An evaluation of the accuracy of the seven national population forecasts produced by the Netherlands Central Bureau of Statistics during the 1980s is presented.  "Compared with the eight national forecasts made in the preceding three decades those of the 1980s were more successful.  The number of live births in particular was forecasted better in the last decade.  Regarding fertility of subsequent generations of women it was rightly assumed that:  the numbers of children would decrease, [and] the ages at which women have their children would increase.  Other assumptions made during the 1980s that turned out to be right were:  increasing life expectancy at birth with a stable difference of about 6.5 years between the expectations for men and those for women, [and] continuing net immigration into the Netherlands." (SUMMARY IN ENG)