Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Belgium
Belgium: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 6.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Belgium, 1971–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Belgium stood at 6.2%.
The figure is up 8.6% on the previous year and down 26.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Belgium peaked at 13.0% in 1982 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 1971.
Belgium ranks 73rd of 185 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 2.1% | — |
| 1972 | 2.7% | +28.6% |
| 1973 | 2.8% | +3.7% |
| 1974 | 3.0% | +7.1% |
| 1975 | 5.1% | +70.0% |
| 1976 | 6.5% | +27.5% |
| 1977 | 5.7% | -12.8% |
| 1978 | 7.9% | +39.4% |
| 1979 | 7.0% | -11.9% |
| 1980 | 10.9% | +56.4% |
| 1981 | 11.3% | +4.3% |
| 1982 | 13.0% | +14.6% |
| 1983 | 11.7% | -10.3% |
| 1984 | 11.9% | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 11.3% | -4.7% |
| 1986 | 11.3% | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 11.3% | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 10.1% | -10.0% |
| 1989 | 8.3% | -18.2% |
| 1990 | 7.2% | -12.5% |
| 1991 | 7.0% | -3.7% |
| 1992 | 6.7% | -4.0% |
| 1993 | 8.1% | +20.5% |
| 1994 | 9.6% | +19.4% |
| 1995 | 9.3% | -3.2% |
| 1996 | 9.5% | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 8.9% | -5.6% |
| 1998 | 9.3% | +4.2% |
| 1999 | 8.6% | -7.2% |
| 2000 | 6.6% | -23.9% |
| 2001 | 6.2% | -6.2% |
| 2002 | 6.9% | +11.8% |
| 2003 | 7.7% | +11.1% |
| 2004 | 7.4% | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 8.4% | +14.6% |
| 2006 | 8.2% | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 7.5% | -9.5% |
| 2008 | 7.0% | -6.5% |
| 2009 | 7.9% | +13.4% |
| 2010 | 8.3% | +4.9% |
| 2011 | 7.1% | -13.9% |
| 2012 | 7.5% | +5.6% |
| 2013 | 8.4% | +11.7% |
| 2014 | 8.5% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 8.5% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 7.8% | -7.7% |
| 2017 | 7.1% | -9.5% |
| 2018 | 5.9% | -16.2% |
| 2019 | 5.4% | -9.7% |
| 2020 | 5.5% | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 6.2% | +12.7% |
| 2022 | 5.6% | -10.9% |
| 2023 | 5.5% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 5.7% | +2.9% |
| 2025 | 6.2% | +8.6% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 6.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 1.3× the median. (77 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 6.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.6%, 1.1× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.7% | 2.1% | 7.9% | 9 |
| 1980s | 11.1% | 8.3% | 13.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.4% | 6.7% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.4% | 6.2% | 8.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.5% | 5.4% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.8% | 5.5% | 6.2% | 6 |
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 unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Belgium?
- Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Belgium was 6.2% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 13.0% in 1982.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 1971.
- How does Belgium rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
- Belgium ranks 73rd out of 185 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.