Total fertility rate: births per woman in Belgium
Belgium: Total fertility rate: births per woman was 1.53 births per woman in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
1.53 births per woman
Change on year
down 4.3%
World rank
12th
of 34 countries
All-time high
2.72 births per woman
in 1964
All-time low
1.5 births per woman
in 1985
Years of data
76
1947–2022
Total fertility rate: births per woman in Belgium, 1947–2022
Source: Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 1.53 births per woman for total fertility rate: births per woman 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, total fertility rate: births per woman in Belgium peaked at 2.72 births per woman in 1964 and was at its lowest, 1.5 births per woman, in 1985.
That places Belgium 12th 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.
Total fertility rate: births per woman in Belgium, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 2.49 births per woman | — |
| 1948 | 2.48 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1949 | 2.42 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1950 | 2.38 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1951 | 2.31 births per woman | -2.9% |
| 1952 | 2.36 births per woman | +2.3% |
| 1953 | 2.35 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1954 | 2.39 births per woman | +1.4% |
| 1955 | 2.4 births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1956 | 2.42 births per woman | +0.8% |
| 1957 | 2.46 births per woman | +1.9% |
| 1958 | 2.51 births per woman | +1.9% |
| 1959 | 2.58 births per woman | +2.7% |
| 1960 | 2.54 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1961 | 2.62 births per woman | +3.3% |
| 1962 | 2.59 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1963 | 2.69 births per woman | +3.5% |
| 1964 | 2.72 births per woman | +1.4% |
| 1965 | 2.63 births per woman | -3.4% |
| 1966 | 2.54 births per woman | -3.4% |
| 1967 | 2.43 births per woman | -4.3% |
| 1968 | 2.33 births per woman | -4.2% |
| 1969 | 2.29 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1970 | 2.26 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1971 | 2.21 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1972 | 2.1 births per woman | -5.2% |
| 1973 | 1.96 births per woman | -6.6% |
| 1974 | 1.84 births per woman | -5.9% |
| 1975 | 1.76 births per woman | -4.8% |
| 1976 | 1.75 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1977 | 1.74 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 1.72 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1979 | 1.72 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 1.7 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 1.68 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1982 | 1.61 births per woman | -3.8% |
| 1983 | 1.56 births per woman | -3.3% |
| 1984 | 1.53 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 1985 | 1.5 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1986 | 1.53 births per woman | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 1.53 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 1.56 births per woman | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 1.58 births per woman | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 1.62 births per woman | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 1.65 births per woman | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 1.65 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 1.61 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 1.56 births per woman | -2.9% |
| 1995 | 1.56 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 1.59 births per woman | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 1.6 births per woman | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 1.6 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 1.61 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 1.65 births per woman | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 1.65 births per woman | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 1.62 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 1.65 births per woman | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 1.7 births per woman | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 1.74 births per woman | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 1.79 births per woman | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 1.83 births per woman | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 1.86 births per woman | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 1.84 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 1.84 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 1.8 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 1.78 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 1.75 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 1.73 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 1.69 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 1.67 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 1.64 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 1.61 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 1.59 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 1.54 births per woman | -3.3% |
| 2021 | 1.59 births per woman | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 1.53 births per woman | -4.3% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 1.53 births per woman is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.48 births per woman, 1.0× the median. (28 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 1.53 births per woman is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.48 births per woman, 1.0× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 2.46 births per woman | 2.42 births per woman | 2.49 births per woman | 3 |
| 1950s | 2.41 births per woman | 2.31 births per woman | 2.58 births per woman | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.54 births per woman | 2.29 births per woman | 2.72 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.91 births per woman | 1.72 births per woman | 2.26 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.58 births per woman | 1.5 births per woman | 1.7 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.61 births per woman | 1.56 births per woman | 1.65 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.73 births per woman | 1.62 births per woman | 1.86 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.71 births per woman | 1.59 births per woman | 1.84 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.55 births per woman | 1.53 births per woman | 1.59 births per woman | 3 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More population data for Belgium
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0945 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.2% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 461,216 people (2100)
- Population density 365.29 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.0085 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.2011 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total fertility rate: births per woman in Belgium?
- Total fertility rate: births per woman in Belgium was 1.53 births per woman in 2022, according to Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total fertility rate: births per woman recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 2.72 births per woman in 1964.
- What is the lowest total fertility rate: births per woman recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.5 births per woman in 1985.
- How does Belgium rank for total fertility rate: births per woman?
- Belgium ranks 12th out of 34 countries with data for 2022.
- Is total fertility rate: births per woman 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 Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Total fertility rate: births per woman. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Average number of children a woman would have in her lifetime if she experienced the fertility rates of a specific year.