Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Belgium
Belgium: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 12.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
12.3%
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
177th
of 218 countries
All-time high
34.1%
in 1960
All-time low
12.3%
in 2025
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Rural population in Belgium, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, rural population in Belgium stood at 12.3%. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 10.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Belgium peaked at 34.1% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 12.3%, in 2025.
Belgium ranks 177th of 218 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 34.1% | — |
| 1961 | 33.8% | -1.0% |
| 1962 | 33.4% | -1.1% |
| 1963 | 33.0% | -1.3% |
| 1964 | 32.5% | -1.5% |
| 1965 | 32.0% | -1.6% |
| 1966 | 31.4% | -1.7% |
| 1967 | 30.9% | -1.7% |
| 1968 | 30.4% | -1.8% |
| 1969 | 29.8% | -1.7% |
| 1970 | 29.4% | -1.6% |
| 1971 | 28.9% | -1.4% |
| 1972 | 28.5% | -1.4% |
| 1973 | 28.1% | -1.4% |
| 1974 | 27.7% | -1.5% |
| 1975 | 27.3% | -1.5% |
| 1976 | 26.9% | -1.5% |
| 1977 | 26.5% | -1.5% |
| 1978 | 26.1% | -1.5% |
| 1979 | 25.7% | -1.5% |
| 1980 | 25.3% | -1.6% |
| 1981 | 24.9% | -1.6% |
| 1982 | 24.5% | -1.6% |
| 1983 | 24.1% | -1.6% |
| 1984 | 23.7% | -1.6% |
| 1985 | 23.3% | -1.6% |
| 1986 | 22.9% | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 22.6% | -1.7% |
| 1988 | 22.2% | -1.7% |
| 1989 | 21.8% | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 21.4% | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 21.1% | -1.7% |
| 1992 | 20.7% | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 20.4% | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 20.0% | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 19.7% | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 19.3% | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 19.0% | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 18.6% | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 18.3% | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 18.0% | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 17.7% | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 17.3% | -1.8% |
| 2003 | 17.0% | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 16.7% | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 16.4% | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 16.1% | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 15.9% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 15.6% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 15.3% | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 15.0% | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 14.8% | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 14.5% | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 14.3% | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 14.0% | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 13.8% | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 13.5% | -1.7% |
| 2017 | 13.3% | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 13.1% | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 12.9% | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 12.7% | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 12.6% | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 12.5% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 12.4% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 12.4% | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 12.3% | -0.5% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 12.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 18.7%, 66% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 12.3% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 30.4%, 41% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 32.1% | 29.8% | 34.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 27.5% | 25.7% | 29.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 23.5% | 21.8% | 25.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.9% | 18.3% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.6% | 15.3% | 18.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.9% | 12.9% | 15.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.5% | 12.3% | 12.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More agriculture & rural data for Belgium
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.3957 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.0755 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.3957 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.0755 hectares per person (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Belgium?
- Rural population in Belgium was 12.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 34.1% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.3% in 2025.
- How does Belgium rank for rural population?
- Belgium ranks 177th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.