Rural population in Belgium
Belgium: Rural population was 1.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
1.8%
Change on year
down 1.9%
World rank
203rd
of 214 countries
All-time high
6.2%
in 1970
All-time low
1.8%
in 2024
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Rural population in Belgium, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2024, rural population in Belgium stood at 1.8%. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.9% on the previous year and down 18.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Belgium peaked at 6.2% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 1.8%, in 2024.
That places Belgium 203rd out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Rural population in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6.2% | — |
| 1971 | 6.0% | -2.2% |
| 1972 | 5.9% | -2.2% |
| 1973 | 5.8% | -2.2% |
| 1974 | 5.6% | -2.2% |
| 1975 | 5.5% | -2.2% |
| 1976 | 5.4% | -2.2% |
| 1977 | 5.2% | -3.8% |
| 1978 | 5.0% | -3.8% |
| 1979 | 4.8% | -3.8% |
| 1980 | 4.6% | -3.9% |
| 1981 | 4.5% | -3.3% |
| 1982 | 4.4% | -2.3% |
| 1983 | 4.3% | -2.3% |
| 1984 | 4.2% | -2.3% |
| 1985 | 4.1% | -2.3% |
| 1986 | 4.0% | -2.3% |
| 1987 | 3.9% | -2.3% |
| 1988 | 3.8% | -2.3% |
| 1989 | 3.7% | -2.3% |
| 1990 | 3.6% | -2.3% |
| 1991 | 3.5% | -2.3% |
| 1992 | 3.5% | -2.3% |
| 1993 | 3.4% | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 3.3% | -2.3% |
| 1995 | 3.2% | -2.3% |
| 1996 | 3.1% | -2.3% |
| 1997 | 3.1% | -2.3% |
| 1998 | 3.0% | -2.3% |
| 1999 | 2.9% | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 2.9% | -2.2% |
| 2001 | 2.8% | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 2.8% | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 2.7% | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 2.6% | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 2.6% | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 2.5% | -2.0% |
| 2007 | 2.5% | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 2.4% | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 2.4% | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 2.3% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 2.3% | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 2.3% | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 2.2% | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 2.2% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 2.1% | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 2.1% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 2.0% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 2.0% | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 2.0% | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 1.9% | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 1.9% | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 1.8% | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 1.8% | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 1.8% | -1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.5% | 4.8% | 6.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.1% | 3.7% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.3% | 2.9% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.6% | 2.4% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 200 Uruguay 4.1% compare
- 201 United States Virgin Islands 3.7% compare
- 202 San Marino 2.1% compare
- 204 Qatar 0.6% compare
- 205 Bermuda 0.0%
- 205 Cayman Islands 0.0%
- 205 Gibraltar 0.0%
- 205 Hong Kong, China 0.0% compare
- 205 Kuwait 0.0% compare
- 205 Macau, China 0.0% compare
- 205 Monaco 0.0%
- 205 Naoero 0.0%
- 205 Singapore 0.0%
- 205 Sint Maarten 0.0%
More population data for Belgium
- 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)
- Population growth rate by level of development -0.166 (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 0.2017 % change on previous year (2030)
- Fertility and wanted fertility, annual growth rate -2.04 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Belgium?
- Rural population in Belgium was 1.8% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 6.2% in 1970.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.8% in 2024.
- How does Belgium rank for rural population?
- Belgium ranks 203rd out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release