Population: 10,182,034 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17% (male 895,987; female 853,494)
15-64 years: 66% (male 3,389,572; female 3,318,266)
65 years and over: 17% (male 703,933; female 1,020,782) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.06% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 9.98 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 10.43 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.17 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.53 years
male: 74.31 years
female: 80.9 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.49 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Belgian(s)
adjective: Belgian

Ethnic groups: Fleming 55%, Walloon 33%, mixed or other 12%

Religions: Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%

Languages: Flemish 56%, French 32%, German 1%, legally bilingual 11%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%