The demographics of Antwerp are monitored by Statistics Belgium. The population of the city as of 2022 is currently 530,630.
Population Population history of the city of Antwerp:
1374: 18,000 1486: 40,000 1500: around 44/49,000 inhabitantsBraudel, Fernand The Perspective of the World, 1985 1526: 50,000 1567: 105,000 (90,000 permanent residents and 15,000 "floating population", including foreign merchants and soldiers. At the time only 10 cities in Europe reached this size.) 1584: 84,000 (after the Spanish Fury, the French FuryDescription of the French Fury matter, see chapter 'Declaration of independence' in article 'William the Silent' and the Calvinist republic) 1586 (May): 60,000 (after siege) 1586 (October): 50,000 1591: 46,000 1612: 54,000 1620: 66,000 (Twelve Years' Truce) 1640: 54,000 (after the Black Death epidemics) 1700: 66,000 1765: 40,000 1784: 51,000 1800: 45,500 1815: 54,000 1830: 73,500 1856: 111,700 1880: 179,000 1900: 275,100 1925: 308,000 1959: 260,000
Growth rate Antwerp as a city has grown and declined in population size throughout its history.
Age structure The age structure of the city is as follows for 2022; +Age structure2022Under 1818 to 6465 and olderPopulation119,762324,37886,490Percentage22.6%61.1%16.3%
Fertility and births In 2019, a total of 7,398 were born in total
Gender There are slightly more men in the city of Antwerp than females. +Gender structure2022MenWomenPopulation number266,100264,530Percentage50.15%49.85%
Language As in all Flemish provinces, the official and standard language of the Antwerp province is Dutch. As with Flemish Brabant, North Brabant and Brussels, the local dialect is a Brabantian variety.
Religion The Religion of the City of Antwerp has historically been that of Roman Catholic. Due to modern migration however, there has been an introduction of non-Christian religions to the city such as the growth of Islam.
Antwerp is one of the few remaining European cities with a large Haredi (or Ultra Orthodox) Jewish population. The Jewish population numbers around 20,000 in total with a large portion belonging to the Ultra Orthodox community.
The Jewish community was once heavily involved in the diamond trade, however in recent years, immigrants from Gujarat in India have largely taken over the sector, with the vast majority of them being adherents of the Jain faith, making Antwerp also one of the few European cities with a substantial Jain population.
Origin In 2010, 36% to 39% of the inhabitants of Antwerp had a migrant background. Nationality (by citizenship)Population – 2020 (all districts)415,74720,10311,7808,3876,2214,5394,3764,3604,1313,0823,0432,8942,3892,3642,3222,017Others34,659 In 2022, 22% of the city did not have Belgian nationality (classified as a 'non-Belgian').
Group of originYear20012006201120162023Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Belgians with Belgian background340,13076.3%316,99368.7%291,49959.1%268,31751.9%235,37443.7%Belgians with foreign background50,37811.3%85,17118.5%115,23623.3%143,00927.6%178,47633.1%Neighboring country10,3442.3%11,91113,38714,82017,1323.2%EU27 (excluding neighboring country)5,1791.2%6,3287,5189,18112,5142.3%Outside EU 2734,8557.8%66,93294,331119,008148,83027.6%Non-Belgians55,06212.3%59,33212.9%86,78217.6%105,71620.4%125,06023.2%Neighboring country11,5152.6%13,38518,81022,58823,2534.3%EU27 (excluding neighboring country)7,1301.6%9,21518,55728,19733,1096.1%Outside EU 2736,4178.2%36,73249,41554,93168,69812.7%Total445,570100%461,496100%493,517100%517,042100%538,910100%
References