Proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers in Belgium
Belgium: Proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers was 61.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers in Belgium, 2005–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 61.8% for proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 14.4% on the previous year and up 22.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers in Belgium peaked at 68.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 17.6%, in 2005.
That places Belgium 30th out of 60 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 17.6% | — |
| 2006 | 22.2% | +26.1% |
| 2007 | 21.8% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 28.1% | +28.9% |
| 2009 | 38.0% | +35.2% |
| 2010 | 43.7% | +15.0% |
| 2011 | 41.6% | -4.8% |
| 2012 | 50.3% | +20.9% |
| 2014 | 60.6% | +20.5% |
| 2015 | 60.2% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 62.7% | +4.2% |
| 2020 | 68.6% | +9.4% |
| 2021 | 60.3% | -12.1% |
| 2022 | 54.0% | -10.4% |
| 2023 | 61.8% | +14.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 25.5% | 17.6% | 38.0% | 5 |
| 2010s | 53.2% | 41.6% | 62.7% | 6 |
| 2020s | 61.2% | 54.0% | 68.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 27 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 63.7% compare
- 28 Slovenia 63.3% compare
- 29 Brazil 62.2% compare
- 31 Slovakia 61.3% compare
- 32 Luxembourg 60.7% compare
- 33 Macau, China 60.4% compare
More education data for Belgium
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 137,795 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 17,384 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 221,494 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 210,503 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.18 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 814,388 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.1356 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0691 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers in Belgium?
- Proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers in Belgium was 61.8% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 68.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.6% in 2005.
- How does Belgium rank for proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers?
- Belgium ranks 30th out of 60 countries with data for 2023.
- Is proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers, magazines or electronic books in digital format, 15-24 years old, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release