Population by labor force status in Belgium
Belgium: Population by labor force status was 1.85 million people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1.85 million people
Change on year
down 1.7%
World rank
102nd
of 186 countries
All-time high
1.94 million people
in 2019
All-time low
1.80 million people
in 2005
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Population by labor force status in Belgium, 1991–2025
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2025, population by labor force status in Belgium stood at 1.85 million people.
That represents a change of down 1.7% on the previous year and down 3.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by labor force status in Belgium peaked at 1.94 million people in 2019 and was at its lowest, 1.80 million people, in 2005.
Belgium ranks 102nd of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Population by labor force status in Belgium, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1.82 million people | — |
| 1992 | 1.83 million people | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 1.83 million people | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 1.83 million people | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 1.82 million people | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 1.81 million people | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 1.81 million people | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 1.81 million people | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 1.81 million people | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 1.80 million people | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 1.81 million people | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1.80 million people | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 1.80 million people | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 1.80 million people | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 1.80 million people | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.80 million people | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 1.80 million people | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 1.81 million people | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 1.83 million people | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 1.85 million people | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 1.87 million people | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 1.89 million people | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 1.90 million people | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 1.91 million people | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 1.92 million people | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 1.92 million people | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 1.93 million people | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 1.94 million people | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 1.94 million people | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 1.94 million people | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 1.93 million people | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 1.92 million people | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 1.91 million people | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 1.88 million people | -1.6% |
| 2025 | 1.85 million people | -1.7% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 1.85 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 941,170 people, 2.0× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 1.85 million people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.31 million people, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.82 million people | 1.81 million people | 1.83 million people | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.80 million people | 1.80 million people | 1.83 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.91 million people | 1.85 million people | 1.94 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.90 million people | 1.85 million people | 1.94 million people | 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 population by labor force status in Belgium?
- Population by labor force status in Belgium was 1.85 million people in 2025, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population by labor force status recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 1.94 million people in 2019.
- What is the lowest population by labor force status recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.80 million people in 2005.
- How does Belgium rank for population by labor force status?
- Belgium ranks 102nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population by labor force status rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population by labor force status. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Population below working age (under 15 years old).