The number of homeless people in the Netherlands increased in recent years, according to figures from the Central Bureau for Statistics published Monday.

In 2012, 27,000 people living on the streets compared to 23,000 in 2010. Big cities such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and the Hague accounted for most of the homeless people.

The survey included people whose primary nighttime residence was a homeless shelter, people who live on the streets or temporarily stay with friends or family.

Most of the homeless people were men; only one out of five people living on the streets were women. Many of the homeless were non-western immigrants.

The waiting lists for people using homeless shelters have grown considerably in recent years, while at the same time many municipalities plan to cut budgets for homeless shelters, Dutch media reported.