Belgium’s population rose by 5.2% to 11,521,238 at the start of 2021, compared to 10,951,266 in 2011, according to the latest decennial census by Statbel, the Belgian statistical office.
The Census 2021 provides a decade-long snapshot of the Belgian population and housing situation, with key data on residential population, households, property, employment, and education. Due to the massive number of databases, up to 11 million, according to a spokeperson, it takes up to three years for the Belgian statistical office to gather and process all the information. That explains why the Census was released in 2024.
Reports highlight a 5.2% population increase over the decade, bringing the total to 11.5 million. The five most populated cities remained the same: Antwerp (529,417), Ghent (263,703), Charleroi (201,837), Liège (196,296), and Brussels (186,916), while Herstappe remains the least populated municipality (78).
Flanders remains the most populous region, with just over 6.65 million inhabitants, while Wallonia has almost 3.65 million. The Brussels-Capital Region has almost 1.22 million inhabitants.
In terms of nationality and migration, the figures for 2021 show that 12.4% of residents have another nationality, compared with 10.1% in 2011. The proportion of residents with a non-EU nationality has risen from 3.3% to 4.2% , and the proportion of residents born outside the EU has also increased, from 14.4% to 17.7%.
The number of Belgians securing higher education degrees also saw an increase, from 27.8% in 2011 to 31.8% in 2021. Employment figures are also improving., with the activity rate for 15-64 year-olds rising from 66.4% to 73% between 2011 and 2021.
