Old-age dependency ratio in Belgium
Belgium: Old-age dependency ratio was 31.7% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
31.7%
Change on year
up 2.1%
World rank
31st
of 236 countries
All-time high
31.7%
in 2023
All-time low
16.2%
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Old-age dependency ratio in Belgium, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, old-age dependency ratio in Belgium stood at 31.7%. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.1% on the previous year and up 16.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, old-age dependency ratio in Belgium peaked at 31.7% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 16.2%, in 1950.
Belgium ranks 31st of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Old-age dependency ratio in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 16.2% | — |
| 1951 | 16.4% | +1.3% |
| 1952 | 16.6% | +1.3% |
| 1953 | 16.9% | +1.3% |
| 1954 | 17.1% | +1.2% |
| 1955 | 17.3% | +1.2% |
| 1956 | 17.5% | +1.3% |
| 1957 | 17.8% | +1.6% |
| 1958 | 18.1% | +1.6% |
| 1959 | 18.4% | +1.7% |
| 1960 | 18.6% | +1.5% |
| 1961 | 18.9% | +1.6% |
| 1962 | 19.2% | +1.6% |
| 1963 | 19.4% | +1.1% |
| 1964 | 19.7% | +1.3% |
| 1965 | 20.0% | +1.5% |
| 1966 | 20.3% | +1.6% |
| 1967 | 20.6% | +1.6% |
| 1968 | 20.9% | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 21.0% | +0.9% |
| 1970 | 21.2% | +0.9% |
| 1971 | 21.4% | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 21.6% | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 21.7% | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 21.9% | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 21.9% | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 21.9% | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 22.0% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 22.1% | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 22.2% | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 22.1% | -0.4% |
| 1981 | 21.7% | -1.6% |
| 1982 | 21.2% | -2.4% |
| 1983 | 20.6% | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 20.3% | -1.6% |
| 1985 | 20.4% | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 20.7% | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 21.1% | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 21.5% | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 21.9% | +1.9% |
| 1990 | 22.3% | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 22.7% | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 23.0% | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 23.3% | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 23.6% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 24.0% | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 24.5% | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 24.8% | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 25.2% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 25.4% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 25.6% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 25.8% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 25.9% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 26.0% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 26.2% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 26.2% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 26.1% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 25.9% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 25.8% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 25.9% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 25.9% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 26.2% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 26.7% | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 27.1% | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 27.6% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 28.0% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 28.4% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 28.8% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 29.3% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 29.7% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 30.0% | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 30.4% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 31.0% | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 31.7% | +2.1% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 31.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 25.9%, 1.2× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 31.7% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 30.1%, 1.1× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 17.2% | 16.2% | 18.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 19.9% | 18.6% | 21.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 21.8% | 21.2% | 22.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 21.1% | 20.3% | 22.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.9% | 22.3% | 25.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.9% | 25.6% | 26.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.8% | 25.9% | 29.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.8% | 30.0% | 31.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More reference data data for Belgium
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9298 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.291 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1382 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.12 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.61 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7526 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is old-age dependency ratio in Belgium?
- Old-age dependency ratio in Belgium was 31.7% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest old-age dependency ratio recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 31.7% in 2023.
- What is the lowest old-age dependency ratio recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.2% in 1950.
- How does Belgium rank for old-age dependency ratio?
- Belgium ranks 31st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is old-age dependency ratio rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Old-age dependency ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).