Number of people employed in agriculture in Belgium
Belgium: Number of people employed in agriculture was 49,829 people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
49,829 people
Change on year
down 2.6%
World rank
151st
of 186 countries
All-time high
712,000 people
in 1856
All-time low
41,337 people
in 2018
Years of data
62
1846–2025
Number of people employed in agriculture in Belgium, 1846–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 49,829 people for number of people employed in agriculture in 2025.
The figure is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 7.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people employed in agriculture in Belgium peaked at 712,000 people in 1856 and was at its lowest, 41,337 people, in 2018.
Belgium ranks 151st of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people employed in agriculture in Belgium, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1846 | 681,000 people | — |
| 1856 | 712,000 people | +4.6% |
| 1866 | 705,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1880 | 674,000 people | -4.4% |
| 1890 | 640,000 people | -5.0% |
| 1900 | 616,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1910 | 585,000 people | -5.0% |
| 1920 | 525,000 people | -10.3% |
| 1930 | 505,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1947 | 364,000 people | -27.9% |
| 1961 | 213,000 people | -41.5% |
| 1970 | 197,478 people | -7.3% |
| 1971 | 184,102 people | -6.8% |
| 1972 | 172,728 people | -6.2% |
| 1973 | 165,111 people | -4.4% |
| 1974 | 160,354 people | -2.9% |
| 1975 | 155,935 people | -2.8% |
| 1976 | 147,980 people | -5.1% |
| 1977 | 141,885 people | -4.1% |
| 1978 | 138,863 people | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 138,367 people | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 132,238 people | -4.4% |
| 1981 | 129,057 people | -2.4% |
| 1982 | 127,687 people | -1.1% |
| 1983 | 127,288 people | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 127,051 people | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 126,152 people | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 103,309 people | -18.1% |
| 1992 | 102,394 people | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 99,566 people | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 108,629 people | +9.1% |
| 1995 | 101,850 people | -6.2% |
| 1996 | 104,318 people | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 102,231 people | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 86,455 people | -15.4% |
| 1999 | 95,484 people | +10.4% |
| 2000 | 78,638 people | -17.6% |
| 2001 | 55,756 people | -29.1% |
| 2002 | 72,607 people | +30.2% |
| 2003 | 69,836 people | -3.8% |
| 2004 | 92,083 people | +31.9% |
| 2005 | 86,382 people | -6.2% |
| 2006 | 83,331 people | -3.5% |
| 2007 | 81,334 people | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 69,027 people | -15.1% |
| 2009 | 65,846 people | -4.6% |
| 2010 | 60,991 people | -7.4% |
| 2011 | 58,977 people | -3.3% |
| 2012 | 53,277 people | -9.7% |
| 2013 | 61,845 people | +16.1% |
| 2014 | 55,538 people | -10.2% |
| 2015 | 53,772 people | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 57,678 people | +7.3% |
| 2017 | 55,155 people | -4.4% |
| 2018 | 41,337 people | -25.1% |
| 2019 | 52,667 people | +27.4% |
| 2020 | 48,766 people | -7.4% |
| 2021 | 53,295 people | +9.3% |
| 2022 | 53,642 people | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 54,679 people | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 51,152 people | -6.5% |
| 2025 | 49,829 people | -2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1840s | 681,000 people | 681,000 people | 681,000 people | 1 |
| 1850s | 712,000 people | 712,000 people | 712,000 people | 1 |
| 1860s | 705,000 people | 705,000 people | 705,000 people | 1 |
| 1880s | 674,000 people | 674,000 people | 674,000 people | 1 |
| 1890s | 640,000 people | 640,000 people | 640,000 people | 1 |
| 1900s | 616,000 people | 616,000 people | 616,000 people | 1 |
| 1910s | 585,000 people | 585,000 people | 585,000 people | 1 |
| 1920s | 525,000 people | 525,000 people | 525,000 people | 1 |
| 1930s | 505,000 people | 505,000 people | 505,000 people | 1 |
| 1940s | 364,000 people | 364,000 people | 364,000 people | 1 |
| 1960s | 213,000 people | 213,000 people | 213,000 people | 1 |
| 1970s | 160,280 people | 138,367 people | 197,478 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 128,246 people | 126,152 people | 132,238 people | 6 |
| 1990s | 100,471 people | 86,455 people | 108,629 people | 9 |
| 2000s | 75,484 people | 55,756 people | 92,083 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 55,124 people | 41,337 people | 61,845 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 51,894 people | 48,766 people | 54,679 people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More agriculture & rural data for Belgium
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -0.3325 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0073 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 443.58 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.2138 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1233 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.2% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people employed in agriculture in Belgium?
- Number of people employed in agriculture in Belgium was 49,829 people in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 712,000 people in 1856.
- What is the lowest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 41,337 people in 2018.
- How does Belgium rank for number of people employed in agriculture?
- Belgium ranks 151st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people employed in agriculture rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people employed in agriculture. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people working in agriculture, including hunting, forestry and fishing.