Belgium’s population is projected to reach 13 million by 2080, with newborns expected to live an average of 90 years, according to new forecasts from the Federal Planning Bureau.
Last year, Belgium's population grew by nearly 50,000, bringing the total to 11.8 million. Population growth is expected to remain positive until 2080, but at a slower pace, fluctuating between 15,000 and 25,000 people annually. The Planning Bureau attributes this growth entirely to international migration, as births are outnumbered by deaths.
Regional variations are significant. The population of the Flemish Region is projected to rise from 6.8 million in 2025 to 8.2 million by 2080. By contrast, the populations of Wallonia and Brussels are expected to stabilise at approximately 3.7 million and 1.2 million, respectively.
The fertility rate has dropped from 1.9 children per woman at the end of the 2000s to 1.5 in 2025. Forecasts anticipate a gradual increase to about 1.6 children per woman from the 2040s onwards, though this remains historically low.
Life expectancy at birth is estimated to reach 90 years for women and 89.2 years for men by 2080, compared to 85 years for women and 81 years for men in 2025. The gender gap in life expectancy is expected to narrow; it stood at four years in 2025 but will almost disappear by 2080.
Gains in life expectancy, however, are slowing. Between 2000 and 2025, men’s life expectancy grew by 6.1 years, but the increase for the next 25 years will drop to 4.3 years. For women, the corresponding figures are 3.7 years and 2.6 years. Between 2050 and 2080, expected gains will be 4.3 years for men and 2.8 years for women.
Ageing will continue to accelerate in Belgium. By 2080, for every 100 people aged 18–66, there will be 45 people aged 67 or older. This is up from 28 in 2025 and just 23 at the start of the century.
