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Population in Belgium compared to Lesotho: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of Belgium was 11,858,610 in 2024 vs 2,337,423 people in Lesotho in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Belgium's population is 11,902,714 people compared to 2,396,633 in Lesotho.

Population statistics:

  • Belgium's population is 4.97 times bigger than Lesotho's.
  • Belgium is ranked the 83rd most populous country in the world, while Lesotho is the 143rd.
  • The countries together account for 0.17% of the world: 0.14% for Belgium vs 0.03% for Lesotho.
  • For the last 10 years, Belgium has had an average growth rate of +0.55% per year vs +1.17% in Lesotho.
  • Since 2006, the population of Belgium has increased from 10.5M people to 11.9M (12.8% growth), while Lesotho has grown from 1.95M to 2.4M (23.2% growth).

Belgium vs Lesotho: population by year and forecast

Belgium
Factual

Projection
Lesotho
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Belgium Lesotho
2100 11,193,616 3,280,784
2099 11,211,908 3,286,697
2098 11,230,002 3,292,498
2097 11,246,180 3,298,102
2096 11,261,636 3,303,027
2095 11,277,513 3,307,947
2094 11,293,934 3,312,002
2093 11,309,421 3,315,757
2092 11,325,500 3,319,661
2091 11,339,887 3,322,573
2090 11,354,304 3,324,769
2089 11,368,748 3,326,847
2088 11,384,019 3,328,480
2087 11,399,441 3,329,964
2086 11,413,731 3,330,456
2085 11,427,305 3,331,259
2084 11,441,192 3,331,485
2083 11,454,476 3,331,492
2082 11,468,827 3,331,234
2081 11,480,917 3,330,412
2080 11,494,860 3,329,267
2079 11,507,804 3,327,166
2078 11,522,057 3,324,646
2077 11,534,819 3,321,422
2076 11,546,262 3,317,850
2075 11,558,154 3,314,237
2074 11,571,164 3,309,174
2073 11,584,391 3,303,860
2072 11,597,605 3,298,181
2071 11,611,079 3,291,492
2070 11,627,079 3,283,654
2069 11,643,296 3,275,244
2068 11,660,663 3,266,152
2067 11,677,909 3,256,626
2066 11,696,417 3,246,903
2065 11,716,114 3,237,153
2064 11,736,957 3,226,489
2063 11,758,738 3,215,103
2062 11,780,812 3,202,287
2061 11,804,421 3,188,933
2060 11,825,799 3,174,998
2059 11,847,336 3,160,204
2058 11,867,449 3,145,053
2057 11,890,466 3,129,261
2056 11,911,901 3,113,129
2055 11,931,594 3,095,904
2054 11,950,146 3,078,567
2053 11,968,395 3,060,152
2052 11,984,694 3,040,649
2051 11,998,099 3,020,109
2050 12,008,766 2,999,457
2049 12,017,817 2,978,037
2048 12,024,879 2,955,727
2047 12,029,815 2,932,688
2046 12,032,975 2,909,307
2045 12,034,718 2,885,537
2044 12,034,116 2,861,372
2043 12,032,908 2,836,777
2042 12,030,714 2,811,663
2041 12,026,814 2,786,147
2040 12,023,124 2,760,391
2039 12,018,547 2,734,400
2038 12,012,586 2,708,216
2037 12,005,650 2,681,863
2036 11,999,298 2,654,755
2035 11,992,761 2,627,701
2034 11,985,730 2,600,880
2033 11,977,334 2,574,065
2032 11,969,302 2,547,344
2031 11,960,910 2,520,831
2030 11,951,381 2,494,646
2029 11,939,712 2,468,268
2028 11,927,038 2,441,871
2027 11,913,457 2,415,830
2026 11,898,731 2,389,516
2025 11,881,020 2,363,516
2024 11,858,610 2,337,423
2023 11,779,946 2,311,472
2022 11,680,210 2,286,110
2021 11,586,195 2,261,542
2020 11,538,604 2,235,727
2019 11,488,980 2,209,405
2018 11,427,054 2,183,603
2017 11,375,158 2,157,110
2016 11,331,422 2,130,422
2015 11,274,196 2,104,611
2014 11,209,057 2,080,089
2013 11,159,407 2,056,504
2012 11,106,932 2,034,354
2011 11,038,264 2,014,009
2010 10,895,586 1,996,251
2009 10,796,493 1,980,883
2008 10,709,973 1,966,541
2007 10,625,700 1,953,268
2006 10,547,958 1,945,063
2005 10,478,617 1,953,076
2004 10,421,137 1,971,129
2003 10,376,133 1,985,059
2002 10,332,785 1,994,679
2001 10,286,570 2,000,853
2000 10,251,250 2,003,913
1999 10,226,419 2,003,234
1998 10,203,008 1,998,049
1997 10,181,245 1,988,130
1996 10,156,637 1,972,418
1995 10,136,811 1,951,437
1994 10,115,603 1,927,707
1993 10,084,475 1,901,793
1992 10,045,158 1,873,274
1991 10,004,486 1,842,379
1990 9,967,379 1,809,696
1989 9,937,697 1,775,436
1988 9,901,664 1,739,841
1987 9,870,234 1,703,390
1986 9,861,823 1,666,138
1985 9,858,308 1,624,379
1984 9,855,372 1,578,986
1983 9,855,520 1,534,413
1982 9,856,303 1,490,732
1981 9,858,982 1,448,069
1980 9,859,242 1,406,521
1979 9,848,382 1,366,169
1978 9,839,534 1,327,240
1977 9,830,358 1,289,967
1976 9,818,227 1,253,214
1975 9,800,700 1,213,643
1974 9,772,419 1,172,420
1973 9,741,720 1,132,697
1972 9,711,115 1,094,063
1971 9,673,162 1,056,246
1970 9,655,549 1,019,273
1969 9,646,032 983,202
1968 9,618,756 948,105
1967 9,580,991 913,982
1966 9,527,807 881,870
1965 9,463,667 854,090
1964 9,378,113 829,437
1963 9,289,770 805,373
1962 9,220,578 781,814
1961 9,183,948 758,824
1960 9,153,489 736,500

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/belgium/lesotho | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Belgium increased by 783,464 people (a 7.43% growth), while Lesotho gained 185,359 people (a 9.53% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Belgium gained 571,292 people (a 5.04% growth), while Lesotho's population increased by 266,211 people (a 12.5% growth).

Belgium was ranked 77th most populous country in 2006 and is 83rd in 2026. Lesotho was ranked 144th in 2006 and ranked 143rd now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Belgium's population will grow by 0.89% to 12,008,766 people with a rank change from 83rd to 92nd. The population of Lesotho will increase by 25.2% to 2,999,457 people and rank change from 143rd to 141st.

Belgium is projected to reach its peak in 2045 at 12M people compared to the peak of 3.33M people in 2083 for Lesotho.

Population growth rate by year

Belgium
Factual

Projection
Lesotho
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Belgium Lesotho
2100 -0.16% -0.18%
2099 -0.16% -0.18%
2098 -0.14% -0.17%
2097 -0.14% -0.15%
2096 -0.14% -0.15%
2095 -0.15% -0.12%
2094 -0.14% -0.11%
2093 -0.14% -0.12%
2092 -0.13% -0.09%
2091 -0.13% -0.07%
2090 -0.13% -0.06%
2089 -0.13% -0.05%
2088 -0.14% -0.04%
2087 -0.13% -0.01%
2086 -0.12% -0.02%
2085 -0.12% -0.007%
2084 -0.12% -0%
2083 -0.13% 0.008%
2082 -0.11% 0.02%
2081 -0.12% 0.03%
2080 -0.11% 0.06%
2079 -0.12% 0.08%
2078 -0.11% 0.1%
2077 -0.1% 0.11%
2076 -0.1% 0.11%
2075 -0.11% 0.15%
2074 -0.11% 0.16%
2073 -0.11% 0.17%
2072 -0.12% 0.2%
2071 -0.14% 0.24%
2070 -0.14% 0.26%
2069 -0.15% 0.28%
2068 -0.15% 0.29%
2067 -0.16% 0.3%
2066 -0.17% 0.3%
2065 -0.18% 0.33%
2064 -0.19% 0.35%
2063 -0.19% 0.4%
2062 -0.2% 0.42%
2061 -0.18% 0.44%
2060 -0.18% 0.47%
2059 -0.17% 0.48%
2058 -0.19% 0.5%
2057 -0.18% 0.52%
2056 -0.17% 0.56%
2055 -0.16% 0.56%
2054 -0.15% 0.6%
2053 -0.14% 0.64%
2052 -0.11% 0.68%
2051 -0.09% 0.69%
2050 -0.08% 0.72%
2049 -0.06% 0.75%
2048 -0.04% 0.79%
2047 -0.03% 0.8%
2046 -0.01% 0.82%
2045 0.005% 0.84%
2044 0.01% 0.87%
2043 0.02% 0.89%
2042 0.03% 0.92%
2041 0.03% 0.93%
2040 0.04% 0.95%
2039 0.05% 0.97%
2038 0.06% 0.98%
2037 0.05% 1.02%
2036 0.05% 1.03%
2035 0.06% 1.03%
2034 0.07% 1.04%
2033 0.07% 1.05%
2032 0.07% 1.05%
2031 0.08% 1.05%
2030 0.1% 1.07%
2029 0.11% 1.08%
2028 0.11% 1.08%
2027 0.12% 1.1%
2026 0.15% 1.1%
2025 0.19% 1.12%
2024 0.67% 1.12%
2023 0.85% 1.11%
2022 0.81% 1.09%
2021 0.41% 1.15%
2020 0.43% 1.19%
2019 0.54% 1.18%
2018 0.46% 1.23%
2017 0.39% 1.25%
2016 0.51% 1.23%
2015 0.58% 1.18%
2014 0.44% 1.15%
2013 0.47% 1.09%
2012 0.62% 1.01%
2011 1.31% 0.89%
2010 0.92% 0.78%
2009 0.81% 0.73%
2008 0.79% 0.68%
2007 0.74% 0.42%
2006 0.66% -0.41%
2005 0.55% -0.92%
2004 0.43% -0.7%
2003 0.42% -0.48%
2002 0.45% -0.31%
2001 0.34% -0.15%
2000 0.24% 0.03%
1999 0.23% 0.26%
1998 0.21% 0.5%
1997 0.24% 0.8%
1996 0.2% 1.08%
1995 0.21% 1.23%
1994 0.31% 1.36%
1993 0.39% 1.52%
1992 0.41% 1.68%
1991 0.37% 1.81%
1990 0.3% 1.93%
1989 0.36% 2.05%
1988 0.32% 2.14%
1987 0.09% 2.24%
1986 0.04% 2.57%
1985 0.03% 2.87%
1984 -0.002% 2.9%
1983 -0.008% 2.93%
1982 -0.03% 2.95%
1981 -0.003% 2.95%
1980 0.11% 2.95%
1979 0.09% 2.93%
1978 0.09% 2.89%
1977 0.12% 2.93%
1976 0.18% 3.26%
1975 0.29% 3.52%
1974 0.32% 3.51%
1973 0.32% 3.53%
1972 0.39% 3.58%
1971 0.18% 3.63%
1970 0.1% 3.67%
1969 0.28% 3.7%
1968 0.39% 3.73%
1967 0.56% 3.64%
1966 0.68% 3.25%
1965 0.91% 2.97%
1964 0.95% 2.99%
1963 0.75% 3.01%
1962 0.4% 3.03%
1961 0.33% 3.03%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1961–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/belgium/lesotho | CC BY

In 2024, the population of Belgium grew by 0.67%, while Lesotho's population grew by 1.12%.

Live population counters

Belgium Lesotho
Current population
11902714
2396633
Population rank 83/197 143/197
Percent of world population 0.14% 0.03%
One net population change
6.68 minutes
20.3 minutes
One birth every
4.75 minutes
9.43 minutes
One death every
4.75 minutes
21.4 minutes
Daily growth/decline +216 +71
Annual growth/decline +78,664 +25,951
Annual growth/decline rate +0.67% +1.12%
Population growth rate rank 119/197 93/197
One migration net change every
16.5 minutes
1.69 hours
Annual migration change +31,989 -5,192
Net migration rank 28/196 117/196
Foreign-born residents 2,349,032 15,039
Foreign-born residents rank 30/195 173/195
Foreign-born share of population 20% 0.6%
Foreign-born share rank 30/195 170/195

Natural population change vs migration

Belgium
Natural

Migration
Lesotho
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Belgium Lesotho
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - 31,989 - -5,192
2024 - 36,243 - -5,107
2023 0 41,679 31,115 -5,168
2022 -2,336 118,615 30,803 -6,023
2021 5,793 24,017 27,806 -3,449
2020 -12,692 43,777 30,721 -3,449
2019 8,042 58,469 32,279 -6,896
2018 7,999 50,604 33,112 -6,892
2017 10,238 37,981 33,601 -6,850
2016 14,731 28,090 33,390 -6,766
2015 11,274 63,536 32,087 -7,087
2014 21,297 37,472 30,922 -6,877
2013 16,739 28,066 29,789 -6,659
2012 18,882 45,001 27,592 -6,425
2011 25,388 52,464 25,647 -6,118
2010 23,970 105,232 21,877 -5,886
2009 23,752 97,175 20,335 -5,599
2008 22,491 66,470 19,349 -5,392
2007 23,376 59,911 17,763 -5,179
2006 21,096 53,574 15,234 -11,416
2005 15,718 50,576 15,831 -35,679
2004 16,673 35,143 17,271 -33,530
2003 7,263 34,472 20,133 -31,723
2002 7,233 39,404 22,274 -29,924
2001 11,315 34,924 23,190 -27,874
2000 12,302 13,952 24,786 -26,220
1999 9,203 16,849 27,393 -24,610
1998 9,183 12,517 30,889 -23,299
1997 12,218 10,262 34,637 -22,396
1996 12,188 15,684 36,228 -17,042
1995 11,150 1,937 37,370 -14,588
1994 12,139 17,636 38,629 -13,953
1993 14,118 18,542 40,505 -13,347
1992 20,090 25,941 42,579 -12,707
1991 22,010 27,038 44,026 -12,114
1990 19,935 8,299 45,060 -11,598
1989 13,912 7,301 46,264 -11,207
1988 14,853 3,929 47,158 -11,028
1987 11,844 3,525 47,718 -10,946
1986 5,917 2,964 45,232 -7,501
1985 2,958 2,165 44,575 1,222
1984 4,927 1,697 43,785 1,199
1983 2,956 1,252 42,899 1,253
1982 7,885 1,100 41,941 1,281
1981 11,831 2,826 40,808 1,307
1980 10,845 11,482 39,617 1,361
1979 11,818 11,277 38,440 1,285
1978 7,872 10,828 37,084 1,047
1977 8,847 10,460 35,654 746
1976 1,964 10,360 34,117 2,986
1975 0 9,652 32,311 9,723
1974 7,818 8,924 30,444 9,972
1973 11,690 8,684 28,859 10,183
1972 18,451 8,384 27,841 10,386
1971 21,281 7,992 26,838 10,563
1970 23,173 19,393 25,935 10,605
1969 21,221 20,072 25,137 10,465
1968 20,199 19,809 24,490 10,108
1967 31,618 19,492 23,911 9,734
1966 36,206 18,985 23,326 7,248
1965 39,748 18,243 22,755 2,239
1964 51,580 17,687 22,116 2,198
1963 41,804 16,355 21,585 2,220
1962 42,414 14,829 21,132 2,172
1961 52,349 10,566 20,581 2,100
1960 40,275 9,893 19,981 1,989

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/belgium/lesotho | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 11.3% of the population change in Belgium is from natural causes (a gain of 64,346 people) and 88.7% is from migration (a gain of 504,240 people). In Lesotho 84.2% is from natural causes (a gain of 315,836 people) and 15.8% is from migration (a loss of 59,457 people).

As of 2024, 2,349,032 residents or 20% of the population were not native-born in Belgium, compared to 15,039 people or 0.6% in Lesotho.

Biggest cities by population

Belgium
City Population
Brussels 1.25M
Antwerp 529K
Ghent 273K
Charleroi 204K
Liege 195K
Schaerbeek 133K
Anderlecht 121K
Bruges 119K
Namur 115K
Leuven 101K
Lesotho
City Population
Maseru 344K
Teyateyaneng 75.1K
Mafeteng 57.1K
Butha-Buthe 10K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population/belgium/lesotho | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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