THE HAGUE, 30/10/03 - In the third quarter, the number of people living in the Netherlands increased by 19,500, the Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS) reported yesterday. During the same period last year, the population saw an increase of 29,700.

The increase in the third quarter was entirely down to natural growth. A total of 53,200 children were born, down slightly from 53,600 in the same period last year. Mortality increased to 33,800 from 33,100 the year before, with last summer's intense heat waves taking 1000 to 1400 more lives than usual.

Immigration and emigration balanced each other out. During the third quarter, 30,800 people came to the Netherlands, against 37,900 in the same period of last year and 39,900 in the third quarter of 2001. At the same time, 30,700 left the Netherlands, compared to 28,600 last year and 22,900 in 2001.

The number of people coming from the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba saw a particularly sharp drop. Immigration from Africa and Asia also dropped, due to the decrease in the number of asylum seekers. The number of immigrants from Turkey and Surinam remained unchanged, however.

The CBS is expecting 102,000 immigrants and an equal number of emigrants for the full 2003 year. This would indicate a divergence from the year 2002, which saw 24,000 more people arriving than departing.

If the current decrease in population growth continues its downward trend, then the number of people living in the Netherlands in 2003 will increase by 65,000. That would signify the lowest growth in almost 20 years. The Netherlands currently has a population of 16,243,600, according to the CBS.