Belgium is a small European country with a long and complicated history, which often resonated with other states. What characterizes the modern population of Belgium? Learn more about this later.
Short review
The Kingdom of Belgium is located in western Europe. It is surrounded by the Netherlands, France, Luxembourg and Germany. In the northwest is the North Sea. The population density of Belgium is 368 people per square kilometer, and the country's area is 30 528 km. sq.
The state has gone a long history, having been part of the Roman Empire, the Duchy of Burgundy, the Netherlands and France. Belgium received full independence in 1839, declaring it back in 1830. Since then, it represents the constitutional monarchy ruled by the king.
The capital of the state and the largest city is Brussels. Here are the offices and headquarters of the international communities of which Belgium is a member (NATO, the European Union, the Benelux Secretariat). Major cities are also Bruges, Antwerp, Charleroi, Ghent.
Belgian population
The state takes 77th place in the world in terms of number of inhabitants. Belgium has a population of 11.4 million. Natural growth is generally positive. Fertility is only 0.11% higher than mortality.
The percentage of young people is gradually decreasing since 1962. Then children from 0 to 14 years old made up 24% of all residents, now - 17.2%. However, in recent years, the trend has again become positive. Residents over 65 account for approximately 18.4%, almost 64.48% are aged 15 to 64 years.
The sex structure of the population is shown in more detail by the table. Belgium is characterized by a predominance of female population.
| 0-14 years old | 15-24 years old | 25-64 years old | 65 years and above | Life span |
Men | 1,000 155 | 667 760 | 3 036 079 | 911 199 | 78,4 |
Women | 952,529 | 640 364 | 3 012 533 | 1,118,458 | 83.7 |
According to the data for 2016, 1.78 children are accounted for one woman, and the family size is 2.7 people. On average, women give birth to their first child at the age of 28. The predominant number of children appears in full-fledged families with two parents.
Ethnic composition
The population of Belgium consists of two large ethnic groups: the Flemings (58%) and the Walloons (31%). National minorities are represented by the French, Italians, Dutch, Spaniards and Germans. Almost 9% of immigrants live in the country. This includes Poles, Moroccans, Turks, Indians, French, Italians, Congolese and others.
Flemings and Walloons are indigenous. The first are descendants of the Frisians, Saxons, Franks and Batavs. Dutch is considered their native language and its many dialects. Walloons are significantly inferior to the Flemings. They are descendants of the Romanized Celtic tribes - belgs. They speak French and Walloon.
There are three national languages in Belgium. About 60% speak Dutch, almost 40% speak French, and less than 1 percent speak German. Three quarters of the population adhere to Catholicism, the rest profess other religions, among which Islam and Protestantism prevail.
Cultural Disputes and Differences
The population of Belgium is characterized by marked differences between indigenous ethnic groups. The Flemish culture is closest to the Dutch. They inhabit the northern region of the country called Flanders. Art, architecture and folk poetry, due to historical events, are closely connected with the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Many cultural figures created their works in Dutch.
The Walloons are closest in spirit to the French. They share the language with them, although other aspects of life are still different due to the influence of Germanic tribes. The Walloon Region spans five provinces in the south of the country, with a center in Namur.
Flemings have long been competing with the Walloons. The first claims were voiced immediately after the declaration of independence of the country, since French became the official language throughout the territory. Flemings immediately declared inequality, starting to regain their identity. Economic and cultural disputes have arisen throughout the history of Belgium, right up to modern dates.
Employment
The working population of Belgium is 5, 247 million people. The unemployment rate reaches 8.6%, which puts the country in one of the first places in the European Union. Despite this, the state’s GDP is 30 thousand dollars per capita.
A large number of unemployed and fairly moderate pace of economic development in Belgium are associated with lack of competitiveness and lack of adaptability to new market conditions. With the advent of new leaders in the industry, the demand for the country's main products — textiles, engineering products, glass, inorganic chemistry — has fallen.
The largest number of residents are employed in the service sector, which also slows down the restructuring of the economy. Currently, approximately 1% of the working population is engaged in agriculture. The service sector accounts for 74%, and industry - 24% of the country's population. The rest are engaged in real estate, finance, transport and communications.