Demographics of Belgium

This article is about the demographic features of the population of Belgium, including ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. All figures are from the National Institute for Statistics unless otherwise indicated.

Population

Belgium had a population of 11,190,846 people on 1 January 2015 as compared to the 10,839,905 people on 1 January 2010, an increase of 601,000 in comparison to 2000. Between 1990 and 2000 the increase was only 291,000. As of November 1, 2019, Belgium has a population of 11,515,793 and is the 80th most populous country in the world. The population of Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels on January 1, 2019 was 6,589,069, 3,633,795 and 1,208,542, respectively. The population density of Belgium is as of November 1, 2019, making it the 22nd most densely populated country in the world, and the 6th most densely populated country in Europe. The most densely populated province is Antwerp, the least densily populated province is Luxembourg.

Immigration

In the beginning of 2012, people of foreign background and their descendants were estimated to have formed 25% of the total population.
Of these 'New Belgians', 1,200,000 are of European ancestry and 1,350,000 are from non-Western countries.
Since the relaxation of the Belgian nationality law more than 1.3 million migrants have acquired Belgian citizenship and are now considered new Belgians. 89.2% of inhabitants of Turkish origin have been naturalized, as have 88.4% of people of Moroccan background, 75.4% of Italians, 56.2% of the French and 47.8% of Dutch people.
In 2007, there were 1.38 million foreign-born residents in Belgium, corresponding to 12.9% of the total population. Of these, 685 000 were born outside the EU and 695 000 were born in another EU Member State.

Life expectancy at birth from 1841–2015

Sources: Our World In Data and the United Nations.
1841–1950

Years	1841	1842	1843	1844	1845	1846	1847	1848	1849	1850
Life expectancy in Belgium	40.3	38.6	40.4	41.9	41.0	37.8	35.1	38.0	35.0	42.3

Years	1861	1862	1863	1864	1865	1866	1867	1868	1869	1870
Life expectancy in Belgium	41.2	43.1	41.3	39.8	37.7	32.4	43.0	42.5	42.6	40.9

Years	1881	1882	1883	1884	1885	1886	1887	1888	1889	1890
Life expectancy in Belgium	44.4	45.5	44.9	44.2	45.4	43.3	46.0	44.9	45.0	44.1

Years	1901	1902	1903	1904	1905	1906	1907	1908	1909	1910
Life expectancy in Belgium	49.4	49.1	49.2	49.3	49.9	49.6	51.0	49.6	50.6	51.3

Years	1921	1922	1923	1924	1925	1926	1927	1928	1929	1930
Life expectancy in Belgium	54.7	55.1	56.7	57.4	57.1	56.9	57.1	57.4	55.0	57.1

Years	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	1946	1947	1948	1949	1950
Life expectancy in Belgium	58.9	59.1	60.3	56.9	58.4	61.9	63.4	64.9	65.4	66.3

1950–2015

Period	Life expectancy in Years	Period	Life expectancy in Years
1950–1955	67.8	1985–1990	75.3
1955–1960	69.5	1990–1995	76.4
1960–1965	70.3	1995–2000	77.4
1965–1970	70.7	2000–2005	78.4
1970–1975	71.5	2005–2010	79.6
1975–1980	72.7	2010–2015	80.5
1980–1985	73.9

Source: UN World Population Prospects

[Total Fertility Rate] from 1830 to 1899

The total fertility rate is the number of children born per woman. It is based on fairly good data for the entire period. Sources: Our World In Data and Gapminder Foundation.

Years	1830	1831	1832	1833	1834	1835	1836	1837	1838	1839	1840
Total Fertility Rate in Belgium	4.72	4.77	4.82	4.87	4.92	4.97	4.97	4.98	4.98	4.99	5

Years	1851	1852	1853	1854	1855	1856	1857	1858	1859	1860
Total Fertility Rate in Belgium	4.32	4.25	4.18	4.25	4.31	4.38	4.44	4.51	4.53	4.56

Years	1871	1872	1873	1874	1875	1876	1877	1878	1879	1880
Total Fertility Rate in Belgium	4.83	4.85	4.87	4.85	4.83	4.82	4.8	4.78	4.75	4.71

Years	1891	1892	1893	1894	1895	1896	1897	1898	1899
Total Fertility Rate in Belgium	4.22	4.2	4.17	4.13	4.09	4.06	4.02	3.98	3.91

Vital statistics from 1900

Note: Territorial changes in East-Belgium occurred in 1925, 1940 and 1944.

	Average population	Live births	Deaths	Natural change	Crude birth rate	Crude death rate	Natural change	Total fertility rates
1900	6,719,000	193,789	129,046	64,743	28.8	19.2	9.6	3.84
1901	6,747,000	200,077	116,077	84,000	29.7	17.2	12.4	3.79
1902	6,848,000	195,871	119,330	76,541	28.6	17.4	11.2	3.73
1903	6,941,000	192,301	118,675	73,626	27.7	17.1	10.6	3.68
1904	7,030,000	191,721	119,506	72,215	27.3	17.0	10.3	3.63
1905	7,118,000	187,437	118,343	69,094	26.3	16.6	9.7	3.57
1906	7,200,000	186,271	118,884	67,387	25.9	16.5	9.4	3.52
1907	7,278,000	185,138	115,347	69,791	25.4	15.8	9.64	3.47
1908	7,352,000	183,834	121,964	61,870	25.0	16.6	8.4	3.42
1909	7,419,000	176,431	117,571	58,860	23.8	15.8	7.9	3.95
1910	7,438,000	176,413	112,826	63,587	23.7	15.2	8.5	3.31
1911	7,457,000	171,802	122,843	48,959	23.0	16.5	6.6	3.26
1912	7,531,000	171,187	112,378	58,809	22.7	14.9	7.8	3.2
1913	7,605,000	171,099	111,227	59,872	22.5	14.6	7.9	3.15
1914	7,662,000	156,389	108,720	47,669	20.4	14.2	6.2	3.22
1915	7,697,000	124,291	100,674	23,617	16.1	13.1	3.1	3.04
1916	7,701,000	99,360	101,044	-1,684	12.9	13.1	-0.2	2.99
1917	7,667,000	86,675	124,824	-38,149	11.3	16.3	-5.0	2.94
1918	7,599,000	85,056	157,340	-72,284	11.2	20.7	-9.5	2.89
1919	7,566,000	123,314	113,732	9,582	16.3	15.0	1.3	2.87
1920	7,491,000	164,950	102,505	62,445	22.0	13.7	8.3	2.78
1921	7,444,000	164,603	102,908	61,695	22.1	13.8	8.3	2.73
1922	7,511,000	154,871	106,615	48,256	20.6	14.2	6.4	2.67
1923	7,573,000	156,600	100,084	56,516	20.7	13.2	7.5	2.62
1924	7,646,000	154,083	99,653	54,430	20.2	13.0	7.1	2.57
1925	7,748,000	155,330	99,569	55,761	20.0	12.9	7.2	2.51
1926	7,843,000	151,009	101,018	49,991	19.3	12.9	6.4	2.46
1927	7,903,000	146,296	103,007	43,289	18.5	13.0	5.5	2.41
1928	7,968,000	148,071	102,270	45,801	18.6	12.8	5.7	2.36
1929	8,032,000	147,311	115,901	31,410	18.3	14.4	3.9	2.3
1930	8,076,000	152,530	103,397	49,133	18.9	12.8	6.1	2.25
1931	8,126,000	149,657	103,773	45,884	18.4	12.8	5.6	2.22
1932	8,186,000	145,835	104,221	41,614	17.8	12.7	5.1	2.19
1933	8,231,000	136,757	104,640	32,117	16.6	12.7	3.9	2.08
1934	8,262,000	133,514	96,851	36,663	16.2	11.7	4.4	2.04
1935	8,288,000	128,432	102,132	26,300	15.5	12.3	3.2	1.94
1936	8,315,000	127,751	101,595	26,156	15.4	12.2	3.1	1.95
1937	8,346,000	128,696	104,163	24,533	15.4	12.5	2.9	1.99
1938	8,374,000	133,610	104,684	28,926	16.0	12.5	3.5	2.11
1939	8,391,000	130,019	110,393	19,626	15.5	13.2	2.3	2.1
1940	8,301,000	112,497	125,083	-12,586	13.6	15.1	-1.5	1.84
1941	8,276,000	100,616	118,670	-18,054	12.2	14.3	-2.2	1.66
1942	8,246,000	108,603	117,291	-8,688	13.2	14.2	-1.1	1.81
1943	8,241,000	123,349	107,767	15,582	15.0	13.1	1.9	2.06
1944	8,291,000	127,122	124,861	2,261	15.3	15.1	0.3	2.12
1945	8,339,000	130,526	121,155	9,371	15.7	14.5	1.1	2.17
1946	8,367,000	152,962	110,413	42,549	18.3	13.2	5.1	2.53
1947	8,450,000	150,227	108,136	42,091	17.8	12.8	5.0	2.47
1948	8,557,000	150,416	108,016	42,400	17.6	12.6	5.0	2.45
1949	8,614,000	147,854	111,104	36,750	17.2	12.9	4.3	2.39
1950	8,639,000	145,672	108,236	37,436	16.9	12.5	4.3	2.33
1951	8,678,000	142,314	109,763	32,551	16.4	12.6	3.8	2.34
1952	8,730,000	146,064	104,178	41,886	16.7	11.9	4.8	2.35
1953	8,778,000	146,125	105,863	40,262	16.6	12.1	4.6	2.37
1954	8,819,000	148,538	105,033	43,505	16.8	11.9	4.9	2.4
1955	8,868,000	149,195	108,743	40,452	16.8	12.3	4.6	2.42
1956	8,924,000	150,210	108,761	41,449	16.8	12.2	4.6	2.6
1957	8,989,000	152,871	107,840	45,031	17.0	12.0	5.0	2.49
1958	9,053,000	155,048	106,051	48,997	17.1	11.7	5.4	2.53
1959	9,104,000	158,237	103,933	54,304	17.4	11.4	6.0	2.57
1960	9,153,000	154,787	113,938	40,849	16.9	12.4	4.5	2.6
1961	9,184,000	158,431	106,985	51,446	17.3	11.6	5.6	2.64
1962	9,251,000	155,061	112,758	42,303	16.8	12.2	4.6	2.59
1963	9,328,000	159,192	116,718	42,474	17.1	12.5	4.6	2.68
1964	9,428,000	160,838	110,100	50,738	17.1	11.7	5.4	2.71
1965	9,499,000	155,496	115,045	40,451	16.4	12.1	4.3	2.62
1966	9,528,000	151,096	115,613	35,483	15.9	12.1	3.7	2.52
1967	9,581,000	146,193	115,212	30,981	15.3	12.0	3.2	2.41
1968	9,619,000	141,984	121,744	20,240	14.8	12.7	2.1	2.31
1969	9,660,000	141,799	120,471	21,328	14.7	12.5	2.2	2.27
1970	9,656,000	142,168	118,660	23,508	14.7	12.3	2.4	2.25
1971	9,695,000	140,966	118,853	22,113	14.5	12.3	2.3	2.21
1972	9,711,000	136,304	117,424	18,880	14.0	12.1	1.9	2.09
1973	9,742,000	129,424	118,254	11,170	13.3	12.1	1.1	1.95
1974	9,772,000	123,674	116,159	7,515	12.7	11.9	0.8	1.83
1975	9,801,000	119,693	119,425	268	12.2	12.2	0.0	1.74
1976	9,818,000	121,034	118,641	2,393	12.3	12.1	0.2	1.72
1977	9,830,000	121,852	112,672	9,180	12.4	11.5	0.9	1.71
1978	9,840,000	122,592	115,388	7,204	12.5	11.7	0.7	1.69
1979	9,848,000	123,825	112,010	11,815	12.6	11.4	1.2	1.69
1980	9,849,000	124,398	113,699	10,699	12.6	11.5	1.1	1.69
1981	9,859,000	123,792	112,326	11,466	12.6	11.4	1.2	1.67
1982	9,856,000	120,231	111,871	8,360	12.2	11.4	0.8	1.61
1983	9,856,000	117,145	114,534	2,611	11.9	11.6	0.3	1.56
1984	9,855,000	115,715	109,658	6,057	11.7	11.1	0.6	1.53
1985	9,858,000	114,030	110,770	3,260	11.6	11.2	0.3	1.51
1986	9,862,000	117,102	111,343	5,759	11.9	11.3	0.6	1.54
1987	9,870,000	117,334	105,426	11,908	11.9	10.7	1.2	1.57
1988	9,902,000	119,456	104,552	14,904	12.1	10.6	1.5	1.57
1989	9,938,000	121,117	107,619	13,498	12.2	10.8	1.4	1.58
1990	9,967,000	123,726	104,818	18,908	12.4	10.5	1.9	1.62
1991	10,004,000	126,068	105,150	20,918	12.6	10.5	2.1	1.66
1992	10,045,000	124,774	104,200	20,574	12.4	10.4	2.0	1.65
1993	10,084,000	120,998	108,170	12,828	12.0	10.7	1.3	1.61
1994	10,116,000	116,449	104,894	11,555	11.5	10.4	1.1	1.56
1995	10,137,000	115,638	105,933	9,705	11.4	10.5	1.0	1.56
1996	10,157,000	115,214	104,140	11,074	11.3	10.3	1.1	1.59
1997	10,181,000	115,864	103,802	12,062	11.4	10.2	1.2	1.60
1998	10,203,000	114,276	104,583	9,693	11.2	10.3	1.0	1.60
1999	10,226,000	113,469	104,904	8,565	11.1	10.3	0.8	1.62
2000	10,251,000	114,883	104,903	9,980	11.2	10.2	1.0	1.67
2001	10,278,000	114,172	103,447	10,725	11.1	10.1	1.0	1.67
2002	10,333,000	111,225	105,642	5,583	10.8	10.2	0.5	1.65
2003	10,376,000	112,149	107,039	5,110	10.8	10.3	0.5	1.67
2004	10,421,000	115,618	101,946	13,672	11.1	9.8	1.3	1.72
2005	10,479,000	118,002	103,278	14,724	11.3	9.9	1.4	1.76
2006	10,548,000	121,382	101,587	19,795	11.5	9.6	1.9	1.80
2007	10,626,000	125,228	102,060	23,168	11.4	9.5	1.9	1.82
2008	10,710,000	128,049	104,587	23,462	12.0	9.8	2.2	1.85
2009	10,796,000	127,297	104,509	22,788	11.8	9.7	2.1	1.84
2010	10,840,000	129,173	105,094	24,079	11.9	9.6	2.3	1.85
2011	10,951,000	127,665	104,247	23,418	11.6	9.5	2.1	1.81
2012	11,035,000	126,993	109,034	17,959	11.5	9.9	1.6	1.79
2013	11,099,000	124,862	109,295	15,567	11.2	9.8	1.4	1.75
2014	11,150,000	124,415	104,723	19,692	11.1	9.3	1.8	1.74
2015	11,209,000	121,713	110,508	11,205	10.9	9.8	1.1	1.69
2016	11,267,000	121,161	108,056	13,105	10.8	9.6	1.2	1.68
2017	11,322,000	119,102	109,629	9,473	10.5	9.7	0.8	1.64
2018	11,413,203	117,800	110,645	7,155	10.3	9.7	0.6	1.61
2019	11,476,279	115,565	108,745	6,820	10.1	9.5	0.6

Total fertility rate

The total fertility rate gradually increased during the last decade from 1.60 in 1997, 1.65 in 2002 and 1.82 in 2007. The rates in Brussels are higher than the national average, while they are below the average in Flanders, due to the higher percentage of non-European immigrants with higher birth rates in Brussels.

Other demographic statistics

The following demographic statistics are from the World Population Review in 2019.

One birth every 4 minutes
One death every 5 minutes
One net migrant every 12 minutes
Net gain of one person every 9 minutes

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.
;Population:
;Age structure:
;Median age:
;Total fertility rate:
;Birth rate:
;Death rate:
;Mother's mean age at first birth:
;Population growth rate:
;Net migration rate:
;Life expectancy at birth:
;Infant mortality rate:
;Net migration rate:
;Ethnic groups:
Belgian 75%, Italian 4.1%, Moroccan 3.7%, French 2.4%, Turkish 2%, Dutch 2%, other 12.8%
;Languages:
Dutch 60%, French 40%, German 0.7%
;Religions:
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant and other Christian 2.5%, Muslim 5%, Jewish 0.4%, Buddhist 0.3%, atheist 9.2%, none 32.6%
;Dependency ratios:
;Urbanization:
;School life expectancy :
;Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
;Sex ratio:
;Literacy:
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
;Education expenditures:

Nationality

noun: Belgian
adjective: Belgian

Ethnic groups

The country is populated by a Flemish majority of about 6,400,000 people speaking Dutch, a French-speaking minority of 4,100,000 people, as well as 73,000 German speaking people in Wallonia, near the German border. However, David Levinson reports that "the Flemish and Walloon groups are described by experts as "communities" rather than as ethnic groups, and individuals can move easily from one community to the other by learning to speak the other language".
The largest group of immigrants and their descendants in Belgium are Italians, with more than 450,000 people, which is well over 4% of Belgium's total population. The Moroccans are the third-largest group, and the largest Muslim ethnic group, numbering 220,000.
The rest consists mostly of French-speaking people from Brussels, Turks, Kurds, Dutch, French, Portuguese, Spaniards, Greeks, Bosniaks, Algerians, Congolese, Vietnamese, Poles, Indians, and Guineans.
The exact number of French-speakers in Brussels is hard to determine, but it is estimated that 80% of the people living in Brussels use French and 20% use Dutch in their households, as the sole language or secondary language, while Arabic is also largely spoken. See the Brussels article for more details.
In the table are the top 20 countries by origin of the population of Belgium in 2018

Country	Number	% of foreign-born	% of total population
	332,337	14%	2.9%
	279,083	12%	2.5%
	212,370	9%	1.9%
	185,393	8%	1.6%
	159,759	7%	1.4%
	100,245	4%	0.9%
	95,904	4%	0.8%
	74,872	3%	0.7%
Democratic Republic of the Congo	67,390	3%	0.6%
	58,851	2%	0.5%
	52,334	2%	0.5%
	50,563	2%	0.4%
	40,266	2%	0.4%
	30,921	1%	0.3%
	30,299	1%	0.3%
	29,235	1%	0.3%
	27,742	1%	0.2%
	23,709	1%	0.2%
	21,505	1%	0.2%
	20,866	1%	0.2%
Other countries	529,323	22%	4.7%
Total	2,419,310	100%	21.3%

Languages

Belgium's three official languages are Dutch, spoken by 59% of the population, French, spoken by 40%, and German, spoken by less than 1%. The vast majority of Belgium's population, 99%, is literate as defined by the Belgian government, i.e. capable of reading and writing in an official language by the time a citizen has reached the age of 15.

Religion

58% of Belgians, are nominally Roman Catholic. Muslims, other Christians and other minority religions comprise 14% of the population. 27% are agnostic, atheist or other non-believers.

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