On 01 January 2025, Belgium^[1] had 11,825,551 legal inhabitants. Between 1 January 2024 and 1 January 2025, the Belgian population grew by 0.52%, or 61,901 inhabitants. This is what emerges from the official figures of Statbel, the Belgian statistical office.

In 2024, Belgium experienced a population growth as more people moved to Belgium during that year than people left the country (positive international migration balance, +66,044). This offsets the negative natural balance (-3,879), due to a higher number of deaths than births in 2024. The statistical adjustment is limited^[2] (-264). The Belgian population grows over the years but the factors leading to population growth change.

Population development in Belgium

The population grew by 0.52% or 61,901 inhabitants in 2024. In 2024, there were more deaths than births in Belgium, which results in a negative natural balance (-3,879). The natural balance has been falling for several years, because of a decline in the number of births, and an increase in deaths due to ageing. It is rather unusual that there are more deaths than births. A negative natural balance has resurfaced in 2020 (-13,111). That year was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, which pushed up the number of deaths. Then, in 2022, a negative natural balance was observed (-2,787), but before that we had to go back to the early ‘40s to find a negative natural balance again.

Just like in 2023^[3], more people immigrated to Belgium in 2024 (194,212) than people emigrated^[4] (128,168). As a result, the international migration balance, the difference between the two, was positive (+66,044) in 2024.

So, the population growth in 2024 in Belgium is the result of a positive international migration balance, which offsets the negative natural balance while still ensuring a population growth of 0.52% or 61,901 inhabitants.

Evolution of the population in the Flemish Region

The population in Flanders grew by 0.63% or 42,996 inhabitants in 2024. This is a slightly lower growth rate than in 2023 (0.69%).

61,781 births and 65,468 deaths were recorded in Flanders in 2024. The natural balance was therefore negative in 2024 (-3,687). Nevertheless, Flanders is experiencing a population growth due to both a strongly positive international migration balance (+32,995), with 94,367 immigrations offsetting 61,372 emigrations, and a positive internal migration balance (+13,926), with more people moving to Flanders from another region (37,455), than people moving from Flanders to another region (23,529).

The positive population growth in the Flemish Region in 2024 is therefore due to a positive internal migration balance and a positive international migration balance. These offset a negative natural balance.

Evolution of the population in the Walloon Region

Wallonia registered in 2024 a population growth of 0.34% or 12,707 inhabitants. This is a higher growth rate than in 2023 (0.29%).

The natural balance was negative in 2024 (-5,522). 32,539 births and 38,061 deaths were recorded that year. In addition, there was a positive international migration balance (+13,651). 45,578 immigrations and 31,927 emigrations were registered that year. The internal migration balance was also positive (+4,067). In 2024 there were more people moving from another region to Wallonia (24,324) than people moving from Wallonia to another region (20,257).

So, the population growth in 2024 in Wallonia is the result of a positive internal migration balance and a positive international migration balance. These migration balances offset a negative natural balance and also led to population growth.

Evolution of the population in the Brussels-Capital Region

The population in the Brussels-Capital Region grew by 0.49% or 6,198 inhabitants in 2024. That population growth is lower than in 2023 (0.68%). 

Brussels was the only region where the natural balance remained positive in 2024 (+5,330), with 13,830 births and 8,500 deaths registered. Yet this balance is also decreasing in Brussels due to a decline in births. 

The international migration balance was positive in 2024 (+19,398). In 2024, 54,267 immigrations and 34,869 emigrations were registered in Brussels. The internal migration balance was negative (-17,993). There were fewer people moving from another region to Brussels (25,109) than people moving from Brussels to another region in Belgium (43,102).

Population growth in the Brussels Capital Region in 2024 is therefore the result of a positive natural balance and a positive international migration balance. Those balances offset the negative internal migration balance.

Population growth over the years

The population grew over the years but the extent of the population growth itself fluctuated. There were some pronounced fluctuations, certainly in recent years. During 2020, Belgium experienced a small growth rate of 0.25%. In that year the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak: this, on the one hand, led to excess mortality, resulting in a negative natural balance. On the other hand, borders were also regularly closed, complicating international migration movements and resulting in a lower international migration balance. The impact of the pandemic was more limited in 2021 (0.54%). The following year saw strong population growth (0.98%), due to an increased international migration balance because of the war between Ukraine and Russia. The average annual population growth rate over the past 30 years (1994-2024) was 0.51%. 

The Belgian population continued to grow over the years but the factors leading to population growth changed. Between 1994 and 2000, both the natural balance and the international migration balance drove population growth. From 2001 onwards, it was mainly the international migration balance that strongly stimulated population growth, even offsetting a negative natural balance in 2020 and since 2022.

Population growth in the provinces

The province with the highest relative growth in Belgium in 2024 was again Antwerp with a population growth of 0.75%. The four other provinces of the top 5 are all in the Flemish Region. East Flanders ranks second (0.69%), followed by Flemish Brabant (0.65%), Limburg (0.54%) and West Flanders (0.42%).

The five provinces with the lowest growth are located in the Walloon Region. These provinces all register a positive population growth: Namur (0.29%), Luxembourg (0.29%), Walloon Brabant (0.30%), Liège (0.35%), and finally Hainaut (0.39%).

Population movement in 2024 in Belgium, the regions and the provinces

Population structure on 1 January 2025

The legal population in Belgium amounts to 11,825,551 inhabitants on 1 January 2025 and consists of slightly more women (5,995,529) than men (5,830,022). So, there are 97 men for every 100 women.

Inhabitants of Belgium are on average 42 years old. This average increased in recent years. In 1995, it was 38 years. On 1 January 2025, 60% or 7,099,466 inhabitants were aged 18 to 64. There were 19.6% or 2,320,770 minors and 20.3% (2,405,315 inhabitants) persons aged 65 and over. Compared to 1995, the share of people under 18 years of age is decreasing (21.7%), and the share of persons aged 65 and over is increasing (15.8%). So, we can say that Belgium is ageing. This can also be seen in the increase in the old age dependency ratio.[1] In 2025, the old age dependency ratio was 35.3%. This means that for every person aged 65 and over, there are just under three people aged 20 to 64. In 1995 this was 26.2%. At that time, there were just under four people aged 20 to 64 for every person aged 65 and over. The young age dependency ratio[2], the ratio between the persons aged 0 to 19 and the group aged 20 to 64, fell slightly. This ratio decreased from 40.0% in 1995 to 38.1% in 2025.

Elderly people are also living longer, and so the proportion of people aged 80 and over is growing. In 2025, the share of people aged 80 and over was 5.6% of the total population. In 1995 this was 3.8%. The intensity of ageing, calculated here as the ratio of people aged 80 and over to people aged 65 and over, increased from 24.2% in 1995 to 27.6% in 2025.

The age distribution varies between the regions as shown in the population pyramid. In the Flemish and Walloon regions, we see a narrow base of the population pyramid, reflecting a lower birth rate. Population size remains relatively stable between successive age groups, with a narrower base and a wider top, which is typical of an ageing population. The Brussels Capital Region's age pyramid doesn’t fit that pattern. Although the base here too is narrow, the largest population group is the young adults, particularly in the 25-29 and 30-34 age groups.  Differences can also be seen within the Belgian population. Among people without Belgian nationality, we see a narrow base, a concentration in the 30-39 age group, and a relatively narrow top. 

1. The data come from the National Register. The official population figures do not take into account the waiting register of asylum seekers, which comprises people with an ongoing asylum application (Law of 24 May 1994 establishing a waiting register for foreigners who declare themselves refugees or who ask to be recognised as refugees). However, the figures published by Eurostat contain an estimate of people entered in the waiting register.
2. A limited number of registrations in the National Register are late or incorrect. Therefore, the observed population growth (difference between the population on 1 January 2024 and 1 January 2023) is not 100% in line with the balance obtained based on births, deaths and migrations. The statistical adjustment this year amounts to +801 units at Belgian level. This is an indication that the data are of high quality.
3. International immigration consists of three movements:
   1. classic international immigration,
   2. change of register ‘in’ (transfer from the waiting register to the register of foreigners) and
   3. re-registration (following an automatic deletion).
4. International emigration consists of three movements:
   1. classic international emigration,
   2. change of register ‘out’ (transfer to the waiting register) and
   3. automatic deletion.
5. ratio of people aged 65 and over to persons aged 20 to 64 (labour force)
6. ratio of persons aged 0 to 19 to persons aged 20 to 64 (labour force)