yet the Netherlands (Europe) has more than double the population of Veracruz, Mexico (North America), which helps explain why density and daily life can feel so different.
On retirement, the mid-sixties do show up again and again, but the world does not run on one universal number. The Netherlands (Europe) does not require age seventy today. The sharper story is that some countries’ laws are pushing future retirement ages upward, and a handful are on track to reach seventy or more for younger workers.
Selected References
[1] https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/country-profiles/netherlands_en
[2] https://www.inegi.org.mx/contenidos/productos/prod_serv/contenidos/espanol/bvinegi/productos/nueva_estruc/702825197711.pdf
[3] https://www.britannica.com/place/Poza-Rica
[4] https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/2025/11/pensions-at-a-glance-2025_76510fe4/full-report/current-retirement-ages_0f63b747.html
[5] https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/2025/11/pensions-at-a-glance-2025_76510fe4/full-report/future-retirement-ages_23752280.html
[6] https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/aow-pension-abroad/age
[7] https://www.imss.gob.mx/tramites/imss01002
[8] https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/progdesc/ssptw/2018-2019/americas/mexico.html
[9] https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/progdesc/intl_update/2021-08/index.html
[10] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfA_xJHnlu8
Appendix
AOW: The Dutch state pension system for a basic public pension in the Netherlands (Europe), with an official eligibility age that can change by law.
Density: A simple way to compare how crowded places are, usually described as people per square kilometre.
Holland: A common informal name many people use for the Netherlands (Europe), though it is not the full country name.
Netherlands: The full country often called “Holland” in casual speech, located in Europe.
Normal retirement age: The standard age set by law or a main pension system for receiving a full pension under normal conditions, often different from early or special routes.
Surface area: The size of a place measured in square units, such as square kilometres, used here to compare the Netherlands (Europe) and Veracruz, Mexico (North America).
Veracruz: A state in Mexico (North America), used here as the comparison point for land area and population.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 