Hours of sunlight in Belgium 2008-2019

In 2019, Belgium’s weather institute registered approximately 1,760 hours of sunshine. During the decade covering 2008 to 2019, 2018 turned out to be the sunniest year of them all. On average, 1,600 hours of sunshine per year were measured in Belgium over this period. However, the number of sunshine hours varied each year. For instance, Belgium reached its lowest level of sunshine in 2008 with less than 1,500 hours. On the other hand, the country experienced an average of 200 days of rainfall per year, during this period.

Europe comparison

Although the Netherlands and Germany neighbor Belgium and share the same climate, hours of sunshine were higher in both countries. For instance, in 2018, over two thousand hours of sunshine were measured in the Netherlands and Germany. Although these differences are not outstanding, sunshine measures were continually higher from 2008 to 2018. Belgium was, therefore, not the sunniest destination in Europe. However, the country was not the least sunny either. Fewer hours of sunshine were, for example, reported in the United Kingdom.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D, also referred to as the sun vitamin, is created from our body when exposed to the sun’s UVB radiations. These rays are mostly found during the summer months and, therefore, insufficient exposure to the sun can create a Vitamin D deficiency. This vitamin is linked to various health benefits and its deficiency to diverse health implications. A day-light deficit can favor seasonal depression, characterized by tiredness; especially in Belgium, which reported an irregular number of summer days from 2008 to 2018. In 2014, around 20 percent of the Belgians were consuming Vitamin D supplements.