Population having attained at least basic education in Belgium

Belgium: Population having attained at least basic education was 97 in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
97
World rank
56th
of 111 countries
All-time high
98.8
in 1965
All-time low
52.8
in 1875
Years of data
31
1870–2020

Population having attained at least basic education in Belgium, 1870–2020

0204060801001870194520201870: 55.81875: 52.81880: 54.91885: 56.21890: 551895: 55.91900: 57.51905: 59.91910: 66.21915: 68.51920: 70.51925: 73.71930: 78.21935: 81.91940: 87.71945: 93.91950: 97.31955: 97.81960: 98.21965: 98.81970: 98.81975: 97.51980: 96.41985: 95.81990: 95.81995: 96.22000: 96.82005: 95.82010: 96.12015: 96.52020: 97

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2020, population having attained at least basic education in Belgium stood at 97.

The figure is up 0.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population having attained at least basic education in Belgium peaked at 98.8 in 1965 and was at its lowest, 52.8, in 1875.

Belgium ranks 56th of 111 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.

Population having attained at least basic education in Belgium, year by year

Annual values for Population having attained at least basic education in Belgium, 1870 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1870 55.8 —
1875 52.8 -5.4%
1880 54.9 +4.0%
1885 56.2 +2.4%
1890 55 -2.1%
1895 55.9 +1.6%
1900 57.5 +2.9%
1905 59.9 +4.2%
1910 66.2 +10.5%
1915 68.5 +3.5%
1920 70.5 +2.9%
1925 73.7 +4.5%
1930 78.2 +6.1%
1935 81.9 +4.7%
1940 87.7 +7.1%
1945 93.9 +7.1%
1950 97.3 +3.6%
1955 97.8 +0.5%
1960 98.2 +0.4%
1965 98.8 +0.6%
1970 98.8 +0.0%
1975 97.5 -1.3%
1980 96.4 -1.1%
1985 95.8 -0.6%
1990 95.8 +0.0%
1995 96.2 +0.4%
2000 96.8 +0.6%
2005 95.8 -1.0%
2010 96.1 +0.3%
2015 96.5 +0.4%
2020 97 +0.5%

Belgium compared with similar countries

  • Belgium's 97 is below the median for high income countries, which is 99, 98% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
  • Belgium's 97 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 98.95, 98% of the median. (28 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1870s 54.3 52.8 55.8 2
1880s 55.55 54.9 56.2 2
1890s 55.45 55 55.9 2
1900s 58.7 57.5 59.9 2
1910s 67.35 66.2 68.5 2
1920s 72.1 70.5 73.7 2
1930s 80.05 78.2 81.9 2
1940s 90.8 87.7 93.9 2
1950s 97.55 97.3 97.8 2
1960s 98.5 98.2 98.8 2
1970s 98.15 97.5 98.8 2
1980s 96.1 95.8 96.4 2
1990s 96 95.8 96.2 2
2000s 96.3 95.8 96.8 2
2010s 96.3 96.1 96.5 2
2020s 97 97 97 1

Countries ranked near Belgium

  1. 54 Ecuador 97.1 compare
  2. 54 Thailand 97.1 compare
  3. 56 Malta 97 compare
  4. 58 Paraguay 96.9 compare
  5. 58 Sweden 96.9 compare

See the full ranking of 111 places →

More education data for Belgium

All data for Belgium →

Frequently asked questions

What is population having attained at least basic education in Belgium?
Population having attained at least basic education in Belgium was 97 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest population having attained at least basic education recorded in Belgium?
The highest recorded value was 98.8 in 1965.
What is the lowest population having attained at least basic education recorded in Belgium?
The lowest recorded value was 52.8 in 1875.
How does Belgium rank for population having attained at least basic education?
Belgium ranks 56th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
Is population having attained at least basic education rising or falling in Belgium?
Over the last ten years it is up 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Belgium data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Population having attained at least basic education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population having attained at least basic education in Belgium. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 13 November 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/population-having-attained-at-least-basic-education/belgium/

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About this data

Indicator
Population having attained at least basic education
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
111 places, 3,441 data points, 1870–2020
Last refreshed