Germany and Netherlands
Germany and the Netherlands connect production chains, trade and social contacts within Europe. Institutional proximity and university exchanges complement activity in both markets.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07Intergovernmental consultations
The countries maintain contacts between national governments, parliaments and regional administrations.
Trade and specialisation
Services, agriculture and specialised industry form part of the Dutch economy.
European coordination
Relations develop in European institutions and through bilateral consultations.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 225,662.89 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / DEU |
| Goods: Germany to Netherlands | 126,240.02 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / DEU |
| Goods: Netherlands to Germany | 99,422.87 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / DEU |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: Germany to Netherlands | 7.12 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / DEU |
| Export share: Netherlands to Germany | ||
| Investment stock: Germany in Netherlands | ||
| Investment stock: Netherlands in Germany |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / DEU · Goods; full year; DEU reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: Germany to Netherlands
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / DEU · Goods; full year; DEU reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: Netherlands to Germany
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / DEU · Goods; full year; DEU reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Export share: Germany to Netherlands
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / DEU · Goods share: DEU exports to the partner / the same reporter's exports to the world, same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
Some annual indicators refer to different years. Check the period beside each value before comparing them.
| Indicator | Germany | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 5.05 trillion USD2025 · WB | 1.33 trillion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 60,496.44 USD2025 · WB | 73,683.92 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 0.24 %2025 · WB | 1.78 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 2.5 %2026-09-16 · BCE | 2.5 %2026-09-16 · BCE |
| Inflation · annual average | 2.17 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 3.26 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 3.3 %provisionalprovisionalYear-on-year · Sept. 2026 · Destatis | |
| Unemployment | 3.71 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 3.87 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -2.7 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -1.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 62.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 43.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | 4.51 %2025 · WB | 9.14 %2024 · WB |
| Population | 83,491,2492025 · WB | 18,087,6332025 · WB |
| Area | 357,680 km²2023 · WB | 41,540 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDGermany: 2025 · World BankNetherlands: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personGermany: 2025 · World BankNetherlands: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)Germany: 2025 · World BankNetherlands: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)Germany: 2026-09-16 · ECB: deposit facility; shared euro-area rate · European Central BankNetherlands: 2026-09-16 · ECB: deposit facility; shared euro-area rate · European Central Bank · ECB deposit facility rate, shared by euro-area members; not an independent national rate.
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Germany: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World BankNetherlands: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedGermany: 2026-09 · Change in headline CPI from the same month of the previous year (%) · Destatis · Published: 2026-09-30 · provisional · Provisional · National headline CPI, year-on-year, not monthly inflation or an annual average. Provisional data or an official advance release; subject to revision.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionGermany: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Netherlands: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)Germany: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Netherlands: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)Germany: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Netherlands: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPGermany: 2025 · World BankNetherlands: 2024 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleGermany: 2025 · World BankNetherlands: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceGermany: 2023 · Area according to the series' coverage; does not determine sovereignty or effective control · World BankNetherlands: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
Germany to Netherlands
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Vehicles and components | 15,427.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 14,420 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 10,847.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 10,066.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 4,792.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 2,630.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 1,298.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Metal ores | 78.3 M USD2025 · Source |
Netherlands to Germany
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Mineral fuels and oils | 14,631.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 5,738.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 5,677.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 4,691.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 4,469.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 4,117.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 2,343.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Metal ores | 114 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Billions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | Germany to Netherlands | Netherlands to Germany |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 215,619.7 | 108,856.3 | 106,763.5 |
| 2022 | 231,706 | 117,515.7 | 114,190.2 |
| 2023 | 225,946.5 | 120,106.5 | 105,840 |
| 2024 | 207,799.5 | 113,844 | 93,955.5 |
| 2025 | 225,662.9 | 126,240 | 99,422.9 |
Connections between people
Universities, vocational training, culture and regional administrations sustain social contacts. Daily mobility and permanent residence are not the same measure. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from Germany living in Netherlands | ||
| Residents from Netherlands living in Germany | ||
| Study and training: Germany in Netherlands | ||
| Study and training: Netherlands in Germany | ||
| Academic stays: Germany in Netherlands | ||
| Academic stays: Netherlands in Germany | ||
| Travel: Germany to Netherlands | ||
| Travel: Netherlands to Germany |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
Intergovernmental consultations
The countries maintain contacts between national governments, parliaments and regional administrations. The fourth intergovernmental consultations took place in Rotterdam in March 2023. [1]
Trade and specialisation
Services, agriculture and specialised industry form part of the Dutch economy. Its German trade role combines production and exchange; customs values do not themselves indicate every component’s ultimate origin. [1]
Universities and training
Educational cooperation covers research and vocational training. German students’ presence at Dutch universities is notable, but an approximate undated figure is not transformed into a dated current observation. [1]
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for Germany is 5,050.9 billion USD (2025), compared with 1,332.8 for Netherlands (2025). The reference populations are 83.49 and 18.09 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of Germany was 3.79 times that of Netherlands in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [5] [6] [7] [8]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
European coordination
Relations develop in European institutions and through bilateral consultations. Frequent contacts facilitate shared issue follow-up without demonstrating agreement on every national measure or economic controversy. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (Germany and Netherlands) totalled 225,662.9 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 126,240 million; those in the opposite direction, 99,422.9 million. The difference between the two flows was 26,817.1 million, in favour of Germany. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]
The partner's share of exports
Sales from Germany to the partner represented 7.12% of its worldwide goods exports in 2025. The share compares the same reporter, year and coverage. It measures export concentration, not the percentage of GDP dependent on this relationship. A partner may be important in a specific sector even if its share of total goods trade is small. [2]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 215,619.7 million USD in 2021 and 225,662.9 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was +4.7 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2022, at 231,706 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [3]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, vehicles and components stands out in shipments from Germany to Netherlands, at 15,427.8 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, mineral fuels and oils stands out in shipments from Netherlands to Germany, at 14,631.7 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [4]
Milestones and consequences
- 2023-03
Rotterdam consultations
The fourth intergovernmental round took place. [1]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations: DEU-NLD
Germany's Federal Foreign Office · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 276; partners 0,392,36,76,792,784,682,376,818,124,710,528,56,756
UN Comtrade / DEU · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Trade series 2021–2025
UN Comtrade / DEU · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Selected HS2 chapters; reporter 276; annual 2025; same partner/flow/coverage as total
UN Comtrade / DEU · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade / DEU
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · Selected HS2 chapters; reporter 276; annual 2025; same partner/flow/coverage as total.