Belgium has a population density of 1,011 people per square mile compared to 1,402 people in the Netherlands. Belgium has 27,855 sq ft of land per person vs 22,360 sq ft in the Netherlands. Belgium and the Netherlands rank 24th and 17th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Belgium has 0.15% of the world's population and 0.02% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.22% of the population and 0.02% of the land area for the Netherlands, making the population density in Belgium 27.9% lower than in the Netherlands.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Belgium
|
Netherlands
|
|
| 2026 | 1,011 | 1,402 |
| 2025 | 1,009 | 1,394 |
| 2024 | 1,007 | 1,384 |
| 2023 | 1,001 | 1,375 |
| 2022 | 992 | 1,362 |
| 2021 | 984 | 1,349 |
| 2020 | 980 | 1,342 |
| 2019 | 976 | 1,334 |
| 2018 | 971 | 1,326 |
| 2017 | 971 | 1,318 |
| 2016 | 968 | 1,310 |
| 2015 | 963 | 1,303 |
| 2014 | 957 | 1,297 |
| 2013 | 953 | 1,292 |
| 2012 | 948 | 1,287 |
| 2011 | 943 | 1,282 |
| 2010 | 930 | 1,276 |
| 2009 | 922 | 1,269 |
| 2008 | 914 | 1,262 |
| 2007 | 907 | 1,257 |
| 2006 | 901 | 1,254 |
| 2005 | 895 | 1,252 |
| 2004 | 890 | 1,249 |
| 2003 | 886 | 1,245 |
| 2002 | 882 | 1,239 |
| 2001 | 878 | 1,231 |
| 2000 | 875 | 1,222 |
| 1999 | - | 1,213 |
| 1998 | - | 1,205 |
| 1997 | - | 1,198 |
| 1996 | - | 1,191 |
| 1995 | - | 1,186 |
| 1994 | - | 1,180 |
| 1993 | - | 1,173 |
| 1992 | - | 1,165 |
| 1991 | - | 1,156 |
| 1990 | - | 1,147 |
| 1989 | - | 1,139 |
| 1988 | - | 1,132 |
| 1987 | - | 1,125 |
| 1986 | - | 1,118 |
| 1985 | - | 1,112 |
| 1984 | - | 1,107 |
| 1983 | - | 1,102 |
| 1982 | - | 1,098 |
| 1981 | - | 1,093 |
| 1980 | - | 1,086 |
| 1979 | - | 1,077 |
| 1978 | - | 1,070 |
| 1977 | - | 1,063 |
| 1976 | - | 1,057 |
| 1975 | - | 1,048 |
| 1974 | - | 1,039 |
| 1973 | - | 1,031 |
| 1972 | - | 1,023 |
| 1971 | - | 1,012 |
| 1970 | - | 1,000 |
| 1969 | - | 988 |
| 1968 | - | 977 |
| 1967 | - | 967 |
| 1966 | - | 956 |
| 1965 | - | 943 |
| 1964 | - | 930 |
| 1963 | - | 918 |
| 1962 | - | 906 |
| 1961 | - | 893 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/belgium/netherlands | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Belgium increased by 12.2%, compared to a 11.8% growth in the Netherlands.
In 2006, Belgium ranked 20th by population density and is 24th now. The Netherlands was 15th in 2006 and ranks 17th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Belgium
|
Netherlands
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,011 ppl/mi² | 1,402 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 24/197 | 17/197 |
| Population |
11902714
|
18252623
|
| Land area | 11,774 sq mi | 13,000 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 27,679 sq ft | 20,142 sq ft |
| Rural population | 12.4% | 4.36% |
| Urban population | 87.6% | 95.6% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.5% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Belgium
|
Netherlands
|
|
| 2024 | 87.6% | 95.6% |
| 2023 | 87.6% | 95.3% |
| 2022 | 87.5% | 95% |
| 2021 | 87.4% | 94.6% |
| 2020 | 87.3% | 94.3% |
| 2019 | 87.1% | 93.9% |
| 2018 | 86.9% | 92.6% |
| 2017 | 86.7% | 91.1% |
| 2016 | 86.5% | 90.6% |
| 2015 | 86.2% | 90.3% |
| 2014 | 86% | 89.8% |
| 2013 | 85.7% | 89.2% |
| 2012 | 85.5% | 88.5% |
| 2011 | 85.2% | 88% |
| 2010 | 85% | 87.4% |
| 2009 | 84.7% | 86.2% |
| 2008 | 84.4% | 85.6% |
| 2007 | 84.1% | 85.4% |
| 2006 | 83.9% | 84.7% |
| 2005 | 83.6% | 83.5% |
| 2004 | 83.3% | 82.3% |
| 2003 | 83% | 81.3% |
| 2002 | 82.7% | 80.8% |
| 2001 | 82.3% | 80.2% |
| 2000 | 82% | 78.5% |
| 1999 | 81.7% | 77.1% |
| 1998 | 81.4% | 76.8% |
| 1997 | 81% | 75.6% |
| 1996 | 80.7% | 72.4% |
| 1995 | 80.3% | 70.7% |
| 1994 | 80% | 70.4% |
| 1993 | 79.6% | 69.8% |
| 1992 | 79.3% | 69.3% |
| 1991 | 78.9% | 69.2% |
| 1990 | 78.6% | 69% |
| 1989 | 78.2% | 68.8% |
| 1988 | 77.8% | 68.4% |
| 1987 | 77.4% | 68.2% |
| 1986 | 77.1% | 68% |
| 1985 | 76.7% | 67.6% |
| 1984 | 76.3% | 67.4% |
| 1983 | 75.9% | 66.9% |
| 1982 | 75.5% | 66.5% |
| 1981 | 75.1% | 65.7% |
| 1980 | 74.7% | 65% |
| 1979 | 74.3% | 64.8% |
| 1978 | 73.9% | 64.6% |
| 1977 | 73.5% | 64.6% |
| 1976 | 73.1% | 64.5% |
| 1975 | 72.7% | 64.4% |
| 1974 | 72.3% | 64.2% |
| 1973 | 71.9% | 63.5% |
| 1972 | 71.5% | 63.1% |
| 1971 | 71.1% | 62.8% |
| 1970 | 70.6% | 62.1% |
| 1969 | 70.2% | 61.8% |
| 1968 | 69.6% | 61.8% |
| 1967 | 69.1% | 61.6% |
| 1966 | 68.6% | 61.3% |
| 1965 | 68% | 61.2% |
| 1964 | 67.5% | 60.9% |
| 1963 | 67% | 60.3% |
| 1962 | 66.6% | 60.3% |
| 1961 | 66.2% | 60.1% |
| 1960 | 65.9% | 59.9% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/belgium/netherlands | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 83.3% to 87.6% in Belgium and from 82.3% to 95.6% in the Netherlands.
Densely populated cities
|
Belgium
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Brussels | 1.25M |
| Antwerp | 529K |
| Ghent | 273K |
| Charleroi | 204K |
| Liege | 195K |
| Schaerbeek | 133K |
| Anderlecht | 121K |
| Bruges | 119K |
| Namur | 115K |
| Leuven | 101K |
|
Netherlands
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Amsterdam | 921K |
| Rotterdam | 664K |
| The Hague | 548K |
| Utrecht | 359K |
| Eindhoven | 244K |
| Groningen | 238K |
| Tilburg | 228K |
| Almere | 215K |
| Breda | 188K |
| Nijmegen | 177K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/belgium/netherlands | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Wikidata (2020–2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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