Belgium — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Belgium, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Belgium was 0.70% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 1.30% in 2011. The lowest was -0.03% in 1982 (about -25.7× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.17% per year.
Belgium ranks 121 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 56%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 0.30%, so Belgium sits above it. It peaked in 2011 and has fallen 46% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 21%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 19 of 58 economies; Norway (0.69%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 2084% in 1985. That is 21% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 1963. Doubling roughly every 60 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 207th of 216 in 1961 → 207th of 216 in 1970 → 206th of 216 in 1980 → 183rd of 216 in 1990 → 179th of 217 in 2000 → 124th of 217 in 2010 → 136th of 217 in 2020 → 121st of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.7% | +0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 0.67% | -0.2 pp |
| 2023 | 0.85% | +0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 0.81% | +0.4 pp |
| 2021 | 0.41% | -0.0 pp |
| 2020 | 0.43% | -0.1 pp |
| 2019 | 0.54% | +0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 0.46% | +0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 0.39% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 0.51% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 0.58% | +0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 0.44% | -0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 0.47% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 0.62% | -0.7 pp |
| 2011 | 1.3% | +0.4 pp |
| 2010 | 0.91% | +0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 0.8% | +0.0 pp |
| 2008 | 0.79% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 0.73% | +0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 0.66% | +0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 0.55% | +0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 0.43% | +0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 0.42% | -0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 0.45% | +0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 0.34% | +0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 0.24% | +0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 0.23% | +0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 0.21% | -0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 0.24% | +0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 0.2% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 0.21% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 0.31% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 0.39% | -0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 0.41% | +0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 0.37% | +0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 0.3% | -0.1 pp |
| 1989 | 0.36% | +0.0 pp |
| 1988 | 0.32% | +0.2 pp |
| 1987 | 0.09% | +0.0 pp |
| 1986 | 0.04% | +0.0 pp |
| 1985 | 0.03% | +0.0 pp |
| 1984 | -0% | +0.0 pp |
| 1983 | -0.01% | +0.0 pp |
| 1982 | -0.03% | -0.0 pp |
| 1981 | -0% | -0.1 pp |
| 1980 | 0.11% | +0.0 pp |
| 1979 | 0.09% | -0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 0.09% | -0.0 pp |
| 1977 | 0.12% | -0.1 pp |
| 1976 | 0.18% | -0.1 pp |
| 1975 | 0.29% | -0.0 pp |
| 1974 | 0.31% | -0.0 pp |
| 1973 | 0.31% | -0.1 pp |
| 1972 | 0.39% | +0.2 pp |
| 1971 | 0.18% | +0.1 pp |
| 1970 | 0.1% | -0.2 pp |
| 1969 | 0.28% | -0.1 pp |
| 1968 | 0.39% | -0.2 pp |
| 1967 | 0.56% | -0.1 pp |
| 1966 | 0.68% | -0.2 pp |
| 1965 | 0.91% | -0.0 pp |
| 1964 | 0.95% | +0.2 pp |
| 1963 | 0.75% | +0.3 pp |
| 1962 | 0.4% | +0.1 pp |
| 1961 | 0.33% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Belgium’s Population growth in 1962?
0.4% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Belgium’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +110.4% in total — about 1.2% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 0.7%; 2024: 0.67%; 2023: 0.85%; 2022: 0.81%; 2021: 0.41%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.