Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
First results on the main demographic developments in the reference year (number of births, deaths, immigrants and emigrants). First estimate on the population size on 31/12/YYYY = the population size on 01/01/(YYYY+1).
3.2. Classification system
Not applicable.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Not applicable.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
See sheets 3.4.1, 3.4.2 and 3.4.3 in the annex at the bottom of the file.
3.4.1. Residence definition for data sent to Eurostat
See sheet 3.4.1 in the annex at the bottom of the file.
3.4.2. National definition
See sheet 3.4.2 in the annex at the bottom of the file.
3.4.3. Deviation of national definition from the definition used in data sent to Eurostat
See sheet 3.4.3 in the annex at the bottom of the file.
3.5. Statistical unit
Number of persons.
3.6. Statistical population
See sheet 3.6 in the annex at the bottom of the file.
3.7. Reference area
Data are available only at national level of geographical detail.
3.8. Coverage - Time
See concept 5.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Counts of statistical units
The reference date for population data is the end of the reference period (midnight of 31December).
The reference period for vital events data is the calendar year in which the events occurred.
The reference period for migration flow data is the calendar year in which the migration occurred.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Royal Decree of 26 August 1966 on annual statistics on births, deaths, marriages, divorces, recognitions, legitimations, adoptions, immigration and emigration.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Law of 4 July 1962 on official statistics (amended by the Act of 1 August 1985 on tax and other measures, the Act of 21 December 1994 on social and other provisions, the Law of 2 January 2001 on social provisions, Budget and miscellaneous and by the program law of 22 December 2008)
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
In accordance with the law of 4 July 1962 on official statistics
8.1. Release calendar
Yearly. Publication of the population size and dynamics according to the Belgian population definition, during the course of June. The release calendar is publicly available on our national website.
The population size and dynamics according to the Usual Resident population are not published on our national website, they are solely provided to Eurostat.
Note: population according to the Belgian population definition.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Not applicable.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Not applicable.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
This section shows the links to national methodology reports and reference metadata files available on-line concerning the supplied data.
See sheet 10.6 in the annex at the bottom of the file.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Not available
11.1. Quality assurance
All the statistical validation process is oriented towards the assurance of quality (internal cohernce controls, cross-checks when available...)
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Not yet available
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Many institutionnal and private users with their specific needs: Federal Plan Bureau for Population projections, National Bank for the national accounts, Universities for scientific analyses, business groups for marketing,...
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Follow-up of the demands and reporting about web-site consultations
12.3. Completeness
Constant efforts are made to extend the population statistics provided
13.1. Accuracy - overall
This section outlines the potential reasons for unreliability in data concerning population, live births, deaths, immigration, emigration and net migration.
See sheet 13.1 in the annex at the bottom of the file.
13.2. Sampling error
In case of survey as data source, this section provides information on the part of the difference between a population value and an estimate thereof, derived from a random sample, which is because only a subset of the population is enumerated.
See sheet 13.2 in the annex at the bottom of the file.
13.3. Non-sampling error
In case of survey as data source, this section provides information on the error in survey estimates which cannot be attributed to sampling fluctuations.
See sheet 13.3 in the annex at the bottom of the file.
14.1. Timeliness
Available within 6 months after the reference date.
14.2. Punctuality
punctuality = 100%
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Completely comparable
15.2. Comparability - over time
This section provides information on the length of comparable time series (indicating the first reference year for which data are available), reference periods at which break in series occurs, the reasons for the breaks and treatments of them.
See sheet 15.2 in the annex at the bottom of the file.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
For natural movement, 99% of coherence between Population National Register and civil registration.
For migration movement, Population National Register is the only source.
For Population also.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Calculation of population and migrations are completely integrated in one program - assuring coherence
Not available
17.1. Data revision - policy
No revision policy - usual resident population preliminary data are not disseminated on our national website.
On our website we only publish data according to the Belgian population definition.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Not applicable
18.1. Source data
This section provides a list of data sources used for the first reference year and any subsequent changes thereto, to produce data.
See sheet 18.1 in the annex at the bottom of the file.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Yearly for Statistics Belgium, but continue data collection for the National Register
18.3. Data collection
Data collected at the municipality level, harmonised and gathered at the national level.
18.4. Data validation
Selection of the pertinent cases (persons registered, livebirths, deaths...), coherence controls for each variable available, compilation of new variables, agregation in household units and agregation in geographical units.
18.5. Data compilation
Linkage with civil registration to guaranty the completness of natural movement data and editing of all the cases included in the statistical adjustement.
18.6. Adjustment
The Belgian population register 'suffers' from a limited number of shortcoming mainly late registrations. This results in a statistical adjustment of several of thousand persons - however on a population totaling more than 11.000.000 persons. There is scientifical agreement in Belgium that this is a acceptabel bias.
First results on the main demographic developments in the reference year (number of births, deaths, immigrants and emigrants). First estimate on the population size on 31/12/YYYY = the population size on 01/01/(YYYY+1).
10 July 2026
See sheets 3.4.1, 3.4.2 and 3.4.3 in the annex at the bottom of the file.
Number of persons.
See sheet 3.6 in the annex at the bottom of the file.
Data are available only at national level of geographical detail.
The reference date for population data is the end of the reference period (midnight of 31December).
The reference period for vital events data is the calendar year in which the events occurred.
The reference period for migration flow data is the calendar year in which the migration occurred.
This section outlines the potential reasons for unreliability in data concerning population, live births, deaths, immigration, emigration and net migration.
See sheet 13.1 in the annex at the bottom of the file.
Counts of statistical units
Linkage with civil registration to guaranty the completness of natural movement data and editing of all the cases included in the statistical adjustement.
This section provides a list of data sources used for the first reference year and any subsequent changes thereto, to produce data.
See sheet 18.1 in the annex at the bottom of the file.
Yearly.
Available within 6 months after the reference date.
Completely comparable
This section provides information on the length of comparable time series (indicating the first reference year for which data are available), reference periods at which break in series occurs, the reasons for the breaks and treatments of them.
See sheet 15.2 in the annex at the bottom of the file.
