Hospital beds per 1,000 people in Belgium
Belgium: Hospital beds per 1,000 people was 5.42 per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Hospital beds per 1,000 people in Belgium, 1970–2023
Source: World Health Organization (WHO) data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 5.42 per 1,000 people for hospital beds per 1,000 people in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, hospital beds per 1,000 people in Belgium peaked at 9.4 per 1,000 people in 1980 and was at its lowest, 5.42 per 1,000 people, in 2023.
Belgium ranks 24th of 179 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Hospital beds per 1,000 people in Belgium, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 8.3 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1980 | 9.4 per 1,000 people | +13.3% |
| 1985 | 9.1 per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1990 | 8 per 1,000 people | -12.1% |
| 1991 | 7.9 per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 7.7 per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 7.7 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 7.6 per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 7.2 per 1,000 people | -5.3% |
| 1998 | 7.2 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 7.1 per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 6.72 per 1,000 people | -5.4% |
| 2001 | 6.62 per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 6.54 per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 6.53 per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 6.48 per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 6.43 per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 6.35 per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 6.27 per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 6.25 per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 6.14 per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 6.09 per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 6.05 per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 5.98 per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 5.93 per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 5.85 per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 5.83 per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 5.76 per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 5.66 per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 5.62 per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 5.57 per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 5.53 per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 5.5 per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 5.46 per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 5.42 per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8.3 per 1,000 people | 8.3 per 1,000 people | 8.3 per 1,000 people | 1 |
| 1980s | 9.25 per 1,000 people | 9.1 per 1,000 people | 9.4 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1990s | 7.55 per 1,000 people | 7.1 per 1,000 people | 8 per 1,000 people | 8 |
| 2000s | 6.43 per 1,000 people | 6.14 per 1,000 people | 6.72 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.83 per 1,000 people | 5.57 per 1,000 people | 6.09 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.48 per 1,000 people | 5.42 per 1,000 people | 5.53 per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More health data for Belgium
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -3.28 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2923 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,160 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 59 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate -1.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.0768 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate -1.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.0803 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is hospital beds per 1,000 people in Belgium?
- Hospital beds per 1,000 people in Belgium was 5.42 per 1,000 people in 2023, according to World Health Organization (WHO) data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest hospital beds per 1,000 people recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 9.4 per 1,000 people in 1980.
- What is the lowest hospital beds per 1,000 people recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.42 per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does Belgium rank for hospital beds per 1,000 people?
- Belgium ranks 24th out of 179 countries with data for 2023.
- Is hospital beds per 1,000 people rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (WHO) data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Hospital beds per 1,000 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Hospital beds include inpatient beds available in public, private, general, and specialized hospitals and rehabilitation centers. In most cases beds for both acute and chronic care are included.