Unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - SDG 8.5.2 in Belgium
Belgium: Unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - SDG 8.5.2 was 5.71 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
5.71
Change on year
up 2.9%
World rank
36th
of 69 countries
All-time high
13
in 1982
All-time low
2.1
in 1971
Years of data
54
1971–2024
Unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - SDG 8.5.2 in Belgium, 1971–2024
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 5.71 for unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - sdg 8.5.2 in 2024.
That represents a change of up 2.9% on the previous year and down 33.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - sdg 8.5.2 in Belgium peaked at 13 in 1982 and was at its lowest, 2.1, in 1971.
That places Belgium 36th out of 69 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - SDG 8.5.2 in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 2.1 | — |
| 1972 | 2.7 | +28.6% |
| 1973 | 2.8 | +3.7% |
| 1974 | 3 | +7.1% |
| 1975 | 5.1 | +70.0% |
| 1976 | 6.5 | +27.5% |
| 1977 | 5.67 | -12.8% |
| 1978 | 7.9 | +39.4% |
| 1979 | 6.96 | -11.9% |
| 1980 | 10.88 | +56.4% |
| 1981 | 11.35 | +4.3% |
| 1982 | 13 | +14.6% |
| 1983 | 11.66 | -10.3% |
| 1984 | 11.88 | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 11.32 | -4.7% |
| 1986 | 11.28 | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 11.26 | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 10.13 | -10.0% |
| 1989 | 8.28 | -18.2% |
| 1990 | 7.25 | -12.5% |
| 1991 | 6.98 | -3.7% |
| 1992 | 6.7 | -4.0% |
| 1993 | 8.08 | +20.5% |
| 1994 | 9.64 | +19.4% |
| 1995 | 9.34 | -3.2% |
| 1996 | 9.48 | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 8.95 | -5.6% |
| 1998 | 9.32 | +4.2% |
| 1999 | 8.65 | -7.2% |
| 2000 | 6.59 | -23.9% |
| 2001 | 6.18 | -6.2% |
| 2002 | 6.91 | +11.8% |
| 2003 | 7.68 | +11.1% |
| 2004 | 7.36 | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 8.44 | +14.6% |
| 2006 | 8.25 | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 7.46 | -9.5% |
| 2008 | 6.98 | -6.5% |
| 2009 | 7.91 | +13.4% |
| 2010 | 8.29 | +4.9% |
| 2011 | 7.14 | -13.9% |
| 2012 | 7.54 | +5.6% |
| 2013 | 8.43 | +11.7% |
| 2014 | 8.52 | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 8.48 | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 7.83 | -7.7% |
| 2017 | 7.09 | -9.5% |
| 2018 | 5.94 | -16.2% |
| 2019 | 5.36 | -9.7% |
| 2020 | 5.54 | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 6.25 | +12.7% |
| 2022 | 5.57 | -10.9% |
| 2023 | 5.55 | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 5.71 | +2.9% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 5.71 is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.67, 1.2× the median. (40 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 5.71 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.43, 1.1× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.75 | 2.1 | 7.9 | 9 |
| 1980s | 11.1 | 8.28 | 13 | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.44 | 6.7 | 9.64 | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.37 | 6.18 | 8.44 | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.46 | 5.36 | 8.52 | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.72 | 5.54 | 6.25 | 5 |
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)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0229 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.96 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - sdg 8.5.2 in Belgium?
- Unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - sdg 8.5.2 in Belgium was 5.71 in 2024, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - sdg 8.5.2 recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 13 in 1982.
- What is the lowest unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - sdg 8.5.2 recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1 in 1971.
- How does Belgium rank for unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - sdg 8.5.2?
- Belgium ranks 36th out of 69 countries with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - sdg 8.5.2 rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - SDG 8.5.2. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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