Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Belgium
Belgium: Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private was 37.5% in 2026. ▼ Falling
Latest (2026)
37.5%
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
11th
of 45 countries
All-time high
44.7%
in 1998
All-time low
37.2%
in 2025
Years of data
29
1998–2026
Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Belgium, 1998–2026
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.
Analysis
In 2026, persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Belgium stood at 37.5%.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and down 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Belgium peaked at 44.7% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 37.2%, in 2025.
Belgium ranks 11th of 45 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.
Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Percentage | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 44.7% | — |
| 1999 | 43.3% | -3.1% |
| 2000 | 43.2% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 43.5% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 42.6% | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 41.9% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 41.7% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 41.0% | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 40.2% | -2.0% |
| 2007 | 40.0% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 40.4% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 40.1% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 39.3% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 40.4% | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 40.0% | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 40.3% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 39.9% | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 40.3% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 39.9% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 40.0% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 39.6% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 39.9% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 40.4% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 38.9% | -3.7% |
| 2022 | 38.3% | -1.5% |
| 2023 | 38.3% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 37.7% | -1.6% |
| 2025 | 37.2% | -1.3% |
| 2026 | 37.5% | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 44.0% | 43.3% | 44.7% | 2 |
| 2000s | 41.5% | 40.0% | 43.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.0% | 39.3% | 40.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.3% | 37.2% | 40.4% | 7 |
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 persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Belgium?
- Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Belgium was 37.5% in 2026, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 44.7% in 1998.
- What is the lowest persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.2% in 2025.
- How does Belgium rank for persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private?
- Belgium ranks 11th out of 45 countries with data for 2026.
- Is persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private households - quarterly data. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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