Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Belgium
Belgium: Industry jobs as a share of total employment was 19.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Belgium, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, industry jobs as a share of total employment in Belgium stood at 19.2%. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.4% on the previous year and down 10.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, industry jobs as a share of total employment in Belgium peaked at 30.3% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 19.2%, in 2025.
Belgium ranks 90th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 30.3% | — |
| 1992 | 29.9% | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 29.4% | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 28.9% | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 28.3% | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 27.6% | -2.2% |
| 1997 | 27.5% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 27.2% | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 25.8% | -5.4% |
| 2000 | 25.8% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 25.5% | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 25.8% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 24.9% | -3.4% |
| 2004 | 24.9% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 24.7% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 24.7% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 24.4% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 24.7% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 23.5% | -4.9% |
| 2010 | 23.4% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 23.2% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 21.8% | -6.4% |
| 2013 | 21.7% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 21.4% | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 21.4% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 21.3% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 21.2% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 20.9% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 21.1% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 20.7% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 19.8% | -4.5% |
| 2022 | 20.5% | +3.6% |
| 2023 | 20.1% | -1.5% |
| 2024 | 19.5% | -3.1% |
| 2025 | 19.2% | -1.4% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 19.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 19.9%, 97% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 19.2% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 23.3%, 83% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 28.3% | 25.8% | 30.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 24.9% | 23.5% | 25.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.7% | 20.9% | 23.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.0% | 19.2% | 20.7% | 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 industry jobs as a share of total employment in Belgium?
- Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Belgium was 19.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest industry jobs as a share of total employment recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 30.3% in 1991.
- What is the lowest industry jobs as a share of total employment recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.2% in 2025.
- How does Belgium rank for industry jobs as a share of total employment?
- Belgium ranks 90th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is industry jobs as a share of total employment rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Industry jobs as a share of total employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of total employment working in the industry sector.