Province

Zeeland: Migration background and origin

On 1 January 2026, the province of Zeeland had 394,530 residents. 23.8% of them (94,075 people) have a migration background: they were born abroad or have at least one parent who was. That is lower than the national average (29.1%). The largest origin groups are Belgium (5.8%), other Europe (4.9%) and other Asia (3.4%). 64.1% of residents with a migration background were born abroad themselves. Since 2022 the share has risen by 2.8 percentage points.

Residents: 394,530 on 1 January 2026
Migration background: 23.8% 94,075 people
Born abroad: 64.1% 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 municipality.

Where residents come from

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

Dutch origin and migration background

76% 24%

Dutch origin 76.2% 300,485
Migration background 23.8% 94,075

Largest origin groups

Bars show each group’s share of all residents of Zeeland. For comparison, the circle marks the Netherlands.

Belgium

5.8% 22,895 people

Netherlands 0.76%
Other Europe Europe excluding the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland

4.9% 19,145 people

Netherlands 5.6%
Other Asia Asia excluding Indonesia and Turkey

3.4% 13,280 people

Netherlands 5.3%
Other Africa Africa excluding Morocco

1.6% 6,150 people

Netherlands 2.3%
Indonesia

1.5% 5,855 people

Netherlands 1.9%
Germany

1.4% 5,345 people

Netherlands 1.9%
Poland

1.3% 5,265 people

Netherlands 1.4%
Other Americas & Oceania Americas and Oceania excluding Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean

1.1% 4,225 people

Netherlands 1.7%
Turkey

1.0% 3,905 people

Netherlands 2.6%
Dutch Caribbean Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

0.67% 2,655 people

Netherlands 1.1%
Suriname

0.67% 2,645 people

Netherlands 2.0%
Morocco

0.64% 2,515 people

Netherlands 2.4%

First and second generation

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

64% 36%

Born abroad (first generation) 64.1% 60,265
Born in the Netherlands (second generation) 35.9% 33,785

Men and women

Men: 196,700
Women: 197,805

Trend since 1998

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

Show

Measure % Residents

New CBS classification

23.8%

Zeeland
Netherlands

Show as table

Year	Zeeland	Netherlands
1998	13.5%	16.7%
1999	13.7%	17.1%
2000	13.9%	17.5%
2001	14.3%	18.0%
2002	14.5%	18.4%
2003	14.7%	18.8%
2004	14.8%	19.0%
2005	14.9%	19.2%
2006	14.9%	19.3%
2007	15.0%	19.4%
2008	15.1%	19.6%
2009	15.3%	19.9%
2010	15.5%	20.3%
2011	15.7%	20.6%
2012	16.0%	20.9%
2013	16.2%	21.1%
2014	16.5%	21.4%
2015	16.8%	21.7%
2016	17.2%	22.1%
2017	17.6%	22.6%
2018	18.1%	23.1%
2019	18.5%	23.6%
2020	18.9%	24.2%
2021	19.3%	24.6%
2022	21.1%	26.0%
2023	22.1%	27.1%
2024	22.8%	27.9%
2025	23.3%	28.5%
2026	23.8%	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).

Municipalities in Zeeland

				Largest group
Municipality of Terneuzen	34.3%	55,950	+3.6 pp	Belgium
Municipality of Middelburg	24.1%	50,440	+3.1 pp	Other Europe
Municipality of Vlissingen	32.0%	45,880	+3.6 pp	Other Europe
Municipality of Goes	21.8%	40,380	+3.3 pp	Other Asia
Schouwen-Duiveland	12.8%	34,405	+1.9 pp	Other Europe
Municipality of Hulst	33.7%	27,370	+2.3 pp	Belgium
Municipality of Tholen	12.9%	27,030	+2.2 pp	Other Europe
Reimerswaal	18.5%	23,390	+2.4 pp	Other Europe
Municipality of Sluis	38.6%	23,205	+2.3 pp	Belgium
Borsele	12.8%	23,195	+2.1 pp	Other Europe
Municipality of Veere	12.2%	22,030	+2.2 pp	Other Europe
Municipality of Kapelle	13.2%	13,190	+2.1 pp	Other Europe
Noord-Beveland	17.9%	8,065	+2.9 pp	Other Europe

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	369,855	319,910	49,995	29,075	20,910	2,670	1,730	2,295	6,560	1,290	5,130	715	16,645	6,595	1,790	3,235	1,420	36,505	13,455
1999	370,505	319,665	50,835	29,405	21,500	2,710	1,780	2,305	6,535	1,375	5,140	730	16,740	6,820	1,900	3,400	1,590	36,845	14,035
2000	371,835	320,255	51,630	29,775	21,820	2,745	1,775	2,320	6,545	1,535	5,285	765	16,855	6,870	1,915	3,485	1,555	37,220	14,390
2001	374,860	321,270	53,640	30,635	22,970	2,875	1,820	2,305	6,575	1,570	5,360	730	16,985	7,565	2,230	4,000	1,675	38,135	15,520
2002	377,120	322,340	54,720	31,140	23,585	3,010	1,850	2,375	6,540	1,630	5,390	765	17,045	7,945	2,405	4,165	1,670	38,630	16,125
2003	378,250	322,460	55,785	31,395	24,380	3,015	1,900	2,375	6,610	1,765	5,460	820	17,080	8,050	2,700	4,360	1,720	38,990	16,865
2004	378,935	322,805	56,115	31,500	24,580	3,065	1,925	2,385	6,575	1,780	5,450	855	16,980	8,230	2,690	4,445	1,780	38,945	17,085
2005	379,930	323,195	56,675	31,710	24,875	3,185	2,005	2,480	6,570	1,740	5,495	965	16,970	8,295	2,715	4,390	1,845	39,285	17,365
2006	380,155	323,350	56,815	31,860	25,060	3,190	2,030	2,485	6,530	1,770	5,510	1,020	16,850	8,495	2,695	4,485	1,935	39,275	17,460
2007	380,470	323,305	57,145	32,090	25,070	3,175	2,085	2,490	6,520	1,820	5,600	1,190	16,865	8,450	2,640	4,430	1,950	39,535	17,555
2008	380,550	323,040	57,535	32,445	25,030	3,185	2,140	2,490	6,545	1,820	5,595	1,370	16,870	8,610	2,580	4,355	1,965	39,965	17,560
2009	380,935	322,705	58,235	33,055	25,270	3,190	2,180	2,490	6,425	1,785	5,710	1,545	16,930	8,870	2,680	4,505	2,090	40,435	17,830
2010	381,415	322,285	59,125	33,575	25,565	3,215	2,225	2,530	6,390	1,865	5,755	1,680	17,000	9,150	2,895	4,505	2,005	40,955	18,185
2011	381,525	321,590	59,930	33,895	25,965	3,290	2,275	2,535	6,345	1,850	5,765	1,930	16,980	9,230	3,045	4,615	2,080	41,260	18,735
2012	381,420	320,600	60,840	34,630	26,225	3,265	2,370	2,495	6,270	1,815	5,690	2,305	17,240	9,400	3,055	4,745	2,245	41,960	18,865
2013	381,055	319,420	61,630	35,610	26,055	3,230	2,295	2,575	6,270	1,780	5,640	2,630	17,610	9,735	3,025	4,740	2,200	42,805	18,820
2014	380,610	317,855	62,755	36,360	26,400	3,195	2,275	2,565	6,235	1,850	5,580	2,885	17,925	9,970	3,165	4,915	2,235	43,575	19,180
2015	380,705	316,710	63,995	37,255	26,740	3,170	2,290	2,545	6,145	1,860	5,510	3,275	18,280	10,190	3,285	5,160	2,325	44,405	19,590
2016	381,235	315,640	65,595	38,010	27,590	3,140	2,330	2,530	6,060	1,900	5,460	3,525	18,580	10,445	3,560	5,765	2,365	45,065	20,525
2017	381,545	314,240	67,305	38,660	28,645	3,150	2,315	2,520	6,035	1,945	5,390	3,690	18,940	10,645	3,755	6,520	2,430	45,705	21,595
2018	382,300	313,130	69,170	39,620	29,535	3,200	2,325	2,505	5,965	1,990	5,290	3,925	19,310	11,095	4,010	7,120	2,475	46,600	22,565
2019	383,030	312,095	70,935	40,745	30,190	3,240	2,340	2,490	5,915	2,080	5,315	4,100	19,660	11,675	4,175	7,370	2,605	47,695	23,240
2020	383,480	310,960	72,520	41,585	30,940	3,310	2,385	2,490	5,890	2,100	5,315	4,295	19,925	12,055	4,365	7,705	2,735	48,545	23,980
2021	385,390	311,020	74,370	42,665	31,705	3,425	2,430	2,520	5,870	2,215	5,280	4,500	20,190	12,700	4,535	7,870	2,865	49,620	24,755
2022	386,735	305,310	81,490	46,440	34,990	3,515	2,460	2,575	6,070	2,435	5,460	4,700	23,115	13,215	4,915	9,545	3,475	50,620	25,815
2023	391,085	304,595	86,515	49,970	36,580	3,670	2,490	2,565	5,995	2,540	5,440	4,890	23,145	16,455	5,175	10,445	3,660	54,150	27,350
2024	391,625	302,595	89,095	51,150	37,915	3,675	2,485	2,560	5,950	2,625	5,380	5,130	23,135	17,525	5,365	11,245	3,885	–	–
2025	392,955	301,260	91,695	52,115	39,630	3,830	2,505	2,615	5,915	2,625	5,360	5,220	23,085	18,450	5,730	12,295	4,020	–	–
2026	394,530	300,485	94,075	52,660	41,405	3,905	2,515	2,645	5,855	2,655	5,345	5,265	22,895	19,145	6,150	13,280	4,225	–	–

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