Effective fertility rate children per woman who are expected in Belgium
Belgium: Effective fertility rate children per woman who are expected was 1.37 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
1.37
Change on year
down 10.8%
World rank
196th
of 236 countries
All-time high
3.46
in 1876
All-time low
1.37
in 2023
Years of data
179
1841–2023
Effective fertility rate children per woman who are expected to in Belgium, 1841–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for effective fertility rate children per woman who are expected to in Belgium is 1.37, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 179 years on record.
That represents a change of down 10.8% on the previous year and down 21.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, effective fertility rate children per woman who are expected to in Belgium peaked at 3.46 in 1876 and was at its lowest, 1.37, 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 179 years of available data.
Effective fertility rate children per woman who are expected in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1841 | 2.6 | — |
| 1842 | 2.53 | -2.4% |
| 1843 | 2.53 | -0.2% |
| 1844 | 2.52 | -0.3% |
| 1845 | 2.51 | -0.5% |
| 1846 | 2.11 | -16.0% |
| 1847 | 2.16 | +2.6% |
| 1848 | 2.29 | +6.1% |
| 1849 | 2.54 | +10.7% |
| 1850 | 2.52 | -0.7% |
| 1851 | 2.54 | +0.8% |
| 1852 | 2.51 | -1.1% |
| 1853 | 2.4 | -4.6% |
| 1854 | 2.4 | +0.1% |
| 1855 | 2.26 | -5.8% |
| 1856 | 2.49 | +10.2% |
| 1857 | 2.63 | +5.7% |
| 1858 | 2.6 | -1.1% |
| 1859 | 2.68 | +3.0% |
| 1860 | 2.67 | -0.4% |
| 1861 | 2.65 | -0.7% |
| 1862 | 2.67 | +0.5% |
| 1863 | 2.82 | +5.6% |
| 1864 | 2.77 | -1.7% |
| 1865 | 2.69 | -2.8% |
| 1866 | 2.79 | +3.8% |
| 1867 | 2.9 | +3.7% |
| 1868 | 2.87 | -0.8% |
| 1869 | 2.94 | +2.4% |
| 1870 | 3.02 | +2.8% |
| 1871 | 2.92 | -3.3% |
| 1872 | 3.18 | +8.9% |
| 1873 | 3.27 | +2.8% |
| 1874 | 3.3 | +1.0% |
| 1875 | 3.17 | -4.2% |
| 1876 | 3.46 | +9.3% |
| 1877 | 3.4 | -1.8% |
| 1878 | 3.2 | -5.8% |
| 1879 | 3.2 | +0.1% |
| 1880 | 3.05 | -4.8% |
| 1881 | 3.18 | +4.2% |
| 1882 | 3.2 | +0.7% |
| 1883 | 3.13 | -2.3% |
| 1884 | 3.1 | -0.7% |
| 1885 | 3.08 | -0.8% |
| 1886 | 2.97 | -3.4% |
| 1887 | 3.05 | +2.5% |
| 1888 | 2.93 | -3.8% |
| 1889 | 2.94 | +0.4% |
| 1890 | 2.88 | -2.1% |
| 1891 | 2.94 | +2.1% |
| 1892 | 2.88 | -2.2% |
| 1893 | 2.95 | +2.7% |
| 1894 | 2.95 | -0.1% |
| 1895 | 2.91 | -1.3% |
| 1896 | 3.06 | +5.4% |
| 1897 | 3.04 | -0.8% |
| 1898 | 2.97 | -2.4% |
| 1899 | 2.96 | -0.3% |
| 1900 | 2.93 | -0.8% |
| 1901 | 3.05 | +3.8% |
| 1902 | 2.98 | -2.2% |
| 1903 | 2.87 | -3.6% |
| 1904 | 2.84 | -1.2% |
| 1905 | 2.78 | -2.1% |
| 1906 | 2.7 | -2.8% |
| 1907 | 2.71 | +0.5% |
| 1908 | 2.64 | -2.7% |
| 1909 | 2.54 | -3.6% |
| 1910 | 2.53 | -0.6% |
| 1911 | 2.39 | -5.3% |
| 1912 | 2.48 | +3.7% |
| 1913 | 2.49 | +0.5% |
| 1914 | 2.54 | +2.0% |
| 1919 | 1.72 | -32.4% |
| 1920 | 2.32 | +34.9% |
| 1921 | 2.28 | -1.9% |
| 1922 | 2.16 | -5.2% |
| 1923 | 2.19 | +1.6% |
| 1924 | 2.15 | -2.0% |
| 1925 | 2.13 | -0.7% |
| 1926 | 2.07 | -3.1% |
| 1927 | 2.01 | -2.8% |
| 1928 | 2.03 | +1.2% |
| 1929 | 1.99 | -2.1% |
| 1930 | 2.09 | +4.8% |
| 1931 | 2.07 | -0.6% |
| 1932 | 2.03 | -1.8% |
| 1933 | 1.94 | -4.8% |
| 1934 | 1.93 | -0.5% |
| 1935 | 1.86 | -3.4% |
| 1936 | 1.84 | -1.2% |
| 1937 | 1.85 | +0.6% |
| 1938 | 1.92 | +3.7% |
| 1939 | 1.87 | -2.7% |
| 1940 | 1.61 | -13.5% |
| 1941 | 1.44 | -11.0% |
| 1942 | 1.55 | +8.3% |
| 1943 | 1.78 | +14.5% |
| 1944 | 1.82 | +2.3% |
| 1945 | 1.84 | +1.2% |
| 1946 | 2.22 | +20.2% |
| 1947 | 2.2 | -0.5% |
| 1948 | 2.23 | +1.3% |
| 1949 | 2.21 | -1.1% |
| 1950 | 2.19 | -0.8% |
| 1951 | 2.14 | -2.1% |
| 1952 | 2.19 | +2.1% |
| 1953 | 2.19 | +0.2% |
| 1954 | 2.23 | +1.6% |
| 1955 | 2.25 | +1.2% |
| 1956 | 2.28 | +1.3% |
| 1957 | 2.33 | +2.0% |
| 1958 | 2.38 | +2.3% |
| 1959 | 2.45 | +2.9% |
| 1960 | 2.42 | -1.2% |
| 1961 | 2.51 | +3.8% |
| 1962 | 2.49 | -1.0% |
| 1963 | 2.57 | +3.2% |
| 1964 | 2.6 | +1.2% |
| 1965 | 2.52 | -3.1% |
| 1966 | 2.43 | -3.6% |
| 1967 | 2.32 | -4.2% |
| 1968 | 2.23 | -3.9% |
| 1969 | 2.21 | -1.3% |
| 1970 | 2.18 | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 2.14 | -1.9% |
| 1972 | 2.03 | -5.2% |
| 1973 | 1.9 | -6.5% |
| 1974 | 1.79 | -5.8% |
| 1975 | 1.7 | -4.8% |
| 1976 | 1.69 | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 1.68 | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 1.67 | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 1.67 | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 1.66 | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 1.63 | -1.3% |
| 1982 | 1.58 | -3.4% |
| 1983 | 1.53 | -3.0% |
| 1984 | 1.5 | -1.8% |
| 1985 | 1.48 | -1.9% |
| 1986 | 1.51 | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 1.51 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1.54 | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 1.56 | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 1.6 | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 1.63 | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 1.62 | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 1.58 | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 1.54 | -2.6% |
| 1995 | 1.55 | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 1.57 | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 1.58 | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 1.58 | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 1.6 | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 1.64 | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 1.65 | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 1.63 | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 1.65 | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 1.7 | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 1.74 | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 1.78 | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 1.8 | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 1.83 | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 1.82 | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 1.83 | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 1.79 | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 1.77 | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 1.73 | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 1.72 | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 1.68 | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 1.66 | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 1.63 | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 1.6 | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 1.6 | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 1.56 | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 1.59 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 1.54 | -3.3% |
| 2023 | 1.37 | -10.8% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 1.37 is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.49, 92% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 1.37 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.48, 92% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Effective fertility rate children per woman who are expected in Belgium changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | +34.9% | 1.72 | 2.32 |
| 1919 | -32.4% | 2.54 | 1.72 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1840s | 2.42 | 2.11 | 2.6 | 9 |
| 1850s | 2.51 | 2.26 | 2.68 | 10 |
| 1860s | 2.78 | 2.65 | 2.94 | 10 |
| 1870s | 3.21 | 2.92 | 3.46 | 10 |
| 1880s | 3.06 | 2.93 | 3.2 | 10 |
| 1890s | 2.95 | 2.88 | 3.06 | 10 |
| 1900s | 2.8 | 2.54 | 3.05 | 10 |
| 1910s | 2.36 | 1.72 | 2.54 | 6 |
| 1920s | 2.13 | 1.99 | 2.32 | 10 |
| 1930s | 1.94 | 1.84 | 2.09 | 10 |
| 1940s | 1.89 | 1.44 | 2.23 | 10 |
| 1950s | 2.26 | 2.14 | 2.45 | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.43 | 2.21 | 2.6 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.85 | 1.67 | 2.18 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.55 | 1.48 | 1.66 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.59 | 1.54 | 1.63 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.72 | 1.63 | 1.83 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.83 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.51 | 1.37 | 1.59 | 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)
- Population growth rate -0.166 (2100)
- Population density 365.29 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 461,216 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is effective fertility rate children per woman who are expected to in Belgium?
- Effective fertility rate children per woman who are expected to in Belgium was 1.37 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest effective fertility rate children per woman who are expected to recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 3.46 in 1876.
- What is the lowest effective fertility rate children per woman who are expected to recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.37 in 2023.
- How does Belgium rank for effective fertility rate children per woman who are expected to?
- Belgium ranks 196th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is effective fertility rate children per woman who are expected to rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Effective fertility rate children per woman who are expected to survive until childbearing age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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