Number of Belgium. The peoples of the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg: a brief description

01.10.2022

Population of Belgium is about 10,839,905 people as of January 1, 2010.

Urbanization

Belgium has a high population density (342 people per 1 km²), second in this parameter in Europe only to the Netherlands and some dwarf states, such as Monaco. The highest population density in the country is observed in the area bounded by the cities of Brussels-Antwerp-Ghent-Leuven (the so-called “Flemish diamond”, Dutch Vlaamse ruit). The lowest population density is in the Ardennes Mountains (Luxembourg province).

As of 2006, the Flemish region had a population of approximately 6,078,600 inhabitants (population density 459.4 people/km², Eurostat 2007). The most populated cities are Antwerp (457,749), Ghent (230,951) and Bruges (117,251).

Wallonia had a population of 3,413,978 inhabitants (population density 205.1 people/km², Eurostat 2007). The most populous cities are Charleroi (201,373), Liege (185,574) and Namur (107,178).

Brussels has a population of 1,018,804 people (population density 6458.7 people/km², Eurostat 2007) in 19 metropolitan district municipalities, two of which have more than 100,000 inhabitants.

The total population of the major cities mentioned is approximately 2.3 million people. In total, there are 13 cities in the country with a population of more than 85 thousand people.

Density rural population in Belgium for 2005 - 34.76 people/km²

Age structure of the population of Belgium

0-14 years: 16.1% (boys 892,995, girls 857,373);

15-64 years old: 66.3% (men 3,480,072, women 3,419,721);

65 years and older: 17.6% (men 760,390, women 1,047,447).

Middle age

General indicator: 40.8 years [ ]

Male: 39.6 years

Female: 42.1 years (indicators for 2009)

Population growth

The population grew by 0.7% from 2007 to 2008.

The birth rate in Belgium is 11.7 births per 1,000 inhabitants.

There are 9.5 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.

Natural population growth in 2008 was 2.2% (23,392 people).

Net migration in Belgium is 1.22 migrants per 1,000 inhabitants (based on 2008 data)

Territorial differences in growth dynamics: (Eurostat data for 2007): Brussels-Capital District - 6.7% (7 thousand people). Flanders - 1.6% (10.1 thousand people) Wallonia - 0.9% (2.9 thousand people)

Sex ratio

At birth: 1.04 male/female

Under 15 years: 1.04 male/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male/female

Ratio of the total number: 0.96 male/female (according to 2009 data)

Infant mortality rates

Overall rate: 4.62 deaths/1000 births

Male: 5.2 deaths/1000 births

Female: 4.01 deaths/1000 births (based on 2006 data)

Average life expectancy

Overall: 79.22 years

Male: 76.06 years

Female: 82.53 years (as of 2009)

Total Fertility Rate

On average, Belgian women have 1.64 children according to 2006 data. The same figure for 1994 was estimated at 1.50 children.

Ethnic composition of the population

The two main groups that make up the country's population are the Flemings (about 58% of the population, 6 million people) and the Walloons (about 31% of the population, 3,400 million people). 11% are representatives of other nationalities. The Flemings live in the five northern provinces of Belgium (see Flanders) and speak the Dutch language and its many dialects (see Flemish). The Walloons live in the five southern provinces that make up Wallonia, speaking French, Walloon and several other languages. The fragmentation index value (F) is 0.50. [A. Lijphart, “Democracy in Multi-Component Societies”]

After independence, Belgium was a French-oriented state, and the only official language at first was French, although the Flemings always made up the majority of the population. Even in Flanders, French remained for a long time the only language of secondary and higher education.

Russians in Belgium

According to official statistics, by the end of 2008 there were 7,176 Russian citizens living in Belgium who did not have Belgian citizenship. Some 3,407 Russian citizens received Belgian citizenship between 1992 and 2007. Some 10,244 citizens of former Soviet countries received Belgian citizenship between 1990 and 2007. Unfortunately, official statistics until 1990 only counted citizenship through naturalization, while citizenship through application was much more common. .

The above figures do not take into account asylum-seeking and illegal immigrants other than those who were naturalized and granted Belgian citizenship between 1990 and 2007.

Compatriots in Belgium

In 2010, an unofficial count by two independent methods made it possible to estimate the number of Russian speakers permanently residing in Belgium at 50,000 (±2,000). In 2014, the third method allowed us to refine the estimate to 51,000 (±1000) people.

Colonies of emigrants abroad

Insignificant emigration due to high level life in Belgium. Descendants of emigrants of the 19th-20th centuries - in the USA - 360 thousand, Canada - 175 thousand, Argentina - about 100 thousand.

Religious composition of the population

The majority of believers (about 70% of the population) are Catholics. Islam (250 thousand people), Protestantism (about 70 thousand), Judaism (35 thousand), Anglicanism (40 thousand), and Orthodoxy (20 thousand) are also officially recognized.

Family characteristics

Medium size families (persons): in 1866 - 4.6, in 1981 - 2.7.

Size and stability of the marriage group: monogamy, allowing for divorce.

Socially recognized fertility standards: the birth rate, as in other EU countries, is falling (in 2001 - 1.65 and 1.47), the majority of children are born in families with both parents. The number of children born out of wedlock is growing, 22% in 2001.

Family as a factor of social control: The family plays a major role in the lives of Belgians. Duty to family is the Belgian's top priority. Most people continue to live in the cities where they grew up, which helps keep families together.

Recently, the number of families with one working family member has been growing, but these are, as a rule, single parents who raise a child on their own. However, the number of such families is still lower than the EU average (12%).

Professional structure

According to 2009 data, among all employed population(thousand people): self-employed persons - 720, hired workers 3718, including agriculture- 29, in industry - 571, in construction - 206, in the service sector - 2911, including trade, transport, communications - 895, finance, real estate, rent, consulting - 615, civil service, education - 788, other services - 614 (source - National Bank of Belgium).

Notes

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Geographical location, general information

Belgium is located in northwestern Europe. It is bordered in the northeast by the Netherlands, in the east by Germany, in the south by Luxembourg, and in the west by France. In the north, Belgium is washed by the North Sea of the Atlantic Ocean. The territory of Belgium can be divided into three regions. Low Belgium, located in the north of the country, consists mainly of flat, marshy lowlands with characteristic sandy soils and loam. Central Belgium is a hilly plateau reaching an altitude of 200 m above sea level (Brabant Upland). Haute Belgium includes the heavily weathered Paleozoic Ardennes massif, whose characteristic uplands are intersected by numerous river valleys. The coastline of the North Sea is poorly defined - the coast consists of flat sandy beaches. A wide strip of sand dunes stretching along the coast protects areas located below sea level - the so-called Belgian polders - from flooding. The area of Belgium is 30519 square meters. km. The capital is the city of Brussels. The highest point in Belgium, Botrange (694 m), is located in the Ardennes. The main rivers of the country are the Scheldt and the Meuse, originating in France. The country has large reserves mineral resources such as: coal, diamonds, granite, lime, clay, sandstone, marble and quartz sands.

The Kingdom of Belgium is a federal state, a constitutional parliamentary monarchy. The head of state is the king, his power is limited by the constitution. Legislative power is exercised jointly by the king and a bicameral parliament consisting of the House of Representatives (150 deputies) and the Senate (71 senators and crown prince Philip, Duke of Brabant, who is a "senator in right"). There are three major political parties in the country: the Social Christian Party and the Christian People's Party, forming the Democratic Christian Movement, the Socialist Party (Francophone and Flemish) and the Liberal Movement, consisting of the Flemish Liberals and Democrats and the Reform Liberal Party.

Belgium has a great influence on the life of Europe: NATO headquarters are located in Brussels and the EU Parliament meets. Belgium is a member of the UN and all specialized agencies of this organization, NATO, EU, CFE.

Administrative division

The country is divided into 9 provinces: Antwerp, Brabant, East Flanders, West Flanders, Hainaut, Liege, Limbourg, Namur and Luxembourg, 43 districts and 596 communes. The names of the provinces have been preserved since the Middle Ages and correspond to the names of the ancient fiefs that became part of Belgium. Each province is governed by a governor, who is appointed and recalled by the king on the proposal of the government and reports to the minister of the interior. The governor controls the activities of all administrative bodies in the territory of a given province, including the provincial council, elected simultaneously with parliament, and city burgomasters.

Population size and reproduction

Belgium is a densely populated, urban country, with a population of more than 10 million (104,14,336-06/01/2009) people. It is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The average population density is over 340 people per square meter. km - it ranks second in Europe after the Netherlands, not counting microstates. Central Belgium is especially populated: the valley of the Sambre and Meuse rivers, the Antwerp-Brussels-Charleroi strip and the area between the cities of Antwerp-Ghent-Brussels. The main industrial, trade and transport life of the country is concentrated here. The population density in such urbanized and industrial areas exceeds 700-1000 people per 1 sq. km. In rural areas the density is slightly lower. Over 1 million foreigners live in Belgium. Mostly Italians and Moroccans come, and to a lesser extent the French, Dutch, Spaniards and Germans.

Belgians living in border areas sometimes find work in neighboring countries, where about 50 thousand Belgians work. There is a particularly large flow of workers from Campina to the Netherlands and from South Flanders to France.

Age structure Belgium population

0-14 years: 16.1% (boys 892,995, girls 857,373);

15-64 years old: 66.3% (men 3,480,072, women 3,419,721);

65 years and older: 17.6% (men 760,390, women 1,047,447).

Middle age

Overall: 50.0 years

Male: 39.6 years

Female: 42.1 years (2009 figures)

Population growth

The population grew by 0.7% from 2007 to 2008.

The birth rate in Belgium is 11.7 births per 1,000 inhabitants.

There are 9.5 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.

Natural population growth in 2008 was 2.2% (23,392 people).

Net migration in Belgium is 1.22 migrants per 1,000 inhabitants (based on 2008 data)

Sex ratio

At birth: 1.04 male/female

Under 15 years: 1.04 male/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male/female

Ratio of total population: 0.96 male/female (as of 2009)

Infant mortality rates

Overall: 4.62 deaths/1,000 births

Male: 5.2 deaths/1,000 births

Female: 4.01 deaths/1,000 births (2006 data)

Average life expectancy

Overall: 79.22 years

Male: 76.06 years

Female: 82.53 years (as of 2009)

Total Fertility Rate

On average, Belgian women have 1.64 children according to 2006 data. The same figure for 1994 was estimated at 1.50 children. It follows from this that Belgium belongs to countries with the first type of reproduction, which is characterized by low birth and death rates and, accordingly, low natural increase.

Urbanization

Almost the entire population of Belgium is urban - 97% in 2004. In Belgium there are 5 large urban agglomerations with a population of over 500 thousand people: Brussels (capital), Antwerp, Liege, Ghent and Charleroi. Almost a third of the country’s population lives in them: Brussels – 1018 thousand people, Antwerp – 466 thousand people. and others. Brussels has a population of 1,018,804 people (population density 6,312 people/sq.km) in 19 metropolitan district municipalities, two of which have more than 100,000 inhabitants. The highest population density in the country is observed in the area bounded by the cities of Brussels-Antwerp-Ghent-Leuven (the so-called “Flemish diamond”, Dutch Vlaamse ruit). The lowest population density is in the Ardennes Mountains (Luxembourg province).

Education and employment

Since 1988, the field of education has been the responsibility of the constituent communities of the Belgian Federation. Education until the age of 18 in Belgium is compulsory and free. There are 7 academies and 8 universities.

Higher education in Belgium has old traditions: the first higher education institution, the Catholic University of Louvain, was created in 1425 on the initiative of Pope Martin V and on the instructions of the Duke of Brabant, Jean IV. In 1517, Erasmus of Rotterdam also founded the School of Three Languages (Hebrew, Latin, Greek) in Louvain, on the model of which the French College in Paris was created. Today in Belgium, with a population of about 10 million people, there are almost 180 universities, where 280 thousand people study.

Since 1970, the country's constitution has enshrined the existence of four linguistic regions: French-speaking Wallonia, Dutch-speaking Flanders, bilingual Brussels and the German-speaking region in East Wallonia on the border with Germany. Since that time, the Federal Ministry of Education has only exercised control over compulsory secondary education and determines the conditions for issuing diplomas and certificates of education at all levels. All other educational issues fall within the competence of language communities. Thus, matters of higher education are under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Public Service of the Flemish Community, the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research, international relations and sport of the French Community and the Ministry of Education, Culture, scientific research and monuments and places of interest of the German-speaking community.

Some of the country’s universities are state, or “official” educational institutions, the financing of whose activities is included in the budgets of the governments of the above-mentioned communities. The rest were founded by individuals and organizations and were called "independent" or "free". Many of them were created under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Church, which traditionally plays a large role in organizing and financing education at all levels, including higher education, in Belgium. Some independent educational institutions, particularly Catholic universities, receive financial support from community governments.

In accordance with the law of July 7, 1970, universities are divided into university-type educational institutions and higher schools. There are 7 actual Belgian universities: Liege State University, Mons-Hainaut University, Ghent State University, Free Brussels (French-speaking and separately Flemish), Louvain Catholic (French-speaking and separately Flemish). Along with them, there are branches of several foreign universities (in Brussels and Antwerp), as well as a number of Belgian universities equated to universities (usually they are called university faculties, centers, associations or foundations). To university educational institutions also includes the Royal Military School. Having a university diploma in accordance with current legislation is necessary to occupy certain government positions and obtain permission to work in professions of public importance (lawyer, doctor, etc.). The features of the sectoral structure of the Belgian economy are quite clearly reflected in the contribution of sectors to GDP (2001): agriculture - 1%, industry - 24%, services - 74%. A similar picture emerges when analyzing employment - 2.25, 73%, respectively.

The most difficult problems of the Belgian economy are related to employment (the total number of workers was 4.44 million people in 2001); in terms of unemployment, the country constantly ranks 1-2" in the EU (in 1999 - 11.7%, in 2000 - 10 .9%, in 2001 - 10.6% and only in 2002 some progress was achieved - 7.2%). national economy(“old-fashioned specialization”).

Ethnic and religious composition of the population

The two main groups that make up the country's population are the Flemish (about 58% of the population, 6 million people) and the Walloons (about 31% of the population, 3,400 million people). 11% are representatives of other nationalities. The Flemings live in the five northern provinces of Belgium (see Flanders) and speak the Dutch language and its many dialects (see Flemish). The Walloons live in the five southern provinces that make up Wallonia and speak French, Walloon and several other languages. The fragmentation index value (F) is 0.50. [A. Lijphart, "Democracy in Multiple Societies"]

After independence, Belgium was a French-oriented state, and the only official language at first was French, although the Flemings always formed the majority of the population. Even in Flanders, French remained for a long time the only language of secondary and higher education. After the First World War, a movement arose in Belgium for the emancipation of the Dutch-speaking population. The result was the so-called “language struggle” (Dutch taalstrijd). The struggle began to bear fruit by the sixties of the 20th century. In 1963, a package of laws was adopted regulating the use of languages in official situations. In 1967, an official translation of the Belgian constitution into Dutch was created for the first time. By 1980, both main languages of the country were effectively equal in rights. Since 1993, Belgium has been divided into federal districts. The only official language in the Flemish District is Dutch.

Despite the progress achieved, language problems still lead to escalating tensions between the two main groups of the country's population. Thus, in 2005, the problem of dividing the bilingual electoral district of Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde almost led to the resignation of the government and a political crisis.

The most important national minority in Belgium is the Germans. Their number is approximately 73,000 people. Places of compact residence of Germans (in the east of Wallonia) are part of the German-speaking community, which has greater autonomy, especially in matters of culture.

The largest national minorities are Italians (171,918), French (125,061), Dutch (116,970), Spanish (42,765), Germans (37,621), Turks (39); people from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly the Belgian Congo), Morocco (80,579), Algeria and other Arab countries. At the moment, just over 100,000 people from the former Soviet Union live in Belgium. The most numerous diasporas are Chechens, Armenians, and Georgians. At the beginning of 2007, the population of Belgium included 92% of Belgian citizens and 6% of citizens of other EU countries. Overall, the proportion of Belgian residents of non-European origin is approximately 4%.

The majority of believers (about 70% of the population) are Catholics. Islam (250 thousand people), Protestantism (about 70 thousand), Judaism (35 thousand), Anglicanism (40 thousand), Orthodoxy (20 thousand) are also officially recognized.

Walloon-Flemish question

Most a shining example bilingual country in overseas Europe Belgium can serve as an example, where interethnic relations have become a complex problem almost since the formation of this independent state in 1830. The national emblem of Belgium bears the motto: “There is strength in unity.” But such unity has not been achieved for many decades. The fact is that Belgium is a binational and bilingual country, inhabited mainly by Flemings and Walloons; in addition, a small part of the population in the east of the country speaks German. The Flemings live in the north of the country, in Flanders. Their language is very close to that spoken in the neighboring Netherlands. The Walloons live in the southern half of the country, in Wallonia, and their native language is French. But Belgium has long had linguistic inequalities that reflect differences in the socio-economic development of its two parts.

During the 19th and first half of the 20th century. Wallonia was the economic core of the country. Here coal was mined, metal was smelted, trade and crafts flourished, the bourgeoisie grew rich and multiplied, and the aristocracy and bureaucracy concentrated. Walloon was considered not only the state language, but also the literary language, in which such world-famous writers and poets as Charles de Coster, Maurice Maeterlinck, and Emile Verhaerne wrote. Flanders served as an agricultural appendage to the rapidly developing industrial south. Its population was subjected to cultural and national discrimination. Suffice it to say that the Flemish language was recognized as the second official language only in 1898. But after the Second World War, both parts of the country seemed to change roles. In Wallonia, where mainly coal, iron and steel and other old industries were represented, an economic decline began that affected Liege and other large cities. At the same time, Flanders' potential has grown significantly, mainly through the development of new and innovative industries. The importance of Antwerp, Ghent and other cities also increased. One might add that thanks to more high birth rate Flanders increased its advantage over Wallonia in the country's population. Now 58% of all residents live in it, while in Wallonia - 33%; the rest is mainly in the Brussels metropolitan area, which is part of the province of Brabant. All this again sharply aggravated the contradictions between the Walloons and the Flemings.

To overcome the crisis, it was decided to make a transition to a federal state structure, which was carried out in several stages and ended in early 1993, when the Belgian parliament approved the constitutional reform. From now on, the central (federal) government retains powers in the field of external relations, defense, security, financial and monetary policy, while all issues of economics, scientific research, security environment, education, culture, health, sports and tourism came under the jurisdiction of Flanders and Wallonia. At the same time, Flemish became the official language in Flanders, and French in Wallonia. As for trade, services, transport, etc., there is no regulation here, and you can use both languages. Special status introduced for the Brussels region, where 80% of the population speaks French and 20% Flemish. In order not to infringe on the rights of the Flemish minority, bilingualism is guaranteed in all institutions. Street names, road signs, and signs are made in two languages. They are also used in trade and consumer services. In addition, in the east of the country there is a small area with a German-speaking population, which also enjoys equal rights with the Flemings and Francophones (as French speakers are called here).

With the creation of a two-part federation in Belgium instead of the previous unitary state, a basis arose for the normalization of relations between the Flemings and Francophones.

But this did not solve all the problems of this long-standing ethnic conflict. Its bottlenecks continue to include the Flemish position regarding Brussels and the Francophone position regarding the area around Brussels (the so-called borderland) and the linguistic border between the two parts of the federation. Some Flemish politicians still insist on self-determination or at least a transition from federation to confederation. In 2008, this conflict again escalated so much that it threatened to divide Belgium into three parts.

Population of Belgium is about 10,839,905 people as of January 1, 2010.

Urbanization

Wallonia had a population of 3,413,978 inhabitants (population density 205.1 people/km², Eurostat 2007). The most populous cities are Charleroi (201,373), Liege (185,574) and Namur (107,178).

Brussels has a population of 1,018,804 people (population density 6458.7 people/km², Eurostat 2007) in 19 metropolitan district municipalities, two of which have more than 100,000 inhabitants.

The total population of the major cities mentioned is approximately 2.3 million people. In total, there are 13 cities in the country with a population of more than 85 thousand people.

The rural population density in Belgium for 2005 is 34.76 people/km²

Age structure of the population of Belgium

0-14 years: 16.1% (boys 892,995, girls 857,373);

15-64 years old: 66.3% (men 3,480,072, women 3,419,721);

65 years and older: 17.6% (men 760,390, women 1,047,447).

Middle age

Overall: 40.8 years [ ]

Male: 39.6 years

Female: 42.1 years (indicators for 2009)

Population growth

The population grew by 0.7% from 2007 to 2008.

The birth rate in Belgium is 11.7 births per 1,000 inhabitants.

There are 9.5 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.

Natural population growth in 2008 was 2.2% (23,392 people).

Net migration in Belgium is 1.22 migrants per 1,000 inhabitants (based on 2008 data)

Sex ratio

At birth: 1.04 male/female

Under 15 years: 1.04 male/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male/female

Ratio of the total number: 0.96 male/female (according to 2009 data)

Infant mortality rates

Overall rate: 4.62 deaths/1000 births

Male: 5.2 deaths/1000 births

Female: 4.01 deaths/1000 births (based on 2006 data)

Average life expectancy

Overall: 79.22 years

Male: 76.06 years

Female: 82.53 years (as of 2009)

Total Fertility Rate

On average, Belgian women have 1.64 children according to 2006 data. The same figure for 1994 was estimated at 1.50 children.

Ethnic composition of the population

The two main groups that make up the country's population are the Flemings (about 58% of the population, 6 million people) and the Walloons (about 31% of the population, 3,400 million people). 11% are representatives of other nationalities. The Flemings live in the five northern provinces of Belgium (see Flanders) and speak the Dutch language and its many dialects (see Flemish language). The Walloons live in the five southern provinces that make up Wallonia, speaking French, Walloon and several other languages. The fragmentation index value (F) is 0.50. [A. Lijphart, “Democracy in Multi-Component Societies”]

Russians in Belgium

According to official statistics, by the end of 2008 there were 7,176 Russian citizens living in Belgium who did not have Belgian citizenship. Some 3,407 Russian citizens received Belgian citizenship between 1992 and 2007. Some 10,244 citizens of countries of the former USSR received Belgian citizenship between 1990 and 2007. Unfortunately, official statistics until 1990 only counted citizenship through naturalization, while citizenship through application was much more common. .

The above figures do not take into account asylum-seeking and illegal immigrants other than those who were naturalized and granted Belgian citizenship between 1990 and 2007.

Compatriots in Belgium

Colonies of emigrants abroad

Insignificant emigration due to the high standard of living in Belgium. Descendants of emigrants of the 19th-20th centuries - in the USA - 360 thousand, Canada - 175 thousand, Argentina - about 100 thousand.

Religious composition of the population

Family characteristics

Average family size (persons): in 1866 - 4.6, in 1981 - 2.7.

Size and stability of the marriage group: monogamy, allowing for divorce.

Professional structure

According to data for 2009, among the entire employed population (thousand people): self-employed persons - 720, hired workers - 3718, including in agriculture - 29, in industry - 571, in construction - 206, in the service sector - 2911, in including trade, transport, communications - 895, finance, real estate, rent, consulting - 615, public service, education - 788, other services - 614 (source - National Bank of Belgium).

Notes

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Population of Belgium in 1995 it was 10,081,880 people (1995). The average population density is about 330 people per km2. The main ethnic groups are Flemings (55% of the total population) and Walloons (33%), with Germans and French also living in the country. There are three official languages in Belgium: Dutch or Flemish (spoken by about 60% of the country's population), French (32%) and German. The main religion is Catholic (75%), Protestantism, Islam, Judaism and Orthodoxy are also common. The birth rate in 1995 was 11.5 newborns per 1,000 people, the mortality rate was 10 deaths per 1,000 people (the infant mortality rate was 7 deaths per 1,000 newborns). Average life expectancy: men - 74 years, women - 81 years. Working population is 4,126,000 people, of which 64% are employed in the service sector, 28% in industry, 6% in construction, and about 2% in agriculture.

Page 1

The population of Belgium is approximately 10.58 million people as of January 2007.

The vast majority of the Belgian population is urban population– 97% in 2004.

Belgium has a high population density (342 people per km²), second in this parameter in Europe only to the Netherlands and some small states, such as Monaco. The highest population density in the country is observed in the area bounded by the cities of Brussels-Antwerp-Ghent-Leuven (the so-called “Flemish diamond”, Dutch Vlaamse ruit). The lowest population density is in the Ardennes Mountains (Luxembourg province).

Age structure.

0–14 years: 16.1%

15–64 years: 66.3%

65 years and older: 17.6%

Population growth

The population grew by 0.13% from 2005 to 2006.

Fertility rate: 10.38.

Death rate: 10.27.

Net migration in Belgium is 1.22 migrants per 1,000 inhabitants (based on 2006 data)

Sex composition of the population

At birth: 1.04 male / female

Up to 15 years: 1.04 male. / female

15–64 years old: 1.02 male. / female

65 years and over: 0.7 male / female

Ratio of total number: 0.96 male/female. (as of 2006)

Average life expectancy

Overall: 78.77 years

Men: 75.59 years

Women: 82.09 years (as of 2006)

According to 2006 data, on average one Belgian woman has 1.64 children.

Ethnic composition of the population

The two main groups that make up the country's population are Flemings (about 58% of the population) and Walloons (about 31% of the population), the remaining 11% are mixed and other ethnic groups. The Flemings live in the five northern provinces of Belgium (see Flanders) and speak the Dutch language and its many dialects (see Flemish). The Walloons live in the five southern provinces that make up Wallonia and speak French, Walloon and several other languages.

After the end of the First World War, a movement for the emancipation of the Dutch-speaking population began in Belgium. As a result, the so-called “language struggle” (Dutch taalstrijd) arose. The struggle began to bear fruit by the sixties of the 20th century. In 1963, a package of laws was adopted regulating the use of languages in official situations. In 1967, an official translation of the Belgian constitution into Dutch was published for the first time. By 1980, both main languages of the country were actually equal in rights. In 1993, Belgium was divided into federal districts. The only official language in the Flemish District is Dutch.

The predominant religion is Roman Catholic (75%), 25% are others, including Protestantism.

Literacy rate: 99%.

In the primary and secondary education system, education from 6 to 18 years of age is compulsory and free. Along with state and municipal schools, there are many Catholic and private secular schools. Higher education is provided by seven academies and eight universities, several university centers, institutes, higher technical schools and conservatories.

Problems of migrants and national minorities

The most important national minority in Belgium is the Germans. Their number is approximately 70,000 people. Places of compact residence of Germans (in the east of Wallonia) are part of the German-speaking community, which has greater autonomy, especially in matters of culture.

The largest groups of migrants are Italians, immigrants from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Belgian Congo), immigrants from Turkey, immigrants from Morocco and other Arab countries.

There are currently just over 100,000 people from the former Soviet Union. The most numerous diasporas are Chechens, Armenians, and Georgians.

According to various sources, between 150 and 200 thousand migrants from Turkey live in Belgium, including both ethnic Turks and members of the Kurdish minority. Clashes and conflicts arise from time to time between representatives of the two ethnic communities. Thus, in April 2006, an anti-Turkish demonstration took place in the center of Brussels on the initiative of the Kurds. On the night of April 2, 2007, in the capital of Belgium, near the headquarters of NATO and the EU, clashes occurred between ethnic Turks and representatives of the Kurdish immigrant community. As a result, seven people were arrested and several more were injured. “It all started with an attack by Turkish teenagers on a small group of Kurdish youth,” Brussels police spokesman Johan Verleyen said. Aggression was also directed against the police who were trying to restore order. According to law enforcement agencies, about 250 people, mostly young people, took part in the street clashes. During the pogroms, unknown persons set fire to a cafe, which was considered the center of the Kurdish community, after which spontaneous rallies were organized. Conflict situations in Belgium associated with interethnic confrontation are an acute political problem, a solution to which has not yet been found.