Belgium
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Belgium (BE)
ECRML
Signed
(UNSIGNED)
Ratified
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In Force
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FCNM
Signed
2001
Ratified
(PENDING)
In Force
(PENDING)
Country Description
Belgium legally abolished language censuses in 1961, and no official data on language activity and statistics has been released since then. For a more in-depth perspective on why, refer to Research Brief #2 - in short, census numbers were directly tied to legal requirements before 1961. If the speaker numbers of a certain region exceeded 50%, the official language had to be officially changed, shifting the language border. The scientific objectivity of these census results was strongly called into question when certain regions "flipped" with real political consequences. Now, the Belgian "Language Border" is fixed and demarcates four distinct language areas: Flemish-dominant Flanders, French-dominant Wallonia, French and Flemish-bilingual Brussels, and German-dominant East Belgium. 93% of the German Community in Belgium speak German, coming up to approx. 76 145 people. There are also no official statistics on the numbers of French Belgian Sign Language, Flemish Sign Language, and German Sign Language users.
Pan-National Official Language(s)
This category only includes languages that are official throughout the whole country (with the exception of Belgium) - languages that are e.g. regionally 'co-official' are not listed here but can be identified in the categories below wherever a relevant legal document is listed. A future update could include lists of co-official languages, as well.
To increase their visibility, recognised Sign Languages are always listed as official languages even if they are not yet technically official. The data on legal recognition was aggregated from legal documents and official sources. Wherever possible, the national number was taken from a national census or recent study/official estimate – sources are listed. The endangerment level is adopted from Ethnologue and further estimates of endangerment can be found on the individual language profile (e.g. by clicking on 'Italian').
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Flemish
Germanic
|
Nederlands | Flanders; Bilingual area Brussels-Capital | 1831 / 1898 | Belgian Constitution (technically) / Equality Act / Gelijkheidswet (Coremans-De Vriendt Law) | Approx. 6 000 000 (not a census) | Speakers | 2005 | 1 (National) | |||
|
Flemish Sign Language (VGT)
Sign Language
|
Vlaamse Gebarentaal | Whole Country / Flemish language area | 2006 | Decree on the recognition of Flemish Sign Language / Decreet houdende de erkenning van de Vlaamse Gebarentaal | Approx. 13,000 (not a census) | Language used | 2023 | 5 (Developing) | |||
|
French
Romance
|
Français | Wallonia; Bilingual area Brussels-Capital | 1830 | Decree of the Provisional Government of 16 Nov 1830 / Pasinomie, 3e Série, xii, 82-83 | Approx. 8 815 000 (not a census, given) | Speakers | 2022 | 1 (National) | |||
|
French Belgian Sign Language (LSFB)
Sign Language
|
Langue des signes de Belgique francophone | Whole Country / French language area | 2003 | Law 28210 Decree relating to the recognition of sign language / Lois 28210 Décret relatif à la reconnaissance de la langue des signes | Approx. 49,736 (given, not a census) | Language used | 2008 | 5 (Developing) | |||
|
German
Germanic
|
Deutsch | East Belgium | 1963 | Act on the Use of the Court in Administrative Matters Art. 5 / Wet op het gebruik van de taten in bestuurszaken Art. 5 | Approx. 7 6145 (only in German-speaking region, not a census, given) | / | 2023 | 1 (National) | |||
|
German Sign Language (DGS)
Sign Language
|
Deutsche Gebärdensprache | Whole Country / East Belgium | 2019 | Draft decree on the recognition of German sign language / Dekretentwurf zur Anerkennung der deutschen Gebärdensprache | Not available | Not available | Not available | Not listed |
ECRML-Recognised Languages
This includes languages recognised under the European Charter of Regional and Minority Languages (ECRML). The data on legal recognition was aggregated from legal documents and official sources. Wherever possible, the national number was taken from a national census or recent study/official estimate – sources are listed. The endangerment level is adopted from Ethnologue and further estimates of endangerment can be found on the individual language profile (e.g. by clicking on 'Czech').
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level | ECRML level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| / | ||||||||||||
Non-ECRML Languages – Source Overview
Languages marked with ✓ appear in that source.
Languages listed in multiple sources may have differing data – see the detail tables below.
| Language | Ethnologue | ELP |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Yiddish | ✓ | |
| English | ✓ | |
| Limbourgish | ✓ | |
| Luxembourgish | ✓ | |
| Picard | ✓ | ✓ |
| Walloon | ✓ | ✓ |
| West Flemish | ✓ | |
| Western Yiddish | ✓ |
Non-ECRML Languages (Ethnologue)
Languages listed with an 'established status' in Ethnologue. The data on legal recognition, national number, and endangerment level was taken from Ethnologue, reflecting its current state and gaps of knowledge.
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Eastern Yiddish
Germanic
|
Yidish | Antwerp | / | / | / | / | / | / | 5* (Developing) | ||
|
English
Germanic
|
English | / | / | / | / | 4 478 800 | Users | 2021 | 4 (Educational) | ||
|
Limbourgish
Germanic
|
Limburgs | Liège province: Eupen; Limburg province: Hasselt, Genk, Maaseik, Voeren | / | / | / | 600 000 | Users | 2001 | 5 (Developing) | ||
|
Luxembourgish
Germanic
|
Moselle Frankish | Luxembourg province: Arlon and Bastogne area | 1990 | Valmy Feaux Decree (Statutory language of provincial identity in southeastern Wallonia) | / | 30 000 | Users | 1998 | 5* (Dispersed) | ||
|
Picard
Romance
|
Picard | Hainaut province: Ath, Mons, Soignies, and Tournai municipalities | 1990 | Valmy Feaux Decree (Statutory language of provincial identity in western Hinaut Province) | / | 200 000 | Users | 2007 | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
Walloon
Romance
|
Walon | Hainaut, Liège, Namur, Walloon Brabant provinces; Luxembourg province: Bastogne, Marche-en-Famenne, and Neufchâteau municipalities | 1990 | Valmy Feaux Decree (Statutory language of provincial identity in Wallonia) | / | 600 000 | Users | 2007 | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
West Flemish
Germanic
|
West-Vlams / Vlaemsch | West Flanders province | / | / | / | 1 070 000 | Users | 1998 | 6b (Threatened) |
Non-ECRML Languages (Endangered Languages Project)
Languages listed in the Endangered Languages Project (ELP). The data on legal recognition, national number, and endangerment level was taken from ELP, reflecting its current state and gaps of knowledge.
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Picard
Romance
|
Picard | / | / | / | / | No estimate available | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Vulnerable | ||
|
Walloon
Romance
|
Walon | / | / | / | / | 1 120 000 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Threatened | ||
|
Western Yiddish
Germanic
|
Yidish | / | / | / | / | 5 400 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Threatened |
Recognised Minorities
Further Reading
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