Good to know
Good to Know
- Rotterdam is extremely cosmopolitan with 170+ nationalities represented; over half the population has a migrant background or was born abroad, making it one of Europe's most diverse cities.
- The city center attracts younger, educated, and higher-income residents disproportionately, with 70% of 20-40 year-olds being single.
- Major immigrant communities include Surinamese, Turkish, and Moroccan populations; the city is home to the largest Dutch Antillean community in the Netherlands.
- Rotterdam's tech ecosystem is growing rapidly (50.7% growth in 2025) with 1,770+ startups, particularly strong in health/biotech, energy/sustainability, and deep tech sectors.
- The port industry and related logistics dominate the economy; Rotterdam maintains one of the world's most significant shipping hubs, attracting workers globally.
- Approximately 13% of the population is Muslim, with Turkish and Moroccan heritage forming the largest share of this community.
Major Ethnic Groups
Suriname
- Percentage Of Population
- 8.7
Turkey
- Percentage Of Population
- 7.8
Morocco
- Percentage Of Population
- 6.5
Dutch Antilles/Aruba
- Percentage Of Population
- 3.6
Cape Verde
- Percentage Of Population
- 2.5
EU countries
- Percentage Of Population
- 6.4
Other Western countries
- Percentage Of Population
- 4.6
Other Non-Western countries
- Percentage Of Population
- 7.5
Tech And Business Presence
- Startup Count
- 1770
- Global Ranking
- 163rd
- National Ranking
- 5th in Netherlands
- Port Significance
- World's 3rd largest port by volume, Europe's largest container port
- Ecosystem Growth 2025
- 50.7%
- Life Sciences Health Companies
- 400
- Identified Active Startups 2025
- 218
- Life Sciences Market Share Netherlands
- 10%
- Startup Ecosystem Funding 2025 USD Million
- 342
Major Employers
- Port of Rotterdam (Europe's largest container port)
- Unilever (headquarters)
- Eneco
- Roboco
Key Startup Sectors
- Energy and sustainability (18%)
- Deep tech and quantum (12%)
- Health and biotech (15%)
- Mobility/logistics (10%)
- Transportation, hardware/IoT, and fintech (26%)
- Fintech/startup platforms
Notable Funded Companies
Nearfield Instruments
- Sector
- Semiconductor metrology
- Funding USD Million
- 217.8
Population
- Total Estimate 2019
- 638751
- Total Estimate 2023
- 663900
- Growth Note
- Population has been growing steadily since 2008
Demographic Notes
- Education Level
- City center has disproportionately high proportion with higher education and higher income
- Age Profile City Center
- 70% of population aged 20-40 are single
- Second Generation Migrants
- Over one-fifth of city population
- Youth With Migrant Origins
- Approximately 70% of city youth
Total Nationalities
170
Religious Demographics
- Islam Percentage
- 13.1
- Hinduism Percentage
- 3.3
- Christianity Percentage
- 36.3
- No Religious Affiliation Percentage
- 47.3
Foreign Born Percentage
45
Migration Background Percentage
52.9
Foreign Born Percentage City Center
51
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this local demographics research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Rotterdam
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.