Belgium Population Clock

Belgium records about 301 births and 311 deaths a day — more deaths than births. Natural change is therefore negative, at roughly 10 fewer people per day, or about 3,652 a year before migration.

Net migration runs at about 31,989 over the reported period, with more people arriving than leaving. That is equivalent to about 876% of its natural change.

If the current rate held indefinitely, Belgium would take roughly 100 years to double in size — a projection of today's rate, not a forecast.

Over the 9 years from 2016 to 2025, the population rose from 11.3 million to 11.9 million — a gain of 610,359, or 5.4%.

With about 386 people per square kilometre, Belgium is densely populated, roughly 6.2× the world average of 62. That ranks 12th of the 115 countries here. Its closest comparisons on density are Philippines and Sri Lanka.

Belgium covers about 30,494 km² of land, which is what turns a population of 11.9 million into that density figure.

About 87.7% of people live in urban areas, making Belgium almost entirely urban, above the world average of 57.8%. That works out to roughly 10.5 million town and city dwellers and 1.47 million living rurally.

Belgium has an ageing population: about 15.7% are under 15 and 21.0% are 65 or older. Over-65s now outnumber under-15s, which is the classic marker of a population that has finished its demographic transition.

The total fertility rate is about 1.44 births per woman, below the ~2.1 replacement level, so without net immigration the population would eventually decline. The world figure is about 2.19.

Life expectancy at birth is about 82.3 years, roughly 8.8 years above the global average of 73.5.