Brussels: map, population and postcodes

About Brussels

Brussels is a municipality in the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. On 1 January 2026 it had 198,674 inhabitants on an area of 32.8 km², a population density of 6,063 inhabitants per km². That is lower than the average of 7,745 per km² in Brussels-Capital Region.

By population, Brussels ranks 4th of Belgium’s 565 municipalities and 1st of the 19 municipalities in Brussels-Capital Region. By area it ranks 373rd in Belgium. Brussels is the capital of Brussels-Capital Region.

The official language is French and Dutch (bilingual). Like all 19 Brussels municipalities, Brussels is officially bilingual French and Dutch.

Population of Brussels since 2016

Population on 1 January, 2016–2026. The bars start above zero to make the change visible. Source: Statbel.

Between 1 January 2016 and 1 January 2026 the population of Brussels grew by 20,122 inhabitants (+11.3%), from 178,552 to 198,674. In the last year it changed by +360.

For population growth since 2016, Brussels ranks 34th of 565. Over the same period the Brussels-Capital Region changed by +5.7% and Belgium by +5.3%.

Postcode	Places
1000	Bruxelles, Brussel
1020	Laeken, Laken
1040	Etterbeek + 1040 Bruxelles, Brussel (shared with Etterbeek )
1050	Ixelles, Elsene + 1050 Bruxelles, Brussel (shared with Ixelles )
1110	NATO
1120	Neder-Over-Heembeek
1130	Haren

Postcode

Places

1000

Bruxelles, Brussel

1020

Laeken, Laken

1040

Etterbeek + 1040 Bruxelles, Brussel (shared with Etterbeek )

1050

Ixelles, Elsene + 1050 Bruxelles, Brussel (shared with Ixelles )

1110

NATO