Share of births outside marriage in Belgium

Belgium: Share of births outside marriage was 52.4 in 2018. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2018)
52.4
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
14th
of 42 countries
All-time high
52.8
in 2017
All-time low
2
in 1961
Years of data
59
1960–2018

Share of births outside marriage in Belgium, 1960–2018

0204060196019892018

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for share of births outside marriage in Belgium is 52.4, measured in 2018.

That represents a change of down 0.8% on the previous year and up 17.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of births outside marriage in Belgium peaked at 52.8 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 2, in 1961.

That places Belgium 14th out of 42 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Share of births outside marriage in Belgium, year by year

Annual values for Share of births outside marriage in Belgium, 1960 to 2018.
Year Value Change
1960 2.1
1961 2 -4.8%
1962 2.1 +5.0%
1963 2.2 +4.8%
1964 2.3 +4.5%
1965 2.4 +4.3%
1966 2.5 +4.2%
1967 2.5 +0.0%
1968 2.7 +8.0%
1969 2.7 +0.0%
1970 2.8 +3.7%
1971 3 +7.1%
1972 3 +0.0%
1973 3 +0.0%
1974 3.1 +3.3%
1975 3.1 +0.0%
1976 3.1 +0.0%
1977 3.1 +0.0%
1978 3.4 +9.7%
1979 3.8 +11.8%
1980 4.1 +7.9%
1981 4.5 +9.8%
1982 5.2 +15.6%
1983 5.7 +9.6%
1984 6.3 +10.5%
1985 7.1 +12.7%
1986 7.8 +9.9%
1987 9.1 +16.7%
1988 10.7 +17.6%
1989 11.3 +5.6%
1990 11.6 +2.7%
1991 12.6 +8.6%
1992 13.6 +7.9%
1993 14.5 +6.6%
1994 15.8 +9.0%
1995 17.3 +9.5%
1996 19.1 +10.4%
1997 21 +9.9%
1998 23.2 +10.5%
1999 25.5 +9.9%
2000 28 +9.8%
2001 30.2 +7.9%
2002 32.5 +7.6%
2003 34.7 +6.8%
2004 36.9 +6.3%
2005 39.4 +6.8%
2006 40.9 +3.8%
2007 43.2 +5.6%
2008 44.6 +3.2%
2009 45.5 +2.0%
2010 45.7 +0.4%
2011 47 +2.8%
2012 47.7 +1.5%
2013 49.5 +3.8%
2014 49.4 -0.2%
2015 48 -2.8%
2016 49 +2.1%
2017 52.8 +7.8%
2018 52.4 -0.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 2.35 2 2.7 10
1970s 3.14 2.8 3.8 10
1980s 7.18 4.1 11.3 10
1990s 17.42 11.6 25.5 10
2000s 37.59 28 45.5 10
2010s 49.06 45.7 52.8 9

Countries ranked near Belgium

  1. 11 Denmark 54.2 compare
  2. 12 Estonia 53.7 compare
  3. 13 Netherlands 53.5 compare
  4. 15 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 51.3 compare
  5. 16 New Zealand 48.67 compare
  6. 17 Czechia 48.5 compare

See the full ranking of 42 places →

More population data for Belgium

All data for Belgium →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of births outside marriage in Belgium?
Share of births outside marriage in Belgium was 52.4 in 2018, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of births outside marriage recorded in Belgium?
The highest recorded value was 52.8 in 2017.
What is the lowest share of births outside marriage recorded in Belgium?
The lowest recorded value was 2 in 1961.
How does Belgium rank for share of births outside marriage?
Belgium ranks 14th out of 42 countries with data for 2018.
Is share of births outside marriage rising or falling in Belgium?
Over the last ten years it is up 17.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Belgium data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share of births outside marriage. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of births outside marriage in Belgium. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-births-outside-marriage/belgium/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of births outside marriage
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
42 places, 2,139 data points, 1960–2021
Last refreshed