Breakdown of Dit werelddeel heeft het op één na grootste inwoneraantal.
groot
big
hebben
to have
één
one
op
on
Questions & Answers about Dit werelddeel heeft het op één na grootste inwoneraantal.
How exactly does op één na grootste mean "second largest"?
The structure op [number] na [superlative] is the standard Dutch way to form ranked superlatives. Literally, op één na grootste translates to "the largest, except for one" or "after one, the largest". Since only one is larger, it means "the second largest".
Why does the sentence use het instead of de before op één na grootste?
The definite article must match the noun being described at the end of the phrase, which is inwoneraantal. Because aantal (number) is a het-word, the entire compound noun inwoneraantal is neuter, so we use het.
Why are there accent marks on één in this phrase?
The accent marks clarify that it is the number "one" rather than the indefinite article "a" (een). Because the op ... na structure relies on counting (e.g., except for one, except for two), you must use the cardinal number één.
Could I use the word bevolking (population) instead of inwoneraantal?