Belgium
Globally, Belgium places #10 in human development index. This ranking reflects a standout track record. Ready to explore more about Belgium?
Belgium is a country in Europe with a population of 11.96M and an area of 30,528 km². Life expectancy is 82.4 years.
At a Glance
The numbers that define this country
Human Development Index
0.95The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
72.2KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
GDP Per Capita
$63.1KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
University Enrollment Rate
82.1%Total university and college enrollment as a percentage of the typical college-age population.
Life Satisfaction
7.60How satisfied people are with their lives, rated on a scale from 0 to 10.
Internet Users (%)
95.8%The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
Where They Stand Out
Global rankings worth knowing
❤️Doctors (per 1,000)
6.53The number of doctors per 1,000 people.
🚀R&D Spending (% GDP)
3.4%Spending on research and development as a percentage of GDP.
🚀Human Development Index
0.95The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
🌱Electricity Access (%)
100.0%The percentage of the population with access to electricity.
💰GDP (Nominal)
671.37BThe country's total economic output in current US dollars.
Did You Know?
Facts that catch players off guard
Ranks #6 globally in doctors (per 1,000)
Doctors (per 1,000): 6.53
The number of doctors per 1,000 people.
World Bank 2023Only ranks #193 in fdi inflows (% gdp)
FDI Inflows (% GDP): -6.2%
Foreign investment flowing into the country as a percentage of GDP.
World Bank 2023Ranks #5 globally in r&d spending (% gdp)
R&D Spending (% GDP): 3.4%
Spending on research and development as a percentage of GDP.
World Bank 2023Ranks #10 globally in human development index
Human Development Index: 0.95
The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Our World in Data 2023Ranks #13 globally in electricity access (%)
Electricity Access (%): 100.0%
The percentage of the population with access to electricity.
World Bank 2023Surprised? See how you stack up.
Play NowHow Belgium Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
GDP per Capita
Above avgGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
World Bank 2023Life Expectancy
Above avgHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
World Bank 2023Human Development Index
Above avgThe Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Our World in Data 2023Internet Users
Above avgThe percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
World Bank 2023Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Test Your IntuitionAbout Belgium
Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. In recent years, longstanding tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemish of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. The capital city of Brussels is home to numerous international organizations, including the EU and NATO.
- Location
- Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
- Climate
- temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
- Terrain
- flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
- Natural Resources
- construction materials, silica sand, carbonates, arable land
- Natural Hazards
- flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes
- Size Comparison
- about the size of Maryland
- Languages
- Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 2.3%, other Christian, 2.8%, Muslim 6.8%, other 1.7%, atheist 9.1%, nonbeliever/agnostic 20.2% (2018 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Belgian 75.2%, Italian 4.1%, Moroccan 3.7%, French 2.4%, Turkish 2%, Dutch 2%, other 10.6% (2012 est.)
- Major Cities
- 2.122 million BRUSSELS (capital), 1.057 million Antwerp (2023)
- Government Type
- federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
- Capital
- Brussels
- Capital Coordinates
- 50 84 N, 4 35 E
- Capital Timezone
- UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Kingdom of Belgium
- Name Origin
- the name derives from the Belgae, an ancient Celtic tribal confederation that inhabited an area between the English Channel and the west bank of the Rhine in the first centuries B.C.
- Independence
- 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)
- National Symbols
- golden rampant lion
- National Anthem
- "La Brabançonne" (The Song of Brabant)
- UNESCO Heritage
- 16 (15 cultural, 1 natural)
- Overview
- high-income, core EU and eurozone economy; slow growth with weakened domestic consumption and export demand; high public debt and structural deficits linked to social spending; aging workforce with weak productivity growth and participation rates
- Industries
- engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, base metals, textiles, glass, petroleum
- Agricultural Products
- sugar beets, milk, potatoes, wheat, pork, lettuce, maize, chicken, barley, pears (2023)
- Export Partners
- France 20%, Netherlands 15%, Germany 14%, Italy 6%, USA 5% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- refined petroleum, natural gas, vaccines, cars, packaged medicine (2023)
- Import Partners
- Netherlands 20%, Germany 13%, France 11%, USA 7%, Ireland 4% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- cars, natural gas, vaccines, packaged medicine, crude petroleum (2023)
- Military Forces
- Belgian Armed Forces (Defensie or La Défense): Land Component, Marine (Naval) Component, Air Component, Medical Component, Cyber Command (2025)
- Military Service
- 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; maximum age varies by position; conscription abolished in 1995 (2025)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 24.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); nuclear: 40.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 9.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 20% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: -0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) note: Belgium has negative net hydroelectric power generation based on losses from use of pumped storage hydropower; biomass and waste: 6.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Broadcast Media
- a segmented market with the three major linguistic communities (Flemish-, French-, and German-speaking) each responsible for their own broadcast media; multiple TV channels exist for each community; over 90% of households are connected to cable and can access TV broadcasts from neighboring countries; each community has a public radio network coexisting with private broadcasters
- Space Program
- builds satellites, particularly research/science/technology and remote sensing platforms; researches, develops, and produces a wide variety of space technologies, including telecommunications, optics, robotics, scientific instruments, and space launch vehicle components; founding member of the ESA and participates in a variety of ESA and EU projects, such as Space Surveillance and Tracking, Copernicus Earth observation, and Galileo global navigation satellite system; hosts the European Space Security and Education Center (established 1968); participates in international astronomy efforts, particularly through the European Southern Observatory (ESO); has worked with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial entities outside Europe, including those of Argentina, China, India, Russia, South Africa, UAE, Vietnam, and the US (2025)
Deep Dive
79 of 152 metricsEvery stat we track, organized by category
Related Countries
Neighboring Countries
France
Germany
Luxembourg
NetherlandsCountries with Similar GDP
Austria
Australia
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AzerbaijanShare a Fact
Share something surprising about Belgium!
The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Frequently Asked Questions about Belgium
Belgium has a population of 11.96M, ranking #82 globally by population.
Belgium is located in Europe. It has an area of 30,528 km².
Life expectancy in Belgium is 82.4 years, ranking #28 globally.
Belgium's GDP per capita (PPP) is 72.2K, ranking #23 globally.
Belgium ranks particularly high in Human Development Index (#10), GDP Per Capita (PPP) (#23), GDP Per Capita (#24).
Belgium has an HDI of 0.951, ranking #10 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
Belgium has a population density of 386.3 people per km², ranking #28 globally.
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