* Linguistic Complexity: Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French, and German. There's a complex linguistic divide with regions dominated by one language or another, and significant bilingualism.
* Data Collection Challenges: Statistics on first language are not always collected in a standardized way. Some surveys might include the primary language spoken at home, while others focus on self-reported native language.
However, here's an approximation based on available data:
* Roughly 40% of Belgians speak French as their first language. This figure is based on estimates from various sources, including official census data and linguistic studies.
Important Notes:
* The Brussels-Capital Region: French is the dominant language in Brussels, which has a large multilingual population.
* The Wallonia Region: French is the primary language in Wallonia, the southern region of Belgium.
* The Flemish Region: Dutch is the primary language in Flanders, the northern region of Belgium.
It's important to remember that these are approximate figures. The linguistic landscape of Belgium is complex, and there are variations within different regions and communities.