Over a third of the Belgian population has a non-Belgian background

New diversity and origin statistics from Statbel reveal that over a third of Belgium's population has a non-Belgian background. As of January 1, 2026, out of nearly 11.87 million inhabitants, 4.34 million do not have a Belgian background. This figure includes 2.71 million people (22.8%) with a foreign background who are Belgian citizens, and 1.64 million (13.8%) who hold a nationality other than Belgian.

These statistics, released for the second time due to increased demand, show that 63% of the total Belgian population has a Belgian background. However, this percentage varies considerably by region. The Brussels-Capital Region stands out with only 22% of its population having a Belgian background, compared to 63% in the Walloon Region and 71% in the Flemish Region.

Globally, about one-fifth of the population is Belgian with a foreign background. This also shows regional disparities: 18% in Flanders, 26% in Wallonia, and 42% in Brussels. The proportion of non-Belgian nationals is around 11% in both Flanders and Wallonia, but rises to 37% in Brussels.

Statbel emphasizes that nationality is not the sole indicator of migration. Birthplace is a better measure. While 98.4% of Belgians with a Belgian background were born in Belgium, 67.7% of Belgians with a foreign background and 14.2% of non-Belgians were also born in Belgium.

The diversity in Belgium has increased over the past decades. In 2005, 79% of Belgians had a Belgian background; this dropped to 71% in 2015 and 63% in 2026. The share of Belgians with a foreign background rose from 12.4% in 2005 to 23% in 2026. Among non-Belgians, the increase was from 8% to 14% over the same period.

Age also correlates with background: 51% of those aged 0-17 have a Belgian background, compared to 60% of those aged 18-64, and 85% of those aged 65 and over. More than half (55%) of the population without a Belgian background holds a nationality from outside the European Union.