Ostend Population 2026

Ostend has a population of 69,011, making it the #22 biggest city in 🇧🇪 Belgium, located in Flanders. Roughly 0.6% of Belgium's population lives here. It is about 15× smaller than Brussels, the country's biggest city.

Location of Ostend (capital Brussels shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

69,011

Rank in Belgium

#22

Coordinates

51.22°N, 2.93°E

~6 m elevation · Europe/Brussels

Distance to capital (Brussels)

107 km

66 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Flanders

City	Population	Rank in Belgium
Antwerp	529,247	#2
Gent	265,086	#3
Brugge	118,509	#8
Leuven	101,032	#10
Deurne	78,747	#15
Hasselt	77,651	#16
Aalst	77,534	#17
Mechelen	77,530	#18

Cities near Ostend

Brugge118,509 people · ~21 km away
Roeselare56,016 people · ~33 km away
Kortrijk73,879 people · ~49 km away
Waregem35,896 people · ~50 km away
Mouscron52,069 people · ~56 km away
Gent265,086 people · ~58 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Ostend?

Ostend has a population of 69,011 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #22 biggest city in Belgium.

What region is Ostend in?

Ostend is located in Flanders, Belgium.

Is Ostend the capital of Belgium?

No, the capital of Belgium is Brussels, about 107 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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