Belgium vs United Kingdom
Belgium vs United Kingdom: Urban population
Urban population in 2025: 87.7% in Belgium and 83.3% in United Kingdom, by UN estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Belgium, by 4.4 percentage points, or 1.05 times that in United Kingdom.
% of people · UN
What the numbers say
- Belgium has been higher since 1989, when it overtook United Kingdom.
- In 2025, Belgium ranked 45 and United Kingdom ranked 54 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) puts Belgium at 88.5% and United Kingdom at 84.4% in 2050.
Every year
% of people · UN
| Year | Belgium | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 87.7 | 83.3 |
| 2024 | 87.6 | 83.2 |
| 2023 | 87.6 | 83.2 |
| 2022 | 87.5 | 83.1 |
| 2021 | 87.4 | 83 |
| 2020 | 87.3 | 82.9 |
| 2019 | 87.1 | 82.7 |
| 2018 | 86.9 | 82.5 |
| 2017 | 86.7 | 82.2 |
| 2016 | 86.5 | 82 |
| 2015 | 86.2 | 81.8 |
| 2014 | 86 | 81.6 |
| 2013 | 85.7 | 81.5 |
| 2012 | 85.5 | 81.3 |
| 2011 | 85.2 | 81.1 |
| 2010 | 85 | 81 |
| 2009 | 84.7 | 80.9 |
| 2008 | 84.4 | 80.8 |
| 2007 | 84.2 | 80.7 |
| 2006 | 83.9 | 80.6 |
| 2005 | 83.6 | 80.5 |
| 2004 | 83.3 | 80.3 |
| 2003 | 83 | 80.2 |
| 2002 | 82.7 | 80.1 |
| 2001 | 82.3 | 80 |
| 2000 | 82 | 79.8 |
| 1999 | 81.7 | 79.6 |
| 1998 | 81.4 | 79.4 |
| 1997 | 81 | 79.1 |
| 1996 | 80.7 | 78.9 |
| 1995 | 80.3 | 78.7 |
| 1994 | 80 | 78.5 |
| 1993 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| 1992 | 79.3 | 78.2 |
| 1991 | 78.9 | 78.1 |
| 1990 | 78.6 | 78.1 |
| 1989 | 78.2 | 78.1 |
| 1988 | 77.8 | 78.2 |
| 1987 | 77.4 | 78.3 |
| 1986 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| 1985 | 76.7 | 78.4 |
| 1984 | 76.3 | 78.5 |
| 1983 | 75.9 | 78.5 |
| 1982 | 75.5 | 78.6 |
| 1981 | 75.1 | 78.6 |
| 1980 | 74.7 | 78.6 |
| 1979 | 74.3 | 78.5 |
| 1978 | 73.9 | 78.3 |
| 1977 | 73.5 | 78.1 |
| 1976 | 73.1 | 77.8 |
| 1975 | 72.7 | 77.6 |
| 1974 | 72.3 | 77.3 |
| 1973 | 71.9 | 77.1 |
| 1972 | 71.5 | 77 |
| 1971 | 71.1 | 76.9 |
| 1970 | 70.6 | 76.9 |
| 1969 | 70.2 | 77 |
| 1968 | 69.7 | 77.1 |
| 1967 | 69.1 | 77.2 |
| 1966 | 68.6 | 77.4 |
| 1965 | 68 | 77.6 |
| 1964 | 67.5 | 77.8 |
| 1963 | 67 | 78 |
| 1962 | 66.6 | 78.2 |
| 1961 | 66.2 | 78.4 |
| 1960 | 65.9 | 78.6 |
| 1959 | 65.5 | 78.8 |
| 1958 | 65.1 | 79 |
| 1957 | 64.8 | 79.3 |
| 1956 | 64.4 | 79.5 |
| 1955 | 64.1 | 79.8 |
| 1954 | 63.8 | 80 |
| 1953 | 63.5 | 80.1 |
| 1952 | 63.3 | 80.2 |
| 1951 | 63.1 | 80.3 |
| 1950 | 62.9 | 80.3 |
UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) · 2026–2050
| Year | Belgium | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 87.7 | 83.4 |
| 2027 | 87.8 | 83.5 |
| 2028 | 87.8 | 83.6 |
| 2029 | 87.9 | 83.6 |
| 2030 | 88 | 83.7 |
| 2031 | 88 | 83.8 |
| 2032 | 88.1 | 83.8 |
| 2033 | 88.1 | 83.9 |
| 2034 | 88.1 | 83.9 |
| 2035 | 88.2 | 84 |
| 2036 | 88.2 | 84.1 |
| 2037 | 88.3 | 84.1 |
| 2038 | 88.3 | 84.2 |
| 2039 | 88.3 | 84.2 |
| 2040 | 88.4 | 84.2 |
| 2041 | 88.4 | 84.3 |
| 2042 | 88.4 | 84.3 |
| 2043 | 88.5 | 84.3 |
| 2044 | 88.5 | 84.4 |
| 2045 | 88.5 | 84.4 |
| 2046 | 88.5 | 84.4 |
| 2047 | 88.5 | 84.4 |
| 2048 | 88.5 | 84.4 |
| 2049 | 88.5 | 84.4 |
| 2050 | 88.5 | 84.4 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of people living in places the country itself counts as urban.
- Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Belgium vs United Kingdom
Health
- Life expectancyBelgium: 82.1 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBelgium: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024United Kingdom: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBelgium: 3.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Kingdom: 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterBelgium: 99.7% in 2022United Kingdom: 99.8% in 2022
- DepressionBelgium: 4.11% in 2017United Kingdom: 4.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateBelgium: 14.3 per 100,000 people in 2017United Kingdom: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBelgium: 11.7 million people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthBelgium: 0.25% a year in 2023United Kingdom: 0.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBelgium: 1.38 births per woman in 2023United Kingdom: 1.56 births per woman in 2023
- Median ageBelgium: 41.4 years in 2023United Kingdom: 39.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBelgium: 20.2% in 2023United Kingdom: 19.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateBelgium: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023United Kingdom: 6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBelgium: 2.01% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 2.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsBelgium: $13.6B in 2025United Kingdom: $88B in 2025
- Military spending per personBelgium: $1,237 in 2025United Kingdom: $1,283 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBelgium: 3.7% of government spending in 2025United Kingdom: 5.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelBelgium: 24,000 people in 2020United Kingdom: 153,000 people in 2020
- National powerBelgium: 0.22% of world capability in 2022United Kingdom: 1.25% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBelgium: 0.47% of the labour force in 2020United Kingdom: 0.45% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBelgium: 430 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 609 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsBelgium: 86 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 702 million TIV in 2025