Migration continued to be the most important factor in Dutch population growth in the first half of 2017, the national statistics office CBS said on Monday.

Roughly 100,000 people became resident in the Netherlands in the six months ending 30 June, while 69,000 left the country, making for an increase of 31,000 in the population in the first half.

In addition, 82,000 children were born in the six month period while 78,000 people died, adding a further 4,000 to the total.

Syrian refugees accounted for the bulk of the new arrivals, adding some 10,000 to the total. Some 4,000 more Poles arrived in the Netherlands than left and the Indian population also grew by 1,500, the CBS said.

The population of the Netherlands topped 17 million at the beginning of this year.