> Netherlands had 607,000 sheep in 2024, the 94th largest in the world (0.04% of the world total). Over ten years it fell by 44%.

Source: https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/netherlands/

[Home](https://husfarm.com/)›[Production](https://husfarm.com/production/)›[Sheep](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/)›NetherlandsFAOSTAT · 1961–2024

# Sheep in Netherlands

Netherlands had 607,000 sheep in 2024, the 94th largest in the world (0.04% of the world total). Over ten years it fell by 44%. The record was 2.0 million head in 1992.

[Today’s prices](https://husfarm.com/today-price/lamb/)[Market prices in Netherlands](https://husfarm.com/country/netherlands/)

Animals, 2024607,000 head
World rank94 of 177
10-year change−44%
Record2.0 million head1992

## Sheep in Netherlands, 1961–2024 (head)

## Netherlands compared with the world, 2024

Share of world total0.04%0.09% in 2014
10-year change−44%world +17%

### Position in the world ranking

| # | Country | Head | Share |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 92 | [Venezuela](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/venezuela/) | 629,786 | 0.05% |
| 93 | [Guatemala](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/guatemala/) | 611,329 | 0.04% |
| 94 | **Netherlands** | 607,000 | 0.04% |
| 95 | [Croatia](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/croatia/) | 553,000 | 0.04% |
| 96 | [Myanmar](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/myanmar/) | 540,000 | 0.04% |

[Full ranking of 177 countries](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/)

### Map of sheep numbers by country

under 0.1%0.1–1%1–5%5–15%15% or moreno data
Share of the world total; Netherlands is outlined. Small island states are not drawn at this scale.

## By year

| Year | Head | Change |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2024 | 607,000 | −8.7% |
| 2023 | 665,000 | −8.0% |
| 2022 | 723,000 | −0.8% |
| 2021 | 729,000 | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 710,000 | −6.3% |
| 2019 | 758,000 | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 743,000 | −7.0% |
| 2017 | 798,830 | −23% |
| 2016 | 1,040,000 | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 1,032,000 | −4.1% |
| 2014 | 1,076,000 | +4.1% |
| 2013 | 1,033,570 | −0.9% |
| 2012 | 1,042,760 | −4.2% |
| 2011 | 1,088,490 | −3.6% |
| 2010 | 1,129,500 | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 1,116,610 | −7.9% |
| 2008 | 1,213,000 | −11% |
| 2007 | 1,369,000 | −0.5% |
| 2006 | 1,376,000 | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 1,363,000 | +10% |
| 2004 | 1,236,000 | +4.3% |
| 2003 | 1,185,000 | −0.1% |
| 2002 | 1,186,000 | −8.5% |
| 2001 | 1,296,000 | −0.9% |
| 2000 | 1,308,000 | −6.6% |
| 1999 | 1,401,000 | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 1,394,000 | −4.8% |
| 1997 | 1,465,000 | −10.0% |
| 1996 | 1,627,000 | −2.8% |
| 1995 | 1,674,000 | −5.2% |
| 1994 | 1,766,000 | −7.8% |
| 1993 | 1,916,000 | −1.9% |
| 1992 | 1,954,000 | +3.8% |
| 1991 | 1,882,000 | +9.1% |
| 1990 | 1,725,000 | +23% |
| 1989 | 1,405,000 | +20% |
| 1988 | 1,169,000 | +19% |
| 1987 | 984,572 | +13% |
| 1986 | 868,112 | +6.6% |
| 1985 | 814,342 | +6.4% |
| 1984 | 765,529 | −0.9% |
| 1983 | 772,342 | −0.5% |
| 1982 | 776,404 | −4.7% |
| 1981 | 814,942 | −5.0% |
| 1980 | 858,084 | −4.2% |
| 1979 | 895,411 | +6.5% |
| 1978 | 841,080 | +5.2% |
| 1977 | 799,629 | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 780,017 | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 760,102 | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 749,182 | +14% |
| 1973 | 657,307 | +11% |
| 1972 | 592,089 | +3.5% |
| 1971 | 572,153 | −6.2% |
| 1970 | 610,272 | +10% |
| 1969 | 554,463 | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 552,000 | +4.3% |
| 1967 | 529,218 | −5.2% |
| 1966 | 558,315 | +15% |
| 1965 | 484,117 | +9.3% |
| 1964 | 443,090 | −5.4% |
| 1963 | 468,368 | −2.9% |
| 1962 | 482,305 | +10% |
| 1961 | 438,072 | — |

## Questions and answers

### How many sheep are there in Netherlands?

Netherlands had 607,000 sheep in 2024, 0.04% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.

### Where does Netherlands rank in the world by number of sheep?

Netherlands ranked 94th of 177 countries in 2024. The largest herd was in China with 13.4% of the world total.

### How has the number of sheep in Netherlands changed?

It fell by 44% between 2014 and 2024, compared with +17% for the world. The record was 2.0 million head in 1992.

### Where does this data come from?

From FAOSTAT, the statistics database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Shares, ranks and per-person figures are calculated by Husfarm.

## Other large producers

[China](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/china/)[India](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/india/)[Australia](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/australia/)[Iran](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/iran/)[Nigeria](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/nigeria/)[Chad](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/chad/)[Turkey](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/turkey/)[Ethiopia](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/ethiopia/)[Sudan](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/sudan/)[Pakistan](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/pakistan/)[Algeria](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/algeria/)[United Kingdom](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/united-kingdom/)
[All countries producing sheep](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/)

## Other products of Netherlands

[Cow milk](https://husfarm.com/production/cow-milk/netherlands/)[Potatoes](https://husfarm.com/production/potatoes/netherlands/)[Sugar beet](https://husfarm.com/production/sugar-beet/netherlands/)[Skim milk of cows](https://husfarm.com/production/skim-milk-of-cows/netherlands/)[Beer](https://husfarm.com/production/beer/netherlands/)[Onions, dry](https://husfarm.com/production/onions/netherlands/)[Pork (pig meat)](https://husfarm.com/production/pork/netherlands/)[Raw sugar](https://husfarm.com/production/raw-sugar/netherlands/)[Cheese from whole cow milk](https://husfarm.com/production/cheese-from-whole-cow-milk/netherlands/)[Chicken meat](https://husfarm.com/production/chicken-meat/netherlands/)[Tomatoes](https://husfarm.com/production/tomatoes/netherlands/)[Wheat](https://husfarm.com/production/wheat/netherlands/)
[Agricultural production in Netherlands](https://husfarm.com/production/country/netherlands/)

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products. Accessed on 4 November 2026. [fao.org/faostat](https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL). Licence: [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Charts, rankings and changes calculated by Husfarm.

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