Data as of Nov 4, 2026, 4:51 PM UTC

SERIAL · 056Europe

Belgium

CapitalBrussels

CurrencyEUR · euro

LanguageFrench, German, Dutch

Area30,689 km²

Since1830

ISOBEL · BE

Population

11.9Mas of 2025

— THE COUNTRY —

Country in Northwestern Europe

Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to the south, and the North Sea to the west. Belgium covers an area of 30,689 km2 (11,849 sq mi) and has a population of more than 11.8 million; its population density of 383/km2 (990/sq mi) ranks 22nd in the world and sixth in Europe. The capital and largest metropolitan region is Brussels; other major cities are Antwerp, Ghent, Charleroi, Liège, Bruges, Namur, and Leuven.

Text: Wikipedia — BelgiumCC BY-SA 4.0 · revised 2026-10-29

— FACTS —

Motto: Unity makes strength
Capital: Brussels
Currency: euro (EUR)
Official language: French, German, Dutch
Drives on the: Right
Calling code: +32
Licence plate code: B
Top-level domain: .be
Independence / founding: 04 Oct 1830
Highest point: Signal de Botrange (694 m)
Lowest point: De Moeren
Anthem: The Brabançonne
Patron saint: Saint Joseph

Facts: Wikidata (CC0) · as of 2026-11-04

— LAND —

Land covered by forest

22.0%% of land area

#125 of 2132024

69% of world average

Forest area

6,705km²

#133 of 2132025

4% of world average

Agricultural land

44.4%% of land area

#82 of 2092024

120% of world average

Farmable (arable) land

28.3%% of land area

#33 of 2062024

203% of world average

Land area

30,689km²

#137 of 2152024

5% of world average

— PEOPLE —

Population

11.9Mpeople

#81 of 2162025

31% of world average

Population growth

0.7%% per year

#121 of 2162025

71% of world average

Population density

389people per km²

#28 of 2152024

86% of world average

People living in cities

87.7%% of population

#42 of 2162025

139% of world average

Urban population growth

0.8%% per year

#137 of 2162025

50% of world average

People living rurally

12.3%% of population

#175 of 2162025

34% of world average

Population aged 0-14

15.7%% of population

#170 of 2162025

62% of world average

Population aged 15-64

63.3%% of population

#128 of 2162025

99% of world average

Population aged 65+

21.0%% of population

#28 of 2162025

194% of world average

▸ ISSUE 7 MORE

Age dependency ratio

57.9%% of working-age population

#89 of 2162025

101% of world average

Female population

50.7%% of population

#79 of 2162025

101% of world average

Births per woman

1.44births per woman

#166 of 2162024

61% of world average

Birth rate

9.2 /1,000per 1,000 people

#169 of 2162024

53% of world average

Death rate

9.5 /1,000per 1,000 people

#50 of 2162024

123% of world average

Net migration

31,989people (5-year total)

#27 of 2162025

29052% of world average

Migrants living in the country

20.0%% of population

#44 of 2152024

151% of world average

— MONEY —

GDP

$725.47Bcurrent US$

#22 of 2112025

130% of world average

GDP, purchasing power parity

$891.76Bcurrent int'l $

#37 of 1992025

85% of world average

GDP per person

$60,750current US$

#21 of 2112025

253% of world average

GDP per person, purchasing power parity

$74,676current int'l $

#24 of 1992025

224% of world average

GDP growth

1.0%% per year

#175 of 2102025

29% of world average

GDP per person growth

0.3%% per year

#171 of 2102025

12% of world average

Gross national income

$734.63Bcurrent US$

#22 of 2042025

129% of world average

Gross national income per person

$59,500current US$

#21 of 2032025

295% of world average

Gross national income per person, PPP

$75,620current int'l $

#22 of 1972025

238% of world average

▸ ISSUE 25 MORE

Inflation

2.5%% per year

#82 of 1902025

29% of world average

Inflation (GDP deflator)

2.6%% per year

#75 of 2092025

36% of world average

Government revenue

37.9%% of GDP

#23 of 1492024

145% of world average

Government spending

39.7%% of GDP

#20 of 1492022

144% of world average

Government consumption

24.0%% of GDP

#25 of 1812025

137% of world average

Household consumption

52.3%% of GDP

#136 of 1812025

81% of world average

Investment (gross capital formation)

25.7%% of GDP

#64 of 1782025

110% of world average

Fixed investment

23.9%% of GDP

#66 of 1732025

107% of world average

Gross savings

24.0%% of GDP

#71 of 1682025

109% of world average

Foreign investment inflows

-$28.79Bcurrent US$

#198 of 2012025

-342% of world average

Foreign investment inflows

-4.0%% of GDP

#195 of 1982025

no comparison

Foreign investment outflows

-2.7%% of GDP

#176 of 1792025

-123% of world average

Current account balance

-0.2%% of GDP

#101 of 1912025

no comparison

Foreign reserves

$56.39Bcurrent US$

#45 of 1772025

56% of world average

Income inequality (Gini)

26.80-100

#12 of 1472023

75% of world average

People below the poverty line

0.1%% of population

#14 of 1472023

1% of world average

Income share held by richest 10%

22.2%%

#14 of 1472023

80% of world average

Income share held by poorest 10%

3.7%%

#17 of 1472023

132% of world average

Stock market value

59.2%% of GDP

#31 of 882018

78% of world average

Money sent home by workers abroad

$16.35Bcurrent US$

#14 of 1862025

317% of world average

Exchange rate

0.885local currency per US$

#180 of 2112025

0% of world average

Agriculture's share of the economy

0.7%% of GDP

#179 of 1992025

7% of world average

Industry's share of the economy

18.6%% of GDP

#136 of 2022025

76% of world average

Manufacturing's share of the economy

11.2%% of GDP

#88 of 1952025

102% of world average

Services' share of the economy

71.2%% of GDP

#31 of 2022025

123% of world average

5 of 39 figures unavailable for Belgium.

— TRADE —

Exports

75.5%% of GDP

#22 of 1872025

174% of world average

Imports

77.5%% of GDP

#25 of 1872025

156% of world average

Trade balance

-2.0%% of GDP

#91 of 1872025

no comparison

Total trade (openness)

152.4%% of GDP

#8 of 2052025

236% of world average

Goods exported

$568.11Bcurrent US$

#12 of 2072025

459% of world average

Goods imported

$537.70Bcurrent US$

#15 of 2072025

426% of world average

Services exported

$160.95Bcurrent US$

#17 of 1912025

331% of world average

Services imported

$170.90Bcurrent US$

#14 of 1912025

389% of world average

Goods and services exported

$550.01Bcurrent US$

#19 of 1912025

314% of world average

▸ ISSUE 3 MORE

Goods and services imported

$553.77Bcurrent US$

#18 of 1912025

327% of world average

High-tech share of exports

19.8%% of manufactured exports

#34 of 1792024

163% of world average

Terms of trade

98.7index

#122 of 2062024

93% of world average

— HEALTH —

Life expectancy

82.3 yrsyears

#31 of 2162024

111% of world average

Life expectancy, women

84.4 yrsyears

#31 of 2162024

110% of world average

Life expectancy, men

80.3 yrsyears

#31 of 2162024

112% of world average

Infant deaths

3.1 /1,000per 1,000 live births

#26 of 1962024

17% of world average

Deaths under age 5

3.7 /1,000per 1,000 live births

#26 of 1962024

15% of world average

Maternal deaths

4per 100,000 live births

#14 of 1942023

3% of world average

Health spending

10.8%% of GDP

#19 of 1932023

158% of world average

Health spending per person

$5,931current US$

#16 of 1932023

406% of world average

Physicians

3.6 /1,000per 1,000 people

#44 of 1872022

170% of world average

▸ ISSUE 10 MORE

Nurses and midwives

12.9 /1,000per 1,000 people

#10 of 1962021

273% of world average

Hospital beds

5.4 /1,000per 1,000 people

#24 of 1572023

183% of world average

Access to clean drinking water

100.0%% of population

#1 of 2142024

110% of world average

Access to basic sanitation

99.5%% of population

#37 of 2132024

123% of world average

Suicide rate

18.4per 100,000 people

#171 of 1852021

215% of world average

Adults who smoke

23.5%% of adults

#109 of 1662024

119% of world average

HIV prevalence

0.2%% aged 15-49

#46 of 1532024

15% of world average

Tuberculosis cases

2.7per 100,000 people

#16 of 2082024

3% of world average

Undernourishment

2.5%% of population

#1 of 1682024

25% of world average

Children vaccinated against measles

96.0%% of children 12-23 months

#46 of 1932024

112% of world average

— LEARNING —

Education spending

6.3%% of GDP

#23 of 1902022

145% of world average

Education spending

12.0%% of government spending

#110 of 1892022

89% of world average

Primary school enrolment

102.1%% gross

#76 of 2002023

101% of world average

Secondary school enrolment

143.0%% gross

#2 of 1882023

164% of world average

University enrolment

82.1%% gross

#23 of 1672023

165% of world average

Pupils per teacher, primary school

11.3pupils per teacher

#18 of 1602017

51% of world average

Years of compulsory education

13.0 yrsyears

#17 of 1972025

129% of world average

3 of 10 figures unavailable for Belgium.

— WORK —

Unemployment

5.9%% of labour force

#107 of 1862025

86% of world average

Youth unemployment

17.8%% of labour force aged 15-24

#123 of 1862025

113% of world average

Labour force participation

54.3%% aged 15+

#143 of 1862025

90% of world average

Women in the labour force

49.8%% of women aged 15+

#120 of 1862025

98% of world average

Men in the labour force

59.0%% of men aged 15+

#169 of 1862025

84% of world average

Labour force

5.5Mpeople

#82 of 1862025

27% of world average

Working in agriculture

1.0%% of employment

#177 of 1862025

4% of world average

Working in industry

19.2%% of employment

#90 of 1862025

98% of world average

Working in services

79.8%% of employment

#19 of 1862025

137% of world average

▸ ISSUE 3 MORE

Self-employed

14.6%% of employment

#144 of 1862025

38% of world average

Labour force with advanced education

75.3%% of labour force

#106 of 1712024

99% of world average

Employed

51.1%% aged 15+

#135 of 1862025

90% of world average

— CONNECTED —

People online

95.8%% of population

#23 of 2072024

134% of world average

Mobile phone subscriptions

104per 100 people

#134 of 2102024

90% of world average

Fixed broadband subscriptions

44.2per 100 people

#17 of 2082024

243% of world average

Fixed telephone lines

21.2per 100 people

#57 of 2132024

142% of world average

Access to electricity

100.0%% of population

#1 of 2142024

113% of world average

Access to clean cooking fuel

100.0%% of population

#1 of 1892024

144% of world average

Electricity used per person

6,963kWh per person

#24 of 1492025

165% of world average

Energy used per person

4,077kg oil equivalent per person

#21 of 1492024

181% of world average

Air passengers carried

11.4Mpassengers

#46 of 1652023

44% of world average

▸ ISSUE 9 MORE

Air freight

1,831million tonne-km

#19 of 1632023

140% of world average

Rail network

3,612route-km

#38 of 842021

35% of world average

Rail passengers

6,970million passenger-km

#27 of 782021

25% of world average

Container port traffic

12.4MTEU

#17 of 1672024

227% of world average

Research and development spending

3.3%% of GDP

#7 of 1272023

336% of world average

Patent applications by residents

647count

#38 of 1422024

4% of world average

Scientific journal articles published

16,816count

#28 of 1972023

102% of world average

Tourists arriving

2.6Mcount

#57 of 1942020

50% of world average

Money earned from tourism

$7.45Bcurrent US$

#25 of 1752020

201% of world average

— NATURE —

Carbon emissions per person

7.31tonnes per person

#173 of 2032024

162% of world average

Carbon emissions

86.6Mt CO2

#161 of 2032024

46% of world average

Greenhouse gas emissions

108Mt CO2-equivalent

#155 of 2032024

43% of world average

Protected land

16.4%% of land area

#112 of 2132025

87% of world average

Protected coastal waters

38.3%% of territorial waters

#13 of 1742025

371% of world average

Freshwater withdrawn

35.8%% of internal resources

#134 of 1772022

28% of world average

Renewable water available per person

1,027m³ per person

#125 of 1832022

7% of world average

Renewable energy use

11.7%% of final energy consumption

#136 of 2122021

40% of world average

Electricity from renewables

23.5%% of total

#102 of 2062021

68% of world average

▸ ISSUE 3 MORE

Electricity from fossil fuels

24.7%% of total

#49 of 2092025

42% of world average

Electricity from nuclear power

32.6%% of total

#5 of 2082025

915% of world average

Energy imported (net)

88.5%% of energy use

#14 of 1432024

no comparison

— STATE —

Military spending

2.0%% of GDP

#99 of 1562025

90% of world average

Military spending

$14.53Bcurrent US$

#32 of 1602025

87% of world average

Military spending

3.7%% of government spending

#133 of 1532025

50% of world average

Armed forces personnel

24,000people

#96 of 1702020

15% of world average

Armed forces

0.5%% of labour force

#120 of 1682020

37% of world average

Tax revenue

23.0%% of GDP

#30 of 1492024

137% of world average

Homicides

1.08per 100,000 people

#44 of 1582021

14% of world average

— TRADE PARTNERS —

Loading trade partner map…

— TRADE —

No trade data available for Belgium.

— EXTRAS —

Anthem

The BrabançonneAudio: Wikimedia Commons

Capital time

--:--:--Brussels · approx. UTC+0

Neighbours

France

Germany Kingdom of the Netherlands

Luxembourg

Landmarks

lifts on the old Canal du CentreImage: Wikimedia Commons

Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of EuropeImage: Wikimedia Commons

Vladslo German war cemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Museum Plantin-MoretusImage: Wikimedia Commons

Béguinages in FlandersImage: Wikimedia Commons

Tournai CathedralImage: Wikimedia Commons

The Architectural Work of Le CorbusierImage: Wikimedia Commons

Bellefontaine Franco-German military cemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Colonies of BenevolenceImage: Wikimedia Commons

Funerary and memory sites of the First World War (Western Front)Image: Wikimedia Commons

Cemetery of the Executed in TaminesImage: Wikimedia Commons

Military plots of Robermont CemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Marktplein (Sint-Lievens-Houtem)Image: Wikimedia Commons

Neolithic flint mines of SpiennesImage: Wikimedia Commons

Belfries of Belgium and FranceImage: Wikimedia Commons

Bruges City HallImage: Wikimedia Commons

Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor HortaImage: Wikimedia Commons

Saint-Charles de Potyze Military CemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Major Mining Sites of WalloniaImage: Wikimedia Commons

Lijssenthoek Military CemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Belle-Motte French National CemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Kemmelberg OssuaryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Lone Tree CemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Essex Farm CemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Houthulst military cemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Strand Military CemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Hyde Park Corner (Royal Berks) CemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Track "X" CemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Tyne Cot CemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Ploegsteert Wood Military CemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Spanbroekmolen British CemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Hedge Row Trench CemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Berks Cemetery ExtensionImage: Wikimedia Commons

Oeren military cemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Du Plateau CemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Polygon Wood CemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Rifle House CemeteryImage: Wikimedia Commons

Welsh Cemetery (Caesar's Nose)Image: Wikimedia Commons

Ploegsteert Memorial to the MissingImage: Wikimedia Commons

People

Maurice MaeterlinckBelgian playwright and essayist (1862–1949)

Pierre-Joseph ProudhonFrench politician, philosopher, anarchist and socialist (1809-1865)

Max VerstappenDutch and Belgian racing driver

Claude Lévi-StraussFrench anthropologist and ethnologist (1908–2009)

René MagritteBelgian surrealist (1898–1967)

Leopold II of BelgiumKing of the Belgians from 1865 to 1909 (1835–1909)

Philippe of BelgiumKing of the Belgians since 2013

Jean-Claude Van DammeBelgian actor and martial artist (born 1960)

Eden HazardBelgian footballer (born 1991)

Kevin De BruyneBelgian association football player (born 1991)

Herman Van RompuyBelgian politician; former Prime Minister of Belgium and first permanent President of the European Council (born 1947)

Marguerite YourcenarFrench novelist and essayist (1903-1987)

History

04 Oct 1830Belgium founded as a sovereign state

21 Jul 1831Belgian Revolution

19 Apr 1839Treaty of London

27 Dec 1945Joined the United Nations

Size, side by side

Loading size comparison…

1960 → now

2026

Population11.9M2025

GDP$725.47B2025

GDP per person$60,7502025