Birth rate in Belgium
Belgium: Birth rate was 8.68 births per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
8.68 births per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 11.2%
World rank
196th
of 236 countries
All-time high
17.37 births per 1,000 people
in 1959
All-time low
8.68 births per 1,000 people
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Birth rate in Belgium, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2023, birth rate in Belgium stood at 8.68 births per 1,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 11.2% on the previous year and down 22.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, birth rate in Belgium peaked at 17.37 births per 1,000 people in 1959 and was at its lowest, 8.68 births per 1,000 people, in 2023.
Belgium ranks 196th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Birth rate in Belgium, year by year
| Year | births per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 16.7 births per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 16.31 births per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1952 | 16.59 births per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1953 | 16.62 births per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1954 | 16.76 births per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1955 | 16.76 births per 1,000 people | -0.0% |
| 1956 | 16.85 births per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1957 | 17.03 births per 1,000 people | +1.1% |
| 1958 | 17.17 births per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1959 | 17.37 births per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 1960 | 16.94 births per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1961 | 17.27 births per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
| 1962 | 16.81 births per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1963 | 17.09 births per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 1964 | 17.07 births per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 16.4 births per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1966 | 15.81 births per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1967 | 15.2 births per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1968 | 14.71 births per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1969 | 14.67 births per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 14.7 births per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 14.6 births per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1972 | 14 births per 1,000 people | -4.1% |
| 1973 | 13.26 births per 1,000 people | -5.3% |
| 1974 | 12.64 births per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1975 | 12.2 births per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1976 | 12.29 births per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 12.35 births per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 12.41 births per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 12.52 births per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 12.56 births per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 12.51 births per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 12.2 births per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 11.9 births per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1984 | 11.73 births per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1985 | 11.57 births per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 11.86 births per 1,000 people | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 11.89 births per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 12.09 births per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 12.19 births per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 12.43 births per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 12.54 births per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 12.38 births per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 11.95 births per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1994 | 11.51 births per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 1995 | 11.4 births per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 11.44 births per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 11.37 births per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 11.16 births per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 11.12 births per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 11.3 births per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 11.16 births per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 10.88 births per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 10.92 births per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 11.17 births per 1,000 people | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 11.31 births per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 11.51 births per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 11.58 births per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 11.76 births per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 11.67 births per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 11.76 births per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 11.52 births per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 11.38 births per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 11.16 births per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 11.05 births per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 10.75 births per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 10.67 births per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 10.44 births per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 10.26 births per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 10.22 births per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 10.01 births per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 10.17 births per 1,000 people | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 9.78 births per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 2023 | 8.68 births per 1,000 people | -11.2% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 8.68 births per 1,000 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 9.6 births per 1,000 people, 90% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 8.68 births per 1,000 people is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 9.31 births per 1,000 people, 93% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 16.82 births per 1,000 people | 16.31 births per 1,000 people | 17.37 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 16.2 births per 1,000 people | 14.67 births per 1,000 people | 17.27 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.1 births per 1,000 people | 12.2 births per 1,000 people | 14.7 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.05 births per 1,000 people | 11.57 births per 1,000 people | 12.56 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.73 births per 1,000 people | 11.12 births per 1,000 people | 12.54 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.33 births per 1,000 people | 10.88 births per 1,000 people | 11.76 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.92 births per 1,000 people | 10.22 births per 1,000 people | 11.76 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.66 births per 1,000 people | 8.68 births per 1,000 people | 10.17 births per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More population data for Belgium
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.1094 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0945 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 12,091 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.2011 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.0085 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Population density 365.29 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 461,216 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is birth rate in Belgium?
- Birth rate in Belgium was 8.68 births per 1,000 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest birth rate recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 17.37 births per 1,000 people in 1959.
- What is the lowest birth rate recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.68 births per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does Belgium rank for birth rate?
- Belgium ranks 196th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is birth rate rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Birth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of live births in a year per 1,000 people in the population.