Period total fertility rate in Belgium
Belgium: Period total fertility rate was 1.53 in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
1.53
Change on year
down 4.3%
World rank
11th
of 34 countries
All-time high
2.72
in 1964
All-time low
1.5
in 1985
Years of data
76
1947–2022
Period total fertility rate in Belgium, 1947–2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 1.53 for period total fertility rate in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.3% on the previous year and down 14.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, period total fertility rate in Belgium peaked at 2.72 in 1964 and was at its lowest, 1.5, in 1985.
That places Belgium 11th out of 34 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 76 years of available data.
Period total fertility rate in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 2.49 | — |
| 1948 | 2.48 | -0.6% |
| 1949 | 2.42 | -2.1% |
| 1950 | 2.38 | -2.0% |
| 1951 | 2.31 | -2.9% |
| 1952 | 2.36 | +2.3% |
| 1953 | 2.35 | -0.3% |
| 1954 | 2.39 | +1.4% |
| 1955 | 2.4 | +0.4% |
| 1956 | 2.42 | +0.8% |
| 1957 | 2.46 | +1.9% |
| 1958 | 2.51 | +1.9% |
| 1959 | 2.58 | +2.7% |
| 1960 | 2.54 | -1.4% |
| 1961 | 2.62 | +3.3% |
| 1962 | 2.59 | -1.2% |
| 1963 | 2.69 | +3.5% |
| 1964 | 2.72 | +1.4% |
| 1965 | 2.63 | -3.4% |
| 1966 | 2.54 | -3.4% |
| 1967 | 2.43 | -4.3% |
| 1968 | 2.33 | -4.2% |
| 1969 | 2.29 | -1.7% |
| 1970 | 2.26 | -1.5% |
| 1971 | 2.21 | -2.0% |
| 1972 | 2.1 | -5.2% |
| 1973 | 1.96 | -6.6% |
| 1974 | 1.84 | -5.9% |
| 1975 | 1.76 | -4.8% |
| 1976 | 1.75 | -0.3% |
| 1977 | 1.74 | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 1.72 | -0.9% |
| 1979 | 1.72 | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 1.7 | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 1.68 | -1.6% |
| 1982 | 1.61 | -3.8% |
| 1983 | 1.56 | -3.3% |
| 1984 | 1.53 | -1.9% |
| 1985 | 1.5 | -1.8% |
| 1986 | 1.53 | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 1.53 | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 1.56 | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 1.58 | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 1.62 | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 1.65 | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 1.65 | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 1.61 | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 1.56 | -2.9% |
| 1995 | 1.56 | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 1.59 | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 1.6 | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 1.6 | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 1.61 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 1.65 | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 1.65 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 1.62 | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 1.65 | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 1.7 | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 1.74 | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 1.79 | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 1.83 | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 1.86 | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 1.84 | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 1.84 | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 1.8 | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 1.78 | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 1.75 | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 1.73 | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 1.69 | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 1.67 | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 1.64 | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 1.61 | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 1.59 | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 1.54 | -3.3% |
| 2021 | 1.59 | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 1.53 | -4.3% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 1.53 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.48, 1.0× the median. (28 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 1.53 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.47, 1.0× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 2.46 | 2.42 | 2.49 | 3 |
| 1950s | 2.41 | 2.31 | 2.58 | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.54 | 2.29 | 2.72 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.91 | 1.72 | 2.26 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.58 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.61 | 1.56 | 1.65 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.73 | 1.62 | 1.86 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.71 | 1.59 | 1.84 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.55 | 1.53 | 1.59 | 3 |
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 period total fertility rate in Belgium?
- Period total fertility rate in Belgium was 1.53 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest period total fertility rate recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 2.72 in 1964.
- What is the lowest period total fertility rate recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.5 in 1985.
- How does Belgium rank for period total fertility rate?
- Belgium ranks 11th out of 34 countries with data for 2022.
- Is period total fertility rate rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.4%. 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 Period total fertility rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).