Municipality · Friesland

Municipality of Smallingerland: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, the municipality of Smallingerland had 57,195 residents. 15.6% of them (8,895 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is higher than Friesland (13.7%) and lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are other Asia (4.6%), other Europe (3.1%) and other Africa (1.8%). 57.6% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 2.8 percentage points.

Residents: 57,195 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 15.6% 8,895 people
Born abroad: 57.6% of those with a migration background
Change since 2022: +2.8 pp in share with a migration background

Migration background, share of residents

Share of residents with a migration background per postcode.

Where residents come from

Origin of residents on 1 January 2026, as a share of all residents.

Dutch origin and migration background

84% 16%

Dutch origin 84.4% 48,280
Migration background 15.6% 8,895

Largest origin groups

Bars show each group’s share of all residents of Smallingerland. For comparison, the line marks Friesland and the circle the Netherlands.

Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

4.6% 2,615 people

Friesland 3.2% Netherlands 5.3%
Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

3.1% 1,750 people

Friesland 3.0% Netherlands 5.6%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

1.8% 1,035 people

Friesland 1.5% Netherlands 2.3%
Indonesia

1.4% 790 people

Friesland 1.1% Netherlands 1.9%
Germany

1.1% 625 people

Friesland 1.3% Netherlands 1.9%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

0.91% 520 people

Friesland 1.0% Netherlands 1.7%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.80% 460 people

Friesland 0.60% Netherlands 1.1%
Suriname

0.69% 395 people

Friesland 0.51% Netherlands 2.0%
Morocco

0.39% 225 people

Friesland 0.35% Netherlands 2.4%
Turkey

0.31% 180 people

Friesland 0.43% Netherlands 2.6%
Poland

0.30% 170 people

Friesland 0.40% Netherlands 1.4%
Belgium

0.18% 105 people

Friesland 0.17% Netherlands 0.76%

First and second generation

Residents with a migration background, by whether they were born abroad themselves.

58% 43%

Born abroad (first generation) 57.6% 5,120
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 42.6% 3,785

Men and women

Men: 28,705
Women: 28,480

Compared with all municipalities

Netherlands 29.1% Smallingerland 15.6%

Higher than 34% of all municipalities in the Netherlands

Trend since 1998

Share of residents with a migration background, compared with larger areas.

Show

Measure % Residents

New CBS classification

15.6%

Smallingerland
Friesland
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Smallingerland	Friesland	Netherlands
1998	8.2%	7.0%	16.7%
1999	8.6%	7.3%	17.1%
2000	9.0%	7.5%	17.5%
2001	9.7%	7.9%	18.0%
2002	9.8%	8.2%	18.4%
2003	9.6%	8.4%	18.8%
2004	9.7%	8.4%	19.0%
2005	9.9%	8.4%	19.2%
2006	9.7%	8.2%	19.3%
2007	9.6%	8.1%	19.4%
2008	9.5%	8.2%	19.6%
2009	9.5%	8.3%	19.9%
2010	9.8%	8.5%	20.3%
2011	10.1%	8.5%	20.6%
2012	10.0%	8.7%	20.9%
2013	10.0%	8.7%	21.1%
2014	10.1%	8.8%	21.4%
2015	10.4%	9.0%	21.7%
2016	10.3%	9.1%	22.1%
2017	10.6%	9.5%	22.6%
2018	11.0%	9.8%	23.1%
2019	11.2%	10.0%	23.6%
2020	11.7%	10.3%	24.2%
2021	12.0%	10.5%	24.6%
2022	12.8%	11.5%	26.0%
2023	13.4%	12.3%	27.1%
2024	14.4%	12.8%	27.9%
2025	15.2%	13.3%	28.5%
2026	15.6%	13.7%	29.1%

In 2022 CBS switched to a new origin classification. Up to 2021 the line shows the old “migration background” figures; the overlap years show a small break (about +0.8 points nationally).

Cities and villages in Smallingerland

				Largest group
Drachten	17.6%	46,195	+2.9 pp	Other Asia
Boornbergum	6.9%	1,810	+1.2 pp	Other Europe
Opeinde	5.9%	1,785	+0.7 pp	Suriname
Oudega (Smallingerland)	6.3%	1,660	+1.6 pp	Other Europe
Rottevalle	3.2%	1,410	−0.4 pp	Other Europe
Drachtstercompagnie	4.8%	1,250	+0.7 pp	Indonesia
Houtigehage	4.3%	940	+0.4 pp	Other Europe
De Wilgen	5.4%	650	−0.8 pp	Indonesia
Nijega	3.3%	450	±0.0 pp	Indonesia
Kortehemmen	53.5%	355	+41.9 pp	Other Europe
De Tike	4.5%	335	+0.1 pp	Germany
De Veenhoop	5.8%	260	+3.8 pp	Indonesia
Smalle Ee	10.0%	50	±0.0 pp	–
Goëngahuizen	0.0%	45	±0.0 pp	–

All figures

Number of residents per origin group on 1 January. Figures up to 2021 use the old CBS classification.

Year	Total residents	Dutch origin	Migration background	Europe	Outside Europe	Turkey	Morocco	Suriname	Indonesia	Dutch Caribbean	Germany	Poland	Belgium	Other Europe	Other Africa	Other Asia	Other Americas & Oceania	Western migration background	Non-Western migration background
1998	51,070	46,875	4,200	1,415	2,790	40	180	280	805	195	675	55	50	645	260	850	180	2,365	1,850
1999	51,685	47,270	4,420	1,475	2,935	50	185	285	820	195	685	60	60	680	265	975	175	2,420	2,010
2000	52,425	47,745	4,695	1,560	3,115	50	185	285	855	260	720	55	55	755	280	1,025	190	2,530	2,145
2001	53,015	47,835	5,160	1,695	3,460	55	195	280	845	280	700	65	70	875	445	1,175	200	2,665	2,500
2002	53,485	48,240	5,250	1,720	3,535	65	200	285	825	315	695	65	70	895	500	1,160	190	2,675	2,565
2003	53,745	48,605	5,155	1,740	3,395	65	190	275	845	330	690	80	65	905	435	1,050	215	2,700	2,450
2004	54,045	48,805	5,240	1,805	3,435	60	185	295	830	330	705	70	65	970	490	1,060	210	2,740	2,490
2005	54,435	49,070	5,380	1,870	3,525	80	200	295	825	325	710	100	55	1,010	480	1,110	215	2,805	2,575
2006	54,860	49,550	5,325	1,900	3,445	85	190	290	800	320	725	85	75	1,020	460	1,080	230	2,825	2,480
2007	54,950	49,710	5,270	1,855	3,370	85	180	280	815	320	710	80	85	980	405	1,060	235	2,810	2,445
2008	54,970	49,725	5,240	1,890	3,350	85	180	275	805	325	715	95	90	990	370	1,070	245	2,800	2,445
2009	55,200	49,990	5,220	1,870	3,365	95	170	300	800	360	710	80	90	990	355	1,085	215	2,790	2,425
2010	55,255	49,840	5,440	1,895	3,540	75	165	300	800	350	690	110	85	1,015	425	1,200	235	2,805	2,620
2011	55,425	49,850	5,595	1,925	3,675	95	185	295	785	345	720	115	85	1,010	455	1,285	235	2,850	2,730
2012	55,440	49,910	5,525	1,960	3,565	75	185	295	765	350	715	105	90	1,050	425	1,225	260	2,870	2,670
2013	55,450	49,920	5,530	2,000	3,530	70	190	295	770	345	690	110	90	1,110	390	1,210	265	2,880	2,655
2014	55,465	49,890	5,575	1,965	3,600	80	195	295	755	345	690	110	80	1,085	455	1,220	260	2,840	2,730
2015	55,635	49,870	5,765	2,015	3,745	80	200	310	780	340	690	135	85	1,110	530	1,275	240	2,895	2,875
2016	55,435	49,720	5,715	1,995	3,720	85	195	300	765	340	685	130	80	1,100	520	1,260	270	2,860	2,845
2017	55,690	49,805	5,885	1,990	3,900	90	195	315	765	365	680	130	75	1,110	510	1,395	270	2,875	3,020
2018	55,890	49,740	6,150	2,015	4,130	100	205	330	775	370	680	135	80	1,125	580	1,480	305	2,915	3,245
2019	55,940	49,675	6,265	2,010	4,250	110	210	330	765	380	660	145	85	1,120	655	1,490	315	2,900	3,365
2020	56,150	49,580	6,570	2,055	4,520	125	215	340	745	395	665	150	85	1,160	730	1,625	350	2,925	3,660
2021	56,045	49,335	6,710	2,090	4,625	120	205	340	750	390	645	150	90	1,205	800	1,675	350	2,960	3,750
2022	55,885	48,745	7,150	2,045	5,105	125	205	345	790	410	680	160	95	1,100	820	1,940	465	2,940	3,830
2023	56,105	48,570	7,525	2,255	5,285	140	220	355	790	430	660	160	95	1,320	845	2,005	465	3,165	3,995
2024	56,665	48,480	8,175	2,550	5,615	160	235	350	785	435	665	170	105	1,615	925	2,230	465	–	–
2025	57,095	48,415	8,665	2,605	6,060	230	240	360	770	460	650	175	95	1,675	1,010	2,445	515	–	–
2026	57,195	48,280	8,895	2,660	6,245	180	225	395	790	460	625	170	105	1,750	1,035	2,615	520	–	–

Definitions and method · CBS 85640NED (2022–2026), 83503NED (1998–2023)