Leeuwarden Population 2026

Leeuwarden has a population of 124,481, making it the #20 biggest city in 🇳🇱 Netherlands, located in Friesland. Roughly 0.7% of Netherlands's population lives here. It is about 7.0× smaller than Rotterdam, the country's biggest city.

AmsterdamLeeuwarden
Location of Leeuwarden (capital Amsterdam shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.
Population (city proper)
124,481
Rank in Netherlands
#20
Coordinates
53.20°N, 5.81°E
~1 m elevation · Europe/Amsterdam
Distance to capital (Amsterdam)
111 km
69 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Friesland

CityPopulationRank in Netherlands
Drachten45,186#72
Heerenveen43,094#75
Sneek32,811#98
Harlingen16,119#222

Cities near Leeuwarden

FAQ

What is the population of Leeuwarden?
Leeuwarden has a population of 124,481 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #20 biggest city in Netherlands.
What region is Leeuwarden in?
Leeuwarden is located in Friesland, Netherlands.
Is Leeuwarden the capital of Netherlands?
No, the capital of Netherlands is Amsterdam, about 111 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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