The populations of the five biggest Dutch cities have been shrinking over the past few months, with the difference most notable in Amsterdam, according to figures from national statistics agency CBS.

The capital’s population has now fallen by some 4,000 since the start of the coronacrisis, after years of steady growth. ‘Amsterdam’s attractiveness is under pressure,’ city council researcher Jeroen Slot told the Parool.

This, the paper says, is mainly because immigration from abroad is at a standstill, as companies put plans to take on new staff on ice and international students decide to study at home.

At the same time Amsterdammers, primarily families, are also moving out, either because they cannot find a suitable home, or because the city is too expensive and busy.

Research by housing website Funda has also shown that family homes with gardens have become increasingly popular since the start of the coronavirus crisis, the paper said.

Amsterdam’s population is currently around 870,000, about the same size as it was in the late 1950s and early 60s.