Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Belgium
Belgium: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 15.3% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Belgium, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 15.3% for share of urban population who live in the largest city in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Belgium peaked at 15.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 12.5%, in 1960.
That places Belgium 141st out of 179 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 13.2% | — |
| 1955 | 12.7% | -3.7% |
| 1960 | 12.5% | -1.6% |
| 1965 | 12.7% | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 12.6% | -0.5% |
| 1975 | 12.7% | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 13.1% | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 13.3% | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 13.4% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 14.0% | +4.2% |
| 2000 | 14.4% | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 14.7% | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 15.0% | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 15.2% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 15.3% | +0.8% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 15.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 29.2%, 52% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 15.3% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 24.1%, 63% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 13.0% | 12.7% | 13.2% | 2 |
| 1960s | 12.6% | 12.5% | 12.7% | 2 |
| 1970s | 12.7% | 12.6% | 12.7% | 2 |
| 1980s | 13.2% | 13.1% | 13.3% | 2 |
| 1990s | 13.7% | 13.4% | 14.0% | 2 |
| 2000s | 14.5% | 14.4% | 14.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | 15.1% | 15.0% | 15.2% | 2 |
| 2020s | 15.3% | 15.3% | 15.3% | 1 |
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 share of urban population who live in the largest city in Belgium?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Belgium was 15.3% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 15.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.5% in 1960.
- How does Belgium rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Belgium ranks 141st out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of urban population who live in the largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the urban population living in the country's largest city (by population). City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.