Population in Belgium
Belgium: Population was 11.71 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
11.71 million people
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
81st
of 236 countries
All-time high
11.71 million people
in 2023
All-time low
8.62 million people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Population in Belgium, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2023, population in Belgium stood at 11.71 million people. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 5.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in Belgium peaked at 11.71 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 8.62 million people, in 1950.
That places Belgium 81st out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Population in Belgium, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 8.62 million people | — |
| 1951 | 8.66 million people | +0.4% |
| 1952 | 8.70 million people | +0.5% |
| 1953 | 8.74 million people | +0.5% |
| 1954 | 8.79 million people | +0.5% |
| 1955 | 8.84 million people | +0.5% |
| 1956 | 8.88 million people | +0.5% |
| 1957 | 8.93 million people | +0.6% |
| 1958 | 8.99 million people | +0.6% |
| 1959 | 9.05 million people | +0.7% |
| 1960 | 9.10 million people | +0.6% |
| 1961 | 9.16 million people | +0.6% |
| 1962 | 9.22 million people | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 9.28 million people | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 9.34 million people | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 9.40 million people | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 9.46 million people | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 9.51 million people | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 9.55 million people | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 9.59 million people | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 9.63 million people | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 9.67 million people | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 9.69 million people | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 9.72 million people | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 9.74 million people | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 9.75 million people | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 9.76 million people | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 9.77 million people | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 9.79 million people | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 9.81 million people | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 9.83 million people | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 9.85 million people | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 9.86 million people | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 9.87 million people | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 9.87 million people | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 9.88 million people | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 9.89 million people | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 9.90 million people | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 9.92 million people | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 9.94 million people | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 9.96 million people | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 10.00 million people | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 10.05 million people | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 10.08 million people | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 10.12 million people | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 10.14 million people | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 10.16 million people | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 10.18 million people | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 10.20 million people | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 10.23 million people | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 10.25 million people | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 10.29 million people | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 10.33 million people | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 10.38 million people | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 10.42 million people | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 10.48 million people | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 10.55 million people | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 10.63 million people | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 10.71 million people | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 10.81 million people | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 10.94 million people | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 11.04 million people | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 11.11 million people | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 11.16 million people | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 11.21 million people | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 11.28 million people | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 11.33 million people | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 11.38 million people | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 11.43 million people | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 11.49 million people | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 11.54 million people | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 11.57 million people | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 11.64 million people | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 11.71 million people | +0.6% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 11.71 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.98 million people, 3.9× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 11.71 million people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 6.36 million people, 1.8× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 8.82 million people | 8.62 million people | 9.05 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.36 million people | 9.10 million people | 9.59 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 9.73 million people | 9.63 million people | 9.81 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.88 million people | 9.83 million people | 9.94 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.11 million people | 9.96 million people | 10.23 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.48 million people | 10.25 million people | 10.81 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.24 million people | 10.94 million people | 11.49 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.62 million people | 11.54 million people | 11.71 million people | 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)
- 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 in Belgium?
- Population in Belgium was 11.71 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 11.71 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest population recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.62 million people in 1950.
- How does Belgium rank for population?
- Belgium ranks 81st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown.