Labor force — all countries

Labor force — Belgium

Labor force in Belgium in 2025 — 5,463,472 people. Ranked 80 in the world out of 182. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 38.7%.

2025 5.46M people +0.56% vs 2024
World rank 80of 182
Period maximum 5.46M people2025
Period minimum 3.94M people1990

Trend over time

1990–2025 · people

Labor force — Belgium, 1990–20253.5M4M4.5M5M5.5M19901994199820022006201020142018202220251990: 3,938,244 people1991: 4,027,934 people1992: 4,070,771 people1993: 4,096,201 people1994: 4,162,431 people1995: 4,194,014 people1996: 4,204,594 people1997: 4,226,864 people1998: 4,260,848 people1999: 4,368,200 people2000: 4,412,646 people2001: 4,307,825 people2002: 4,358,408 people2003: 4,395,670 people2004: 4,480,433 people2005: 4,627,612 people2006: 4,647,632 people2007: 4,735,412 people2008: 4,779,497 people2009: 4,801,697 people2010: 4,901,576 people2011: 4,884,172 people2012: 4,917,260 people2013: 4,966,858 people2014: 4,984,459 people2015: 4,994,454 people2016: 5,001,167 people2017: 5,037,325 people2018: 5,093,485 people2019: 5,146,209 people2020: 5,124,712 people2021: 5,217,415 people2022: 5,320,892 people2023: 5,365,023 people2024: 5,432,908 people2025: 5,463,472 people
Change over the period: +1.53M (+38.73%) Average annual rate: 0.94 %

Comparison, 2025

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

Belgium 5.46M people
World 3.74B people
Europe & Central Asia 429M people
Western Europe computed 101M people
High-income countries computed 716M people
Labor force — Belgium, by year Belgium All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 5.46M +30,564 +0.56%
2024 5.43M +67,885 +1.27%
2023 5.37M +44,131 +0.83%
2022 5.32M +103,477 +1.98%
2021 5.22M +92,703 +1.81%
2020 5.12M −21,497 −0.42%
2019 5.15M +52,724 +1.04%
2018 5.09M +56,160 +1.11%
2017 5.04M +36,158 +0.72%
2016 5M +6,713 +0.13%
2015 4.99M +9,995 +0.2%
2014 4.98M +17,601 +0.35%
2013 4.97M +49,598 +1.01%
2012 4.92M +33,088 +0.68%
2011 4.88M −17,404 −0.36%
2010 4.9M +99,879 +2.08%
2009 4.8M +22,200 +0.46%
2008 4.78M +44,085 +0.93%
2007 4.74M +87,780 +1.89%
2006 4.65M +20,020 +0.43%
2005 4.63M +147,179 +3.28%
2004 4.48M +84,763 +1.93%
2003 4.4M +37,262 +0.85%
2002 4.36M +50,583 +1.17%
2001 4.31M −104,821 −2.38%
2000 4.41M +44,446 +1.02%
1999 4.37M +107,352 +2.52%
1998 4.26M +33,984 +0.8%
1997 4.23M +22,270 +0.53%
1996 4.2M +10,580 +0.25%
1995 4.19M +31,583 +0.76%
1994 4.16M +66,230 +1.62%
1993 4.1M +25,430 +0.62%
1992 4.07M +42,837 +1.06%
1991 4.03M +89,690 +2.28%
1990 3.94M

Western Europe, 2025

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

About the indicator

The economically active population — everyone aged 15 and over who either works or actively looks for work. It covers the employed, the unemployed and first-time job seekers; it leaves out students, homemakers and other people who do not offer their labor on the market. The size of the labor force is the basic constraint on the growth potential of an economy.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.