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Black Belgians

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Black Belgians
Afrobelgen
Afrobelges
Afrobelgier
Four Studies of the Head of a Moor by Rubens, c. 1615. The unidentified subject of the oil sketch was probably a resident of Antwerp.[1]
Regions with significant populations
Throughout Belgium
Languages
Dutch • French • German • Languages of Africa
Religion
Christianity • Islam • Traditional African religions • Non-adherence

Afro-Belgians (Dutch: Afrobelgen; French: Afrobelges; German: Afrobelgier) or Black Belgians, are defined as Belgians of Sub-Saharan African descent.

A total of 358,268 Sub-Saharan Africans lived in Belgium in 2023, comprising 3.06% of the population, according to Statistics Belgium. 95,282 (27% of the total Sub-Saharan African population) lived in Brussels.[2]

Most Sub-Saharan Africans in Belgium originate from Cameroon, Mali, Guinea, Senegal, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi. The Brussels neighborhoods of Ixelles and Matonge have large Black populations.[3][4][5]

A street scene in Matonge, one of Belgium's most diverse neighborhoods with a large African population (2009)
Two supporters of the Belgian national football team at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Belgium national team

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In 2017, 19 out of 52 total players in the men's Belgium national football team were of African origin.[6]

Notable Afro-Belgians

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Football players

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Romelu Lukaku, a football player of Congolese descent
Stromae, a singer of Flemish and Rwandese descent
Nafissatou Thiam, an athlete of Belgian and Senegalese descent
Michy Batshuayi, a football player of Congolese descent
Marie-Pierra Kakoma, professionally known as Lous and the Yakuza, a singer rapper of Congolese and Rwandese descent
Élodie Ouédraogo, a retired sprinter of Burkinabé descent
Baloji, a rapper and singer of Congolese descent

Other sports

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Politicians

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  • Assita Kanko, politician, member of the European Parliament
  • Pierre Kompany, politician, the first black mayor in Belgium, father of football player Vincent Kompany
  • Wouter Van Bellingen, politician and the first black alderman in Belgium

Arts and music

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References

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  1. ↑ Sutton, Peter C.; Rubens, Peter Paul; Wieseman, Marjorie E.; Hout, Nico van (2004-01-01). Drawn by the Brush: Oil Sketches by Peter Paul Rubens. Yale University Press. p. 112. ISBN 978-0-300-10626-8.
  2. ↑ "Origin | Statbel". statbel.fgov.be. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  3. ↑ Spencer, Katrina (2023-03-28). "Exploring Black Brussels: A Trip to Matongé". Vinegar Hill Magazine. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  4. ↑ "Matonge, an African home in Brussels". Reuters. 2020-06-29. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  5. ↑ Beddington, Emma (2013-11-03). "Out of Africa: Brussels' vibrant Matonge quarter". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  6. ↑ "Belgium's African roots".
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