Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Belgium
Belgium: Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) was 52.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Belgium, 1977–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Belgium stood at 52.5%. That is the highest value across all 46 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Belgium peaked at 52.5% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 37.2%, in 1977.
Belgium ranks 128th of 178 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 46 years of available data.
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 37.2% | — |
| 1979 | 37.6% | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 37.5% | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 44.8% | +19.3% |
| 1984 | 43.8% | -2.1% |
| 1985 | 44.3% | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 44.2% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 43.6% | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 43.7% | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 44.4% | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 44.8% | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 45.8% | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 46.3% | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 45.7% | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 45.5% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 45.8% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 45.6% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 46.0% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 46.1% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 47.4% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 48.8% | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 47.7% | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 47.7% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 47.4% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 48.2% | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 48.8% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 48.7% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 49.6% | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 49.9% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 49.2% | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 49.6% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 49.4% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 49.2% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 49.0% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 48.9% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 48.8% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 49.0% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 50.0% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 51.0% | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 51.5% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 50.8% | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 51.1% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 52.0% | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 51.9% | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 52.0% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 52.5% | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 37.4% | 37.2% | 37.6% | 2 |
| 1980s | 43.3% | 37.5% | 44.8% | 8 |
| 1990s | 45.9% | 44.8% | 47.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.6% | 47.4% | 49.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.6% | 48.8% | 51.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.7% | 50.8% | 52.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More work & labour data for Belgium
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.1652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.1676 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.1614 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.59 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.1395 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 12,349 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 139 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 5,498 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5,563 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 11,061 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Belgium?
- Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Belgium was 52.5% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 52.5% in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.2% in 1977.
- How does Belgium rank for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%)?
- Belgium ranks 128th out of 178 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.