The state of Belgium owes its name to Julius Caesar, who used the name "Belgium" to refer to the region in his narrative "The Gallic Wars". After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the region emerged as a cosmopolitan trading center, and was a collection of smaller duchies and states (such as Flanders and Brabant), before modern history saw control of the region pass between France, the Netherlands and (to a lesser extent) Spain. Modern day Belgium emerged in 1830 following the Belgian Revolution when it gained independence from the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Throughout this time, the Belgian region was the setting of many conflicts between other European powers, which greatly affected the population development and demography of the area. From 1800 until the First world War, the population of Belgium grew steadily, and more than doubled in the nineteenth century.
The World Wars
Population growth stagnated in the 1910s, as a result of World War I and the Spanish Flu epidemic. Belgium was one of the focal points of military action in the war, and many military personnel from other nations also lost their lives here during the conflict. Much of the Second World War also took place in Belgium, and although it remained neutral at the outbreak of both wars, it was invaded twice by Germany due to its strategic importance. Belgium suffered an estimated 88,000 fatalities during the war; with many further military fatalities from other nations also perishing in the region.
Continuous growth
From 1950 onwards, Belgium's population grows at a relatively consistent rate, to more than ten million people the year 2000. Since the turn of the millennium, a positive net migration rate and higher life expectancy has meant that Belgium's population has grown even faster rate than in the twentieth century. Today, Belgium has a very high standard of living, and the capital city of Brussels is home to the headquarters of many international institutions, particularly the European Union.
Population of Belgium from 1800 to 2020
(in 1,000s)
Characteristic
Population in thousands
2020
11,589.62
2019
11,539.33
2018
11,482.18
2017
11,419.75
2016
11,354.41
2015
11,287.93
2014
11,221.23
2013
11,154.01
2012
11,085.36
2011
11,013.86
2010
10,938.74
2009
10,859.93
2008
10,778.76
2007
10,697.58
2006
10,619.48
2005
10,546.89
2004
10,480.12
2003
10,419.03
2002
10,364.88
2001
10,319.03
2000
10,282.05
1999
10,255.16
1998
10,237.3
1997
10,223.79
1996
10,208.27
1995
10,186.3
1994
10,155.91
1993
10,118.68
1992
10,078.1
1991
10,039.45
1990
10,006.55
1989
9,980.18
1988
9,959.01
1987
9,942.28
1986
9,928.54
1985
9,916.58
1984
9,906.37
1983
9,897.88
1982
9,889.82
1981
9,880.59
1980
9,869
1979
9,854.37
1978
9,836.81
1977
9,816.69
1976
9,794.77
1975
9,771.58
1974
9,747.02
1973
9,720.75
1972
9,692.85
1971
9,663.32
1970
9,632.18
1969
9,599.65
1968
9,565.59
1967
9,529.05
1966
9,488.76
1965
9,443.95
1964
9,394.3
1963
9,340.42
1962
9,283.55
1961
9,225.41
1960
9,167.36
1959
9,110.07
1958
9,053.64
1957
8,997.85
1956
8,942.41
1955
8,887.28
1954
8,832.7
1953
8,779.27
1952
8,727.99
1951
8,680.18
1950
8,637.52
1949
8,600
1948
8,570
1947
8,540
1946
8,510
1945
8,480
1944
8,450
1943
8,420
1942
8,390
1941
8,360
1940
8,340
1939
8,310
1938
8,280
1937
8,250
1936
8,230
1935
8,200
1934
8,170
1933
8,140
1932
8,120
1931
8,090
1930
8,050
1929
8,010
1928
7,960
1927
7,900
1926
7,850
1925
7,800
1924
7,750
1923
7,700
1922
7,640
1921
7,600
1920
7,570
1919
7,550
1918
7,530
1917
7,530
1916
7,520
1915
7,510
1914
7,510
1913
7,500
1912
7,500
1911
7,480
1910
7,440
1909
7,390
1908
7,330
1907
7,250
1906
7,170
1905
7,090
1904
7,010
1903
6,940
1902
6,860
1901
6,790
1900
6,720
1899
6,650
1898
6,580
1897
6,520
1896
6,460
1895
6,390
1894
6,330
1893
6,270
1892
6,210
1891
6,150
1890
6,090
1889
6,030
1888
5,980
1887
5,920
1886
5,860
1885
5,810
1884
5,750
1883
5,700
1882
5,640
1881
5,590
1880
5,540
1879
5,490
1878
5,450
1877
5,400
1876
5,360
1875
5,310
1874
5,270
1873
5,220
1872
5,180
1871
5,140
1870
5,100
1869
5,060
1868
5,020
1867
4,980
1866
4,950
1865
4,910
1864
4,880
1863
4,840
1862
4,810
1861
4,770
1860
4,740
1859
4,710
1858
4,680
1857
4,650
1856
4,620
1855
4,590
1854
4,560
1853
4,530
1852
4,510
1851
4,480
1850
4,440
1849
4,410
1848
4,370
1847
4,340
1846
4,300
1845
4,260
1844
4,220
1843
4,190
1842
4,150
1841
4,120
1840
4,080
1839
4,050
1838
4,010
1837
3,980
1836
3,940
1835
3,910
1834
3,880
1833
3,850
1832
3,810
1831
3,780
1830
3,750
1829
3,720
1828
3,680
1827
3,650
1826
3,620
1825
3,590
1824
3,560
1823
3,530
1822
3,500
1821
3,470
1820
3,450
1819
3,430
1818
3,420
1817
3,410
1816
3,400
1815
3,390
1814
3,380
1813
3,370
1812
3,360
1811
3,350
1810
3,340
1809
3,330
1808
3,320
1807
3,310
1806
3,300
1805
3,300
1804
3,290
1803
3,280
1802
3,270
1801
3,260
1800
3,250
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UN DESA, & Gapminder. (August 31, 2019). Population of Belgium from 1800 to 2020 (in 1,000s) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 06, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1008201/total-population-belgium-1816-2020/
UN DESA, und Gapminder. "Population of Belgium from 1800 to 2020 (in 1,000s)." Chart. August 31, 2019. Statista. Accessed October 06, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1008201/total-population-belgium-1816-2020/
UN DESA, Gapminder. (2019). Population of Belgium from 1800 to 2020 (in 1,000s). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: October 06, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1008201/total-population-belgium-1816-2020/
UN DESA, and Gapminder. "Population of Belgium from 1800 to 2020 (in 1,000s)." Statista, Statista Inc., 31 Aug 2019, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1008201/total-population-belgium-1816-2020/
UN DESA & Gapminder, Population of Belgium from 1800 to 2020 (in 1,000s) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1008201/total-population-belgium-1816-2020/ (last visited October 06, 2024)
Population of Belgium from 1800 to 2020 (in 1,000s) [Graph], UN DESA, & Gapminder, August 31, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1008201/total-population-belgium-1816-2020/