Statbel · national register
Foreign population
« Foreign national » here means: a person with a non-Belgian nationality in the national register, on 1 January. People who became Belgian (naturalisation, option, declaration) are counted as Belgians, even if born abroad.
Source: Statbel, population by nationality, 1992-2026 · Methodology · First names
Belgium, 1 January 2026
- Total population
- 11 867 634
- Non-Belgians (nationality)
- 13,8 % (1 635 132)
Origin (separate from nationality)
- Belgians of Belgian origin63,4 % (7 522 691)
- Belgians of foreign origin22,8 % (2 709 811)
- Non-Belgians13,8 % (1 635 132)
Non-Belgians by group of nationality of origin
- Neighbouring countries*3,2 % (385 105)
- EU27 excluding neighbouring countries4,8 % (571 382)
- Non-EU275,7 % (678 645)
* Germany, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom (Statbel grouping).
Statbel, origin, 1/1/2026. Shares of total population. Total equals the sum of the 565 municipalities.
Municipalities map
- 1,1 % - 4,1 %
- 4,1 % - 5,5 %
- 5,5 % - 7,6 %
- 7,6 % - 11,6 %
- 11,6 % - 55,1 %
- no data for this area this year (municipality merged later)
Tap or click a municipality to see its value.
2025 municipal boundaries. Municipalities created by the 2019 and 2025 mergers only have values from their creation: the site does not reconstruct former municipalities. Colours: five equal-sized groups.
Trend since 1992, by municipality
% foreign nationals (non-Belgian nationality).
Since 1890: censuses, then the national register
% foreign nationals (non-Belgian nationality).
Circles and fine dotted line: censuses (1890 to 1991 for Belgium; 1947 to 1991 for the regions). Lines: national register, every 1 January since 1992.
The annual series, including by municipality, starts in 1992 (national register, Statbel open data). Before that only censuses exist, roughly every ten years, on different dates (31 December up to 1970, 1 March in 1981 and 1991), with their own definitions and a changed territory (East Cantons attached in 1920; regions rebuilt from the language areas). Comparison with the series since 1992 is therefore indicative.
Census figures and sources
31/12/1890 · Belgium : 171 438 foreign nationals out of 6 069 321 (2,8 %)
Recensement de la population, 31 décembre 1970, tome IV : Population selon la nationalité, A. Royaume, provinces, arrondissements et régions linguistiques, PDF p. 7, chap. I, tableau 1
31/12/1900 · Belgium : 206 061 foreign nationals out of 6 693 548 (3,1 %)
Recensement de la population, 31 décembre 1970, tome IV : Population selon la nationalité, A. Royaume, provinces, arrondissements et régions linguistiques, PDF p. 7, chap. I, tableau 1
31/12/1910 · Belgium : 254 547 foreign nationals out of 7 423 784 (3,4 %)
Recensement de la population, 31 décembre 1970, tome IV : Population selon la nationalité, A. Royaume, provinces, arrondissements et régions linguistiques, PDF p. 7, chap. I, tableau 1
31/12/1920 · Belgium : 153 259 foreign nationals out of 7 465 782 (2,1 %)
Recensement de la population, 31 décembre 1970, tome IV : Population selon la nationalité, A. Royaume, provinces, arrondissements et régions linguistiques, PDF p. 7, chap. I, tableau 1. nouveau territoire (avec les cantons de l'Est); ancien territoire : 7 401 353 habitants et 149 362 étrangers
31/12/1930 · Belgium : 319 230 foreign nationals out of 8 092 004 (3,9 %)
Recensement de la population, 31 décembre 1970, tome IV : Population selon la nationalité, A. Royaume, provinces, arrondissements et régions linguistiques, PDF p. 7, chap. I, tableau 1
31/12/1947 · Belgium : 367 619 foreign nationals out of 8 512 195 (4,3 %)
Recensement de la population, 31 décembre 1970, tome IV : Population selon la nationalité, A. Royaume, provinces, arrondissements et régions linguistiques, PDF p. 7, chap. I, tableau 1
31/12/1947 · Brussels-Capital : 70 880 foreign nationals out of 955 929 (7,4 %)
Bevolkingsstatistieken 1970, nr. 1, PDF p. 46, tabel 9. Bruxelles-Capitale (19 communes)
31/12/1947 · Flemish Region : 102 727 foreign nationals out of 4 551 920 (2,3 %)
Bevolkingsstatistieken 1970, nr. 1, PDF p. 46, tabel 9. région de langue néerlandaise
31/12/1947 · Walloon Region : 194 012 foreign nationals out of 3 004 346 (6,5 %)
Bevolkingsstatistieken 1970, nr. 1, PDF p. 46, tabel 9. régions de langue française (2 949 501 hab. ; 188 526 étr.) et allemande (54 845 hab. ; 5 486 étr.) additionnées
31/12/1961 · Belgium : 453 486 foreign nationals out of 9 189 741 (4,9 %)
Recensement de la population, 31 décembre 1970, tome IV : Population selon la nationalité, A. Royaume, provinces, arrondissements et régions linguistiques, PDF p. 7, chap. I, tableau 1
31/12/1961 · Brussels-Capital : 68 989 foreign nationals out of 1 022 795 (6,7 %)
Bevolkingsstatistieken 1970, nr. 1, PDF p. 46, tabel 9. Bruxelles-Capitale (19 communes)
31/12/1961 · Flemish Region : 101 799 foreign nationals out of 5 063 974 (2,0 %)
Bevolkingsstatistieken 1970, nr. 1, PDF p. 46, tabel 9. région de langue néerlandaise
31/12/1961 · Walloon Region : 282 698 foreign nationals out of 3 102 972 (9,1 %)
Bevolkingsstatistieken 1970, nr. 1, PDF p. 46, tabel 9. régions de langue française (3 045 275 hab. ; 280 522 étr.) et allemande (57 697 hab. ; 2 176 étr.) additionnées
31/12/1970 · Belgium : 696 282 foreign nationals out of 9 650 944 (7,2 %)
Recensement de la population, 31 décembre 1970, tome IV : Population selon la nationalité, A. Royaume, provinces, arrondissements et régions linguistiques, PDF p. 7, chap. I, tableaux 1 et 2
31/12/1970 · Brussels-Capital : 173 507 foreign nationals out of 1 075 136 (16,1 %)
Recensement de la population, 31 décembre 1970, tome IV : Population selon la nationalité, A. Royaume, provinces, arrondissements et régions linguistiques, PDF p. 7, chap. I, tableau 2. Bruxelles-Capitale (19 communes)
31/12/1970 · Flemish Region : 164 029 foreign nationals out of 5 416 583 (3,0 %)
Recensement de la population, 31 décembre 1970, tome IV : Population selon la nationalité, A. Royaume, provinces, arrondissements et régions linguistiques, PDF p. 7, chap. I, tableau 2. région de langue néerlandaise
31/12/1970 · Walloon Region : 358 746 foreign nationals out of 3 159 225 (11,4 %)
Recensement de la population, 31 décembre 1970, tome IV : Population selon la nationalité, A. Royaume, provinces, arrondissements et régions linguistiques, PDF p. 7, chap. I, tableau 2. régions de langue française (354 447 étr.) et allemande (4 299 étr.) additionnées
01/03/1981 · Belgium : 878 577 foreign nationals out of 9 848 647 (8,9 %)
Annuaire de statistiques régionales 1991, PDF p. 28, tableau 10
01/03/1981 · Brussels-Capital : 237 875 foreign nationals out of 997 293 (23,9 %)
Annuaire de statistiques régionales 1991, PDF p. 28, tableau 10
01/03/1981 · Flemish Region : 232 544 foreign nationals out of 5 630 129 (4,1 %)
Annuaire de statistiques régionales 1991, PDF p. 28, tableau 10
01/03/1981 · Walloon Region : 408 158 foreign nationals out of 3 221 225 (12,7 %)
Annuaire de statistiques régionales 1991, PDF p. 28, tableau 10
01/03/1991 · Belgium : 900 855 foreign nationals out of 9 978 681 (9,0 %)
Annuaire de statistiques régionales 1992, PDF p. 23, tableau 9 (suite), colonne Total
01/03/1991 · Brussels-Capital : 271 587 foreign nationals out of 954 045 (28,5 %)
Annuaire de statistiques régionales 1992, PDF p. 23, tableau 9 (suite), colonne Total
01/03/1991 · Flemish Region : 258 848 foreign nationals out of 5 768 925 (4,5 %)
Annuaire de statistiques régionales 1992, PDF p. 23, tableau 9 (suite), colonne Total
01/03/1991 · Walloon Region : 370 420 foreign nationals out of 3 255 711 (11,4 %)
Annuaire de statistiques régionales 1992, PDF p. 23, tableau 9 (suite), colonne Total
The 1846 to 1880 censuses do not report nationality in these tables: the series starts in 1890. Figures transcribed from documents of the National Institute of Statistics (now Statbel), without interpolation.
EU27 and non-EU27 : Belgium
EU27 = the 26 other current member states, applied to every year (the United Kingdom therefore counts as non-EU27, even before 2020). Share of total population.
Main foreign nationalities : Belgium (2026)
- 1. France183 748
- 2. Pays-Bas171 243
- 3. Italie149 017
- 4. Roumanie130 380
- 5. Espagne84 964
- 6. Maroc78 820
- 7. Ukraine76 160
- 8. Pologne62 120
- 9. Portugal59 317
- 10. Bulgarie48 356
Country names as published by Statbel (French; Statbel publishes no English version of this table).
Origin (separate indicator) : Belgium
This is not nationality. Statbel classifies each resident by current nationality, first registered nationality and that of their parents: Belgian of Belgian origin, Belgian of foreign origin, non-Belgian. Available since 2000.
2026 : Belgians of Belgian origin 63,4 % · Belgians of foreign origin 22,8 % · non-Belgians 13,8 %
Born abroad, Belgium, since 1880
Yet another indicator: country of birth (Belgians and foreign nationals together). Censuses from 1880 to 1970, then the national register. Belgium as a whole only.
Points are not evenly spaced before 1991 (census years). Statbel
Foreign population: European comparison
Two different measures.
- Foreign citizenship: people who do not hold the citizenship of the country where they live (stateless people included). A naturalised person is no longer counted.
- Born abroad: people born outside the country where they live, whatever their current citizenship.
- EU / non-EU: citizenship of another EU27 country, or of a country outside the EU27. For the EU27 average, “EU” means citizens of one EU country living in another EU country.
| 1 January 2025 | Foreign citizens | of which EU | of which non-EU | Born abroad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 14.0% | 8.5% | 5.6% | 20.2% |
| France | 9.4%p | 2.4%p | 7.0%p | 14.0%p |
| Netherlands | 8.9% | 4.3% | 4.6% | 16.8% |
| Germany | 14.8% | 5.2% | 9.6% | 20.5%e |
| Luxembourg | 47.0% | 35.8% | 11.2% | 51.5% |
| EU27 average | - | 3.1%eip | 6.8%eip | 14.4%eip |
EU27 average, all foreign citizens on 1 January 2025: not published by Eurostat.
Share of the country’s total population. “Foreign citizens”: people with a foreign citizenship.
Eurostat flags : e = estimated ; i = value imputed by Eurostat ; p = provisional A dash means: value not published.
Show all values
| Period | Belgium | France | Netherlands | Germany | Luxembourg | EU27 average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14.0% | 9.4%p | 8.9% | 14.8% | 47.0% | - |
| 2024 | 13.8% | 8.8%p | 8.5% | 14.5% | 47.2% | 9.6%ep |
| 2023 | 13.5% | 8.2%p | 8.0% | 13.8%b | 47.4% | 9.1%bep |
| 2022 | 12.8% | 8.0% | 7.0% | 13.1% | 47.1% | 8.4%ep |
| 2021 | 12.6% | 7.8% | 6.7% | 12.7% | 47.1% | 8.3%bep |
| 2020 | 12.5% | 7.7% | 6.6% | 12.5% | 47.3% | 8.1%e |
| 2019 | 12.2% | 7.5% | 6.2% | 12.2% | 47.4% | 7.8% |
| 2018 | 12.0% | 7.4% | 5.8% | 11.7% | 47.8% | 7.5%e |
| 2017 | 11.9% | 6.9% | 5.4% | 11.2% | 47.6%b | 7.3%be |
| 2016 | 11.7% | 6.8% | 4.9% | 10.5% | 46.7% | 7.0%e |
| 2015 | 11.3% | 6.7% | 4.6% | 9.3% | 45.9% | 6.7%be |
| 2014 | 11.1% | 6.4%b | 4.4% | 8.7% | 45.3% | 6.5%be |
Show all values
| Period | Belgium | France | Netherlands | Germany | Luxembourg | EU27 average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20.2% | 14.0%p | 16.8% | 20.5%e | 51.5% | 14.4%eip |
| 2024 | 19.7% | 13.6%p | 16.2% | 20.2%e | 51.0% | 13.9%ep |
| 2023 | 19.1% | 13.1%p | 15.6% | 19.7%be | 50.4% | 13.4%bep |
| 2022 | 18.2% | 12.7% | 14.5% | 18.4%e | 49.4% | 12.6%ep |
| 2021 | 17.9% | 12.6% | 14.0% | 18.2% | 48.7% | 12.5%bep |
| 2020 | 17.6% | 12.6% | 13.8% | 18.1% | 48.2% | 12.3%e |
| 2019 | 17.2% | 12.4% | 13.3% | 17.9% | 47.3% | 11.9% |
| 2018 | 16.8% | 12.2% | 12.9% | 16.6% | 46.5% | 11.4%e |
| 2017 | 16.5% | 12.1% | 12.5% | 14.7% | 45.7%b | 10.8%be |
| 2016 | 16.3% | 12.0% | 12.1% | 13.3% | 45.2% | 10.3%e |
| 2015 | 15.9% | 11.9% | 11.8% | 12.6%e | 44.2% | 10.0%be |
| 2014 | 15.6% | 11.7%b | 11.6% | 12.1%e | 43.3% | - |
Method : number of people in each group divided by the total population from the same Eurostat table, on 1 January. Eurostat’s Belgian figures come from Statbel; they may differ slightly from those on the Foreign population page (extraction date, definitions). When Eurostat does not publish a value (for example the EU27 average for the latest year), the cell stays empty.
Source : Eurostat (migr_pop1ctz, updated 25 September 2026, retrieved 20 October 2026) ; Eurostat (migr_pop3ctb, updated 25 September 2026, retrieved 20 October 2026).