Population growth rate in Belgium
Belgium: Population growth rate was 0.3% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Population growth rate in Belgium, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 0.3% for population growth rate in 2023.
That represents a change of down 73.8% on the previous year and down 34.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth rate in Belgium peaked at 1.2% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1983.
That places Belgium 164th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth rate in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0.5% | — |
| 1951 | 0.4% | -11.7% |
| 1952 | 0.5% | +26.4% |
| 1953 | 0.5% | -2.9% |
| 1954 | 0.6% | +7.6% |
| 1955 | 0.5% | -5.6% |
| 1956 | 0.5% | +2.9% |
| 1957 | 0.6% | +9.0% |
| 1958 | 0.6% | +8.2% |
| 1959 | 0.7% | +10.0% |
| 1960 | 0.6% | -20.3% |
| 1961 | 0.7% | +22.5% |
| 1962 | 0.6% | -8.4% |
| 1963 | 0.6% | +1.0% |
| 1964 | 0.7% | +14.7% |
| 1965 | 0.6% | -14.9% |
| 1966 | 0.6% | -8.2% |
| 1967 | 0.5% | -8.0% |
| 1968 | 0.4% | -21.4% |
| 1969 | 0.4% | +4.0% |
| 1970 | 0.4% | +4.3% |
| 1971 | 0.3% | -29.8% |
| 1972 | 0.3% | -10.1% |
| 1973 | 0.2% | -27.8% |
| 1974 | 0.2% | -17.5% |
| 1975 | 0.1% | -42.4% |
| 1976 | 0.1% | +25.3% |
| 1977 | 0.2% | +60.5% |
| 1978 | 0.2% | -9.4% |
| 1979 | 0.2% | +30.6% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | -4.0% |
| 1981 | 0.1% | -35.0% |
| 1982 | 0.1% | -31.9% |
| 1983 | 0.0% | -56.2% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | +64.3% |
| 1985 | 0.0% | -30.4% |
| 1986 | 0.1% | +81.2% |
| 1987 | 0.2% | +82.8% |
| 1988 | 0.2% | +20.8% |
| 1989 | 0.2% | +9.9% |
| 1990 | 0.3% | +32.7% |
| 1991 | 0.5% | +71.8% |
| 1992 | 0.5% | -5.0% |
| 1993 | 0.3% | -30.6% |
| 1994 | 0.3% | -6.0% |
| 1995 | 0.1% | -59.1% |
| 1996 | 0.3% | +118.0% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | -19.2% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | +18.0% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | -3.6% |
| 2001 | 0.4% | +86.3% |
| 2002 | 0.4% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | -11.9% |
| 2004 | 0.5% | +20.9% |
| 2005 | 0.6% | +32.3% |
| 2006 | 0.7% | +10.8% |
| 2007 | 0.8% | +9.4% |
| 2008 | 0.8% | +7.8% |
| 2009 | 1.1% | +34.1% |
| 2010 | 1.2% | +7.1% |
| 2011 | 0.7% | -41.9% |
| 2012 | 0.6% | -17.7% |
| 2013 | 0.4% | -31.1% |
| 2014 | 0.5% | +30.2% |
| 2015 | 0.7% | +30.0% |
| 2016 | 0.4% | -45.0% |
| 2017 | 0.4% | +14.4% |
| 2018 | 0.5% | +21.4% |
| 2019 | 0.6% | +16.4% |
| 2020 | 0.3% | -52.2% |
| 2021 | 0.3% | -8.6% |
| 2022 | 1.0% | +280.7% |
| 2023 | 0.3% | -73.8% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 0.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.5%, 51% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 0.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.1%, 3.5× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth rate 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +280.7% | 0.3% | 1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6% | 0.2% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 1.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 161 Maldives 0.3% compare
- 162 North Korea 0.3% compare
- 163 Saint Lucia 0.3% compare
- 165 French Polynesia 0.2% compare
- 166 Turkey 0.2% compare
- 167 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.2% compare
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 population growth rate in Belgium?
- Population growth rate in Belgium was 0.3% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population growth rate recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 1.2% in 2010.
- What is the lowest population growth rate recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1983.
- How does Belgium rank for population growth rate?
- Belgium ranks 164th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population growth rate rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 34.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual rate at which the population is growing, expressed as a percentage.