Belgium vs Japan
Belgium vs Japan: Fertility rate
Fertility rate in 2023: 1.38 births per woman in Belgium and 1.21 births per woman in Japan, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in Belgium, by 0.17 births per woman, or 1.14 times that in Japan.
births per woman · UN
What the numbers say
- Belgium has been higher since 1989, when it overtook Japan.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts Belgium at 1.55 births per woman and Japan at 1.47 births per woman in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 2.25 births per woman in 2023.
Every year
births per woman · UN
| Year | Belgium | Japan | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1.38 | 1.21 | 2.25 |
| 2022 | 1.55 | 1.26 | 2.27 |
| 2021 | 1.6 | 1.27 | 2.29 |
| 2020 | 1.58 | 1.3 | 2.32 |
| 2019 | 1.61 | 1.32 | 2.4 |
| 2018 | 1.62 | 1.37 | 2.44 |
| 2017 | 1.64 | 1.39 | 2.5 |
| 2016 | 1.68 | 1.41 | 2.54 |
| 2015 | 1.69 | 1.42 | 2.54 |
| 2014 | 1.73 | 1.39 | 2.56 |
| 2013 | 1.75 | 1.39 | 2.57 |
| 2012 | 1.78 | 1.38 | 2.61 |
| 2011 | 1.81 | 1.36 | 2.59 |
| 2010 | 1.85 | 1.36 | 2.6 |
| 2009 | 1.84 | 1.33 | 2.62 |
| 2008 | 1.85 | 1.33 | 2.63 |
| 2007 | 1.81 | 1.31 | 2.62 |
| 2006 | 1.79 | 1.29 | 2.63 |
| 2005 | 1.75 | 1.25 | 2.63 |
| 2004 | 1.72 | 1.28 | 2.65 |
| 2003 | 1.67 | 1.29 | 2.66 |
| 2002 | 1.65 | 1.31 | 2.68 |
| 2001 | 1.67 | 1.33 | 2.71 |
| 2000 | 1.66 | 1.35 | 2.75 |
| 1999 | 1.61 | 1.34 | 2.75 |
| 1998 | 1.59 | 1.37 | 2.78 |
| 1997 | 1.6 | 1.38 | 2.81 |
| 1996 | 1.59 | 1.4 | 2.85 |
| 1995 | 1.56 | 1.41 | 2.89 |
| 1994 | 1.56 | 1.47 | 2.93 |
| 1993 | 1.61 | 1.44 | 2.98 |
| 1992 | 1.65 | 1.48 | 3.04 |
| 1991 | 1.66 | 1.5 | 3.13 |
| 1990 | 1.63 | 1.51 | 3.31 |
| 1989 | 1.59 | 1.55 | 3.35 |
| 1988 | 1.57 | 1.63 | 3.39 |
| 1987 | 1.54 | 1.67 | 3.48 |
| 1986 | 1.54 | 1.7 | 3.5 |
| 1985 | 1.5 | 1.74 | 3.51 |
| 1984 | 1.53 | 1.78 | 3.55 |
| 1983 | 1.56 | 1.77 | 3.58 |
| 1982 | 1.61 | 1.74 | 3.71 |
| 1981 | 1.67 | 1.72 | 3.71 |
| 1980 | 1.69 | 1.74 | 3.74 |
| 1979 | 1.71 | 1.77 | 3.77 |
| 1978 | 1.71 | 1.79 | 3.79 |
| 1977 | 1.73 | 1.79 | 3.85 |
| 1976 | 1.74 | 1.84 | 3.97 |
| 1975 | 1.75 | 1.92 | 4.08 |
| 1974 | 1.84 | 2.07 | 4.26 |
| 1973 | 1.95 | 2.15 | 4.42 |
| 1972 | 2.09 | 2.11 | 4.55 |
| 1971 | 2.21 | 2.09 | 4.68 |
| 1970 | 2.25 | 2.04 | 4.83 |
| 1969 | 2.28 | 2.03 | 4.87 |
| 1968 | 2.31 | 2.07 | 4.96 |
| 1967 | 2.41 | 2.16 | 4.85 |
| 1966 | 2.52 | 1.63 | 4.96 |
| 1965 | 2.61 | 2.09 | 5.07 |
| 1964 | 2.7 | 2 | 5.12 |
| 1963 | 2.68 | 1.95 | 5.31 |
| 1962 | 2.6 | 1.93 | 5.02 |
| 1961 | 2.62 | 1.93 | 4.57 |
| 1960 | 2.53 | 1.98 | 4.7 |
| 1959 | 2.56 | 2.04 | 4.74 |
| 1958 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 4.93 |
| 1957 | 2.45 | 2.04 | 5.07 |
| 1956 | 2.41 | 2.21 | 4.93 |
| 1955 | 2.38 | 2.35 | 5 |
| 1954 | 2.36 | 2.47 | 5 |
| 1953 | 2.33 | 2.67 | 4.92 |
| 1952 | 2.33 | 2.95 | 5 |
| 1951 | 2.29 | 3.23 | 4.82 |
| 1950 | 2.35 | 3.62 | 4.85 |
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | Belgium | Japan | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1.381.23–1.53 | 1.221.06–1.37 | 2.25 |
| 2025 | 1.391.21–1.57 | 1.231.04–1.4 | 2.24 |
| 2026 | 1.41.19–1.6 | 1.231.02–1.43 | 2.23 |
| 2027 | 1.41.17–1.63 | 1.241–1.47 | 2.22 |
| 2028 | 1.411.17–1.64 | 1.250.99–1.5 | 2.21 |
| 2029 | 1.421.15–1.67 | 1.250.98–1.51 | 2.2 |
| 2030 | 1.421.13–1.69 | 1.260.97–1.54 | 2.2 |
| 2031 | 1.431.13–1.72 | 1.270.96–1.55 | 2.19 |
| 2032 | 1.431.12–1.74 | 1.270.95–1.57 | 2.18 |
| 2033 | 1.431.1–1.74 | 1.280.93–1.58 | 2.17 |
| 2034 | 1.441.1–1.77 | 1.280.92–1.6 | 2.16 |
| 2035 | 1.441.07–1.79 | 1.290.91–1.62 | 2.15 |
| 2036 | 1.441.07–1.8 | 1.290.92–1.64 | 2.15 |
| 2037 | 1.451.06–1.82 | 1.30.91–1.65 | 2.14 |
| 2038 | 1.451.07–1.83 | 1.310.91–1.67 | 2.13 |
| 2039 | 1.461.06–1.84 | 1.310.9–1.68 | 2.13 |
| 2040 | 1.461.05–1.84 | 1.310.88–1.72 | 2.13 |
| 2041 | 1.461.04–1.85 | 1.320.87–1.73 | 2.12 |
| 2042 | 1.471.04–1.85 | 1.320.87–1.74 | 2.12 |
| 2043 | 1.471.04–1.88 | 1.320.86–1.75 | 2.12 |
| 2044 | 1.471.03–1.88 | 1.320.84–1.75 | 2.12 |
| 2045 | 1.471.01–1.88 | 1.330.86–1.75 | 2.12 |
| 2046 | 1.481.02–1.89 | 1.330.85–1.77 | 2.11 |
| 2047 | 1.481.03–1.9 | 1.340.84–1.78 | 2.11 |
| 2048 | 1.481.02–1.92 | 1.340.83–1.79 | 2.11 |
| 2049 | 1.491.01–1.93 | 1.350.84–1.81 | 2.1 |
| 2050 | 1.491–1.93 | 1.350.83–1.82 | 2.1 |
| 2051 | 1.491–1.95 | 1.350.83–1.82 | 2.09 |
| 2052 | 1.51–1.96 | 1.360.83–1.84 | 2.09 |
| 2053 | 1.50.99–1.95 | 1.360.81–1.85 | 2.08 |
| 2054 | 1.50.98–1.97 | 1.370.81–1.85 | 2.07 |
| 2055 | 1.50.97–1.97 | 1.370.79–1.86 | 2.07 |
| 2056 | 1.50.98–2 | 1.370.78–1.85 | 2.06 |
| 2057 | 1.510.97–2 | 1.370.78–1.89 | 2.05 |
| 2058 | 1.510.96–2.02 | 1.380.78–1.9 | 2.04 |
| 2059 | 1.510.97–2.03 | 1.380.79–1.91 | 2.04 |
| 2060 | 1.510.96–2.02 | 1.390.8–1.92 | 2.03 |
| 2061 | 1.510.96–2.01 | 1.390.79–1.93 | 2.02 |
| 2062 | 1.510.96–2.02 | 1.390.8–1.94 | 2.02 |
| 2063 | 1.510.95–2.02 | 1.390.78–1.95 | 2.01 |
| 2064 | 1.510.93–2.02 | 1.40.8–1.94 | 2 |
| 2065 | 1.520.92–2.03 | 1.40.8–1.95 | 2 |
| 2066 | 1.520.93–2.03 | 1.410.79–1.96 | 1.99 |
| 2067 | 1.520.92–2.04 | 1.410.81–1.98 | 1.98 |
| 2068 | 1.520.92–2.05 | 1.410.81–1.97 | 1.98 |
| 2069 | 1.520.91–2.05 | 1.420.8–1.97 | 1.97 |
| 2070 | 1.520.91–2.07 | 1.420.79–1.99 | 1.97 |
| 2071 | 1.520.92–2.06 | 1.420.79–2 | 1.96 |
| 2072 | 1.520.9–2.07 | 1.420.79–2.01 | 1.96 |
| 2073 | 1.530.89–2.07 | 1.430.79–2 | 1.95 |
| 2074 | 1.530.9–2.06 | 1.430.8–2.02 | 1.95 |
| 2075 | 1.530.91–2.07 | 1.430.79–2.02 | 1.94 |
| 2076 | 1.530.92–2.07 | 1.440.8–2.03 | 1.94 |
| 2077 | 1.530.91–2.08 | 1.440.8–2.04 | 1.94 |
| 2078 | 1.530.9–2.09 | 1.440.8–2.07 | 1.93 |
| 2079 | 1.530.9–2.09 | 1.440.77–2.06 | 1.93 |
| 2080 | 1.540.91–2.1 | 1.440.78–2.06 | 1.92 |
| 2081 | 1.540.9–2.1 | 1.450.78–2.06 | 1.92 |
| 2082 | 1.540.87–2.11 | 1.450.77–2.07 | 1.91 |
| 2083 | 1.540.89–2.11 | 1.450.79–2.07 | 1.91 |
| 2084 | 1.540.89–2.1 | 1.450.78–2.08 | 1.91 |
| 2085 | 1.540.89–2.11 | 1.460.76–2.08 | 1.9 |
| 2086 | 1.540.89–2.11 | 1.460.76–2.1 | 1.9 |
| 2087 | 1.540.89–2.1 | 1.460.77–2.09 | 1.89 |
| 2088 | 1.550.89–2.11 | 1.460.78–2.09 | 1.89 |
| 2089 | 1.550.88–2.11 | 1.460.78–2.08 | 1.88 |
| 2090 | 1.550.88–2.12 | 1.460.77–2.09 | 1.88 |
| 2091 | 1.550.9–2.13 | 1.470.76–2.1 | 1.88 |
| 2092 | 1.550.91–2.13 | 1.470.78–2.1 | 1.87 |
| 2093 | 1.550.91–2.12 | 1.470.76–2.1 | 1.87 |
| 2094 | 1.550.91–2.14 | 1.470.77–2.09 | 1.86 |
| 2095 | 1.560.91–2.14 | 1.470.75–2.09 | 1.86 |
| 2096 | 1.560.91–2.14 | 1.470.76–2.09 | 1.85 |
| 2097 | 1.560.91–2.16 | 1.470.77–2.09 | 1.85 |
| 2098 | 1.560.9–2.14 | 1.470.77–2.09 | 1.85 |
| 2099 | 1.560.91–2.16 | 1.470.78–2.1 | 1.84 |
| 2100 | 1.550.9–2.15 | 1.470.78–2.1 | 1.84 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The children a woman would have over her life at the year’s birth rates for each age.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Belgium vs Japan
Health
- Life expectancyBelgium: 82.1 years in 2023Japan: 84.7 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBelgium: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024Japan: 0.2 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBelgium: 3.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023Japan: 1.6 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterBelgium: 99.7% in 2022Japan: 98.7% in 2022
- DepressionBelgium: 4.11% in 2017Japan: 3.34% in 2017
- Suicide rateBelgium: 14.3 per 100,000 people in 2017Japan: 15.7 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBelgium: 11.7 million people in 2023Japan: 124 million people in 2023
- Population growthBelgium: 0.25% a year in 2023Japan: -0.48% a year in 2023
- Urban populationBelgium: 87.7% in 2025Japan: 92.3% in 2025
- Median ageBelgium: 41.4 years in 2023Japan: 49 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBelgium: 20.2% in 2023Japan: 29.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateBelgium: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023Japan: 1.4 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBelgium: 2.01% of GDP in 2025Japan: 1.41% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsBelgium: $13.6B in 2025Japan: $59.5B in 2025
- Military spending per personBelgium: $1,237 in 2025Japan: $504 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBelgium: 3.7% of government spending in 2025Japan: 3.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelBelgium: 24,000 people in 2020Japan: 261,000 people in 2020
- National powerBelgium: 0.22% of world capability in 2022Japan: 2.47% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBelgium: 0.47% of the labour force in 2020Japan: 0.38% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBelgium: 430 million TIV in 2025Japan: 1.72 billion TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsBelgium: 86 million TIV in 2025Japan: 28 million TIV in 2025