Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in Belgium
Belgium: Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment was 11.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in Belgium, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Industrial Development Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in Belgium is 11.3%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.6% on the previous year and down 12.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in Belgium peaked at 18.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 11.3%, in 2024.
That places Belgium 57th out of 152 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 18.8% | — |
| 2001 | 18.3% | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 18.3% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 17.8% | -3.0% |
| 2004 | 17.4% | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 17.2% | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 16.8% | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 16.5% | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 16.0% | -3.4% |
| 2009 | 14.8% | -7.1% |
| 2010 | 14.6% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 14.2% | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 13.2% | -7.5% |
| 2013 | 13.0% | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 12.8% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 12.9% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 12.4% | -3.9% |
| 2017 | 12.7% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 12.3% | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 12.1% | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 12.5% | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 11.3% | -9.3% |
| 2022 | 12.1% | +6.5% |
| 2023 | 11.7% | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 11.3% | -3.6% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 11.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 9.5%, 1.2× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 11.3% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.2%, 93% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17.2% | 14.8% | 18.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.0% | 12.1% | 14.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.8% | 11.3% | 12.5% | 5 |
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 manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in Belgium?
- Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in Belgium was 11.3% in 2024, according to United Nations Industrial Development Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 18.8% in 2000.
- What is the lowest manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.3% in 2024.
- How does Belgium rank for manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment?
- Belgium ranks 57th out of 152 countries with data for 2024.
- Is manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Industrial Development Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment - 13th ICLS (%).