A total of 113,800 births were recorded in Belgium last year – 2.4% fewer than the average Belgian birthrate between 2018 and 2021, the national statistics agency Statbel reported.

The decline in births was much greater in Brussels than Wallonia or Flanders. With just 14,600 births, Brussels saw a 11.1% decline in birthrate. Flanders and Wallonia only experienced decreases of 1.2% and 0.6% respectively.