Study Finds Uneven Distribution of Mosques Across Belgium

Study Finds Uneven Distribution of Mosques Across Belgium
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A new academic study has found that the distribution of mosques in Belgium is highly uneven, leaving many neighborhoods in Brussels with limited local access to Islamic places of worship despite the city’s high concentration of mosques.

According to findings cited by Brussels Today, researchers identified 345 mosques across Belgium, including around 80 in Brussels. However, more than three-quarters of Brussels’ mosques are concentrated in a few districts, while at least 85 neighborhoods in the capital remain underserved.

The study, published by researchers from the University of Liège, the Free University of Brussels, and the University of Cambridge, said early Islamic centers were mostly established in migrant neighborhoods, creating a clustering effect in areas such as Molenbeek and Schaerbeek.

Researchers said the issue is not only the number of mosques, but also fair geographic access. Many mosques operate in non-purpose-built spaces such as warehouses or garages, partly due to administrative restrictions and local opposition in some areas.

The study also noted that mosques often serve wider social and educational roles beyond prayer. It concluded that the lack of balanced urban planning has left parts of Belgium’s Muslim population without easy access to these community centers.

Antwerp province has the highest number of mosques, with 72, followed by Brussels, but researchers said unequal distribution remains a significant urban and social challenge.