Belgium population pyramid 2026
11,774,642 people in 2026 (projected). Belgium’s pyramid is widest at ages 55–64, the 1960s baby boom; its base is slim, and growth now comes from immigration rather than births.
- 2026 population
- 11.8Mrank 83 of 237
- Median age
- 42.1 yearsoldest rank 45
- Fertility rate
- 1.40births per woman · below replacement
- Structure
- Older21.4% age 65+
Belgium population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Belgium age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 15.4% of the population, while 21.4% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 63.2% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Belgium’s age structure as older; the guide to constrictive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 58.2: about 58 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (24.4 children and 33.8 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Belgium’s population pyramid
Two world wars in the 1950 outline
Belgium was occupied in both world wars, and each left a gap in its births. The 1950 pyramid shows the First World War cohort, born 1915–19, as a deep notch at ages 30–34, roughly a third smaller than the band below it, and a second, shallower notch at 5–9 for children born under the 1940–44 occupation. In 1975 the earlier gap had moved to ages 55–59. The First World War gap has since passed out of the pyramid, and the smaller wartime cohort of the early 1940s, now in its eighties, no longer stands out. Belgium already had a relatively old population in 1950, with a median age of about 35 and 11% of people aged 65 or over.
Baby boomers at the widest point
Fertility rose to about 2.5 children per woman around 1960 and then fell below replacement in the 1970s. The cohorts born in the 1960s are now the widest part of the pyramid at ages 55–64, and the bands beneath them are close to level rather than tapering, a near-column shape typical of the constrictive pyramid. Fertility recovered to about 1.85 around 2010 and then slipped to about 1.4 in 2023, which is why the 15–19 band (born about 2007–11) is noticeably wider than the 0–4 band at the base.
Belgium’s current structure is very close to that of the United Kingdom, Norway and France. Women clearly outnumber men only at older ages: there are about 75 men per 100 women at 80–84 and fewer than half as many men as women at 90–94.
Migration does the growing
Between 2000 and 2023 births exceeded deaths by only about 270,000, while net immigration added about 1.2 million people, so migration accounts for more than four-fifths of the population increase in that period. Brussels’ role as the seat of the main EU institutions and the country’s long history of labour recruitment are part of the background to this steady inflow. Births now fall short of deaths, about 101,000 against 116,000 in 2026.
Under the medium scenario the population edges up to a peak of about 11.9 million in 2044 and then declines slowly. The ageing of the 1960s cohorts takes the share aged 65 and over from about 21% today to about 28% in 2050, a process described in the guide to population ageing.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Belgium’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
Deaths have exceeded births every year since 2022; they also did so in 1975, but births then outnumbered deaths again. People aged 65 and older came to outnumber children under 15 between 2000 and 2005.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Belgium is projected to record 100,860 births (about 276 births a day) and 115,904 deaths, a natural decrease of 15,044. Net migration adds +29,607 people, ranking #43 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 2,862,717 births, 2,595,064 deaths, and cumulative net migration of +1,220,604. Over that period migration moved the total more than the balance of births and deaths did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of +665,176 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 84.7 years68.9 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 80.5 years63.8 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 20.9 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 2.7per 1,000 births · 53 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 3.2per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 31.3 yearssex ratio at birth 105.0
Women in Belgium are projected to live 4.2 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 53 to 2.7 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #207 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 31.3 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Belgium
The median age of 42.1 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 1.40 births per woman is below the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 82.6 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,774,642 | #83 | Largest first |
| Median age | 42.1 years | #45 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 1.40 | #194 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +0.1% | #167 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 82.6 years | #33 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 21.4% | #30 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Belgium
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 60–64 | 791,402 | 6.7% | 394.9K / 396.5K |
| 2 | 55–59 | 782,290 | 6.6% | 394.4K / 387.9K |
| 3 | 35–39 | 770,514 | 6.5% | 384.5K / 386K |
| 4 | 45–49 | 760,969 | 6.5% | 381.1K / 379.9K |
| 5 | 40–44 | 753,920 | 6.4% | 376.1K / 377.8K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Belgium has 5,811,311 males and 5,963,332 females. That is 97.5 males per 100 females, ranking #141 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 49.4% of the population and females for 50.6%. There are 152,021 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 82.1 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 105.0 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Belgium has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 8,617,441 in 1950 to 11,774,642 in 2026, a change of 37%. Over the same span, median age moved from 34.6 to 42.1 years.
The under-15 share changed from 21.0% to 15.4%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 11.0% to 21.4%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Belgium’s population is projected to remain broadly stable, reaching 11,870,906 in 2050. The median age changes from 42.1 to 45.2 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 6.4 percentage points to 27.8%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 13.9%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest projected population of 11,901,548 in 2044. That turning point depends on the medium scenario and may move in later revisions. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 8,617,441 | 34.6 | 2.35 | 66.3 | 143,917 | 108,029 | +4,699 | +0.5% |
| 1960 | 9,102,171 | 33.9 | 2.53 | 69.6 | 154,221 | 113,905 | +9,893 | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 9,630,504 | 33.5 | 2.25 | 70.9 | 141,574 | 118,669 | +19,393 | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 9,833,092 | 33.1 | 1.69 | 73.2 | 123,463 | 113,638 | +11,482 | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 9,960,968 | 35.3 | 1.63 | 76.1 | 123,812 | 104,263 | +8,299 | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 10,251,717 | 37.9 | 1.66 | 77.8 | 115,875 | 105,242 | +13,952 | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 10,936,626 | 39.8 | 1.85 | 80.0 | 128,632 | 105,256 | +105,232 | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 11,540,107 | 40.8 | 1.57 | 80.8 | 115,567 | 127,251 | +43,777 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 11,712,893 | 41.4 | 1.38 | 82.1 | 101,686 | 113,791 | +41,679 | +0.3% |
| 2024* | 11,738,763 | 41.7 | 1.38 | 82.3 | 101,368 | 115,445 | +36,243 | +0.2% |
| 2026* | 11,774,642 | 42.1 | 1.40 | 82.6 | 100,860 | 115,904 | +29,607 | +0.1% |
| 2030* | 11,824,141 | 43.0 | 1.42 | 83.2 | 100,152 | 117,488 | +26,766 | +0.1% |
| 2040* | 11,892,204 | 44.9 | 1.46 | 84.6 | 108,085 | 129,484 | +25,040 | +0.0% |
| 2050* | 11,870,906 | 45.2 | 1.49 | 85.9 | 104,206 | 141,184 | +26,426 | -0.1% |
| 2060* | 11,684,663 | 46.7 | 1.51 | 87.1 | 94,654 | 142,695 | +26,899 | -0.2% |
| 2070* | 11,490,796 | 47.9 | 1.52 | 88.2 | 96,844 | 137,621 | +24,953 | -0.1% |
| 2080* | 11,361,054 | 47.8 | 1.54 | 89.3 | 96,805 | 135,410 | +24,812 | -0.1% |
| 2090* | 11,221,816 | 48.1 | 1.55 | 90.4 | 91,488 | 130,136 | +24,400 | -0.1% |
| 2100* | 11,060,848 | 49.0 | 1.55 | 91.4 | 90,877 | 131,483 | +22,237 | -0.2% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 274,377 | 261,747 | 536,124 | 4.6% |
| 5–9 | 313,018 | 299,904 | 612,922 | 5.2% |
| 10–14 | 340,526 | 325,202 | 665,728 | 5.7% |
| 15–19 | 359,563 | 343,507 | 703,070 | 6.0% |
| 20–24 | 353,813 | 337,853 | 691,666 | 5.9% |
| 25–29 | 353,248 | 343,385 | 696,633 | 5.9% |
| 30–34 | 372,176 | 369,029 | 741,205 | 6.3% |
| 35–39 | 384,548 | 385,966 | 770,514 | 6.5% |
| 40–44 | 376,082 | 377,838 | 753,920 | 6.4% |
| 45–49 | 381,099 | 379,870 | 760,969 | 6.5% |
| 50–54 | 378,779 | 372,651 | 751,430 | 6.4% |
| 55–59 | 394,373 | 387,917 | 782,290 | 6.6% |
| 60–64 | 394,916 | 396,486 | 791,402 | 6.7% |
| 65–69 | 349,608 | 366,245 | 715,853 | 6.1% |
| 70–74 | 285,644 | 316,472 | 602,116 | 5.1% |
| 75–79 | 229,994 | 274,575 | 504,569 | 4.3% |
| 80–84 | 143,875 | 192,685 | 336,560 | 2.9% |
| 85–89 | 82,675 | 134,387 | 217,062 | 1.8% |
| 90–94 | 34,828 | 73,011 | 107,839 | 0.9% |
| 95–99 | 7,519 | 21,839 | 29,358 | 0.2% |
| 100+ | 648 | 2,761 | 3,409 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Belgium’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- United Kingdom97% overlap · median age 40.2
- Norway97% overlap · median age 40.1
- France97% overlap · median age 42.5
- Netherlands97% overlap · median age 41.5
- Canada97% overlap · median age 40.8
- Sweden97% overlap · median age 40.4
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Belgium.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Belgium Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/belgium/
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“Belgium Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/belgium/.
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World Population Pyramid. “Belgium Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/belgium/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Belgium in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Belgium's population in 2026 is projected at 11,774,642.
What is the median age in Belgium?
The projected median age in Belgium in 2026 is 42.1 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Belgium?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 1.40 births per woman, below the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Belgium's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will remain broadly stable, from 11.8M to 11.9M.
What share of Belgium is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 21.4% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 27.8%.
How many babies are born in Belgium each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 100,860 births and 115,904 deaths in 2026, about 276 births a day. Deaths exceed births by 15,044.
What is life expectancy in Belgium for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 84.7 years for women and 80.5 years for men, a gap of 4.2 years in favour of women.
Does Belgium have more immigrants or emigrants?
Belgium is projected to gain about 29,607 more people through migration than it loses in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of +1,220,604.
What is the sex ratio in Belgium?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 97.5 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.