Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — Belgium

Urban population share in Belgium in 2025 — 87.7%. Ranked 42 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 21.8 pp.

2025 87.7% +0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank 42of 217
Period maximum 87.7%2025
Period minimum 65.9%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — Belgium, 1960–20256070809019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 65.9%1962: 66.6%1964: 67.5%1966: 68.6%1968: 69.6%1970: 70.6%1972: 71.5%1974: 72.3%1976: 73.1%1978: 73.9%1980: 74.7%1982: 75.5%1984: 76.3%1986: 77.1%1988: 77.8%1990: 78.6%1992: 79.3%1994: 80%1996: 80.7%1998: 81.4%2000: 82%2002: 82.7%2004: 83.3%2006: 83.9%2008: 84.4%2010: 85%2012: 85.5%2014: 86%2016: 86.5%2018: 86.9%2020: 87.3%2022: 87.5%2024: 87.6%2025: 87.7%
Change over the period: +21.8 pp Annual average: 0.34 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Belgium

Belgium 87.7%
World 57.8%
Western Europe computed 82.2%
High-income countries computed 80.3%
Urban population share — Belgium, by year Belgium All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 87.7 +0.1 pp
2024 87.6 +0.1 pp
2023 87.6 +0.1 pp
2022 87.5 +0.1 pp
2021 87.4 +0.1 pp
2020 87.3 +0.2 pp
2019 87.1 +0.2 pp
2018 86.9 +0.2 pp
2017 86.7 +0.2 pp
2016 86.5 +0.2 pp
2015 86.2 +0.2 pp
2014 86 +0.2 pp
2013 85.7 +0.3 pp
2012 85.5 +0.3 pp
2011 85.2 +0.3 pp
2010 85 +0.3 pp
2009 84.7 +0.3 pp
2008 84.4 +0.3 pp
2007 84.1 +0.3 pp
2006 83.9 +0.3 pp
2005 83.6 +0.3 pp
2004 83.3 +0.3 pp
2003 83 +0.3 pp
2002 82.7 +0.3 pp
2001 82.3 +0.3 pp
2000 82 +0.3 pp
1999 81.7 +0.3 pp
1998 81.4 +0.3 pp
1997 81 +0.3 pp
1996 80.7 +0.3 pp
1995 80.3 +0.3 pp
1994 80 +0.4 pp
1993 79.6 +0.4 pp
1992 79.3 +0.4 pp
1991 78.9 +0.4 pp
1990 78.6 +0.4 pp
1989 78.2 +0.4 pp
1988 77.8 +0.4 pp
1987 77.4 +0.4 pp
1986 77.1 +0.4 pp
1985 76.7 +0.4 pp
1984 76.3 +0.4 pp
1983 75.9 +0.4 pp
1982 75.5 +0.4 pp
1981 75.1 +0.4 pp
1980 74.7 +0.4 pp
1979 74.3 +0.4 pp
1978 73.9 +0.4 pp
1977 73.5 +0.4 pp
1976 73.1 +0.4 pp
1975 72.7 +0.4 pp
1974 72.3 +0.4 pp
1973 71.9 +0.4 pp
1972 71.5 +0.4 pp
1971 71.1 +0.4 pp
1970 70.6 +0.5 pp
1969 70.2 +0.5 pp
1968 69.6 +0.5 pp
1967 69.1 +0.6 pp
1966 68.6 +0.5 pp
1965 68 +0.5 pp
1964 67.5 +0.5 pp
1963 67 +0.4 pp
1962 66.6 +0.4 pp
1961 66.2 +0.4 pp
1960 65.9

Western Europe, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The share of population living in urban settlements, as a percent of the total. One caveat is central: each country sets the criteria for a city itself — in some places it is a settlement of 2,000 residents or more, in others 20,000, in others administrative status. Cross-country comparisons of urbanization are therefore always approximate, while the trend within a single country is informative.

Important: Sharp jumps in individual years are usually explained not by people moving but by changes in the administrative boundaries of cities.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.