Proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers in Belgium
Belgium: Proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers was 63.3% 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
In 2023, proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers in Belgium stood at 63.3%.
The figure is up 5.0% on the previous year and up 28.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers in Belgium peaked at 71.3% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 17.3%, 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 | 17.3% | — |
| 2006 | 20.8% | +20.2% |
| 2007 | 19.2% | -7.7% |
| 2008 | 25.1% | +30.7% |
| 2009 | 36.6% | +45.8% |
| 2010 | 35.5% | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 41.2% | +16.1% |
| 2012 | 49.1% | +19.2% |
| 2014 | 59.2% | +20.6% |
| 2015 | 57.5% | -2.9% |
| 2019 | 62.4% | +8.5% |
| 2020 | 67.1% | +7.5% |
| 2021 | 71.3% | +6.3% |
| 2022 | 60.3% | -15.4% |
| 2023 | 63.3% | +5.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 23.8% | 17.3% | 36.6% | 5 |
| 2010s | 50.8% | 35.5% | 62.4% | 6 |
| 2020s | 65.5% | 60.3% | 71.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 27 Macau, China 66.2% compare
- 28 Luxembourg 64.1% compare
- 29 Bahrain 63.9% compare
- 31 North Macedonia 62.7% compare
- 32 Italy 61.3% compare
- 33 Georgia 59.3% 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 63.3% 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 71.3% in 2021.
- What is the lowest proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.3% 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 28.9%. 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, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release