Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. In recent years, political divisions 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.
land: 30,278 sq km
water: 250 sq km
border countries (4): France 556 km; Germany 133 km; Luxembourg 130 km; Netherlands 478 km
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit
continental shelf: median line with neighbors
lowest point: North Sea 0 m
mean elevation: 181 m
arable land: 27.2% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 16.1% (2018 est.)
forest: 22.4% (2018 est.)
other: 33.5% (2018 est.)
11,913,633 (2023 est.)
noun: Belgian(s)
adjective: Belgian
Belgian 75.2%, Italian 4.1%, Moroccan 3.7%, French 2.4%, Turkish 2%, Dutch 2%, other 10.6% (2012 est.)
Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%
major-language sample(s):
Het Wereld Feitenboek, een onmisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch)
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d’informations de base. (French)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
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.)
0-14 years: 17.03% (male 1,038,921/female 990,288)
15-64 years: 63.06% (male 3,788,406/female 3,724,202)
65 years and over: 19.91% (2023 est.) (male 1,049,402/female 1,322,414)
total dependency ratio: 56.5
youth dependency ratio: 26.1
elderly dependency ratio: 30.4
potential support ratio: 3.3 (2021 est.)
total: 41.9 years (2023 est.)
male: 40.7 years
female: 43 years
0.55% (2023 est.)
10.9 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
9.6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
4.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
most of the population concentrated in the northern two-thirds of the country; the southeast is more thinly populated; considered to have one of the highest population densities in the world; approximately 97% live in urban areas
urban population: 98.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
2.122 million BRUSSELS (capital), 1.057 million Antwerp (2023)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
29.2 years (2020 est.)
5 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
total: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births
total population: 82.1 years (2023 est.)
male: 79.5 years
female: 84.8 years
1.77 children born/woman (2023 est.)
0.86 (2023 est.)
66.7% (2018)
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
11.1% of GDP (2020)
6.08 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
5.6 beds/1,000 population (2019)
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
22.1% (2016)
total: 9.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 4.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 3.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 1.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total: 23.4% (2020 est.)
male: 25.8% (2020 est.)
female: 21% (2020 est.)
1% (2014/15)
43.2% (2023 est.)
6.7% of GDP (2020 est.)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total: 19 years
male: 18 years
female: 20 years (2020)
intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
agricultural land: 44.1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 27.2% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 16.1% (2018 est.)
forest: 22.4% (2018 est.)
other: 33.5% (2018 est.)
urban population: 98.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
particulate matter emissions: 11.26 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 96.89 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 7.78 megatons (2020 est.)
municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.708 million tons (2015 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,614,985 tons (2015 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 34.3% (2015 est.)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Seine (78,919 sq km), Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)
municipal: 740 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 3.47 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
18.3 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
high income economy with strong but moderate growth; high public debt; aging labor force; low labor force participation of low-skilled, migrant, and older workers; strong welfare system; high congestion; complex business permitting and judicial systems
$599.814 billion (2021 est.)
$565.149 billion (2020 est.)
$597.165 billion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
6.13% (2021 est.)
-5.36% (2020 est.)
2.24% (2019 est.)
$51,700 (2021 est.)
$49,000 (2020 est.)
$52,000 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
$533.028 billion (2019 est.)
2.44% (2021 est.)
0.74% (2020 est.)
1.44% (2019 est.)
Fitch rating: AA- (2016)
Moody’s rating: Aa3 (2011)
Standard & Poors rating: AA (2011)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
agriculture: 0.7% (2017 est.)
industry: 22.1% (2017 est.)
services: 77.2% (2017 est.)comparison rankings:
household consumption: 51.2% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 23.4% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 23.3% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.3% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 85.1% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -84.4% (2017 est.)
sugar beets, milk, potatoes, wheat, pork, lettuce, poultry, maize, barley, pears
engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, base metals, textiles, glass, petroleum
1.28% (2021 est.)
5.24 million (2021 est.)
6.42% (2021 est.)
5.55% (2020 est.)
5.36% (2019 est.)
total: 19.6% (2021 est.)
male: 18.9%
female: 20.4%
14.8% (2018 est.)
27.2 (2019 est.)
on food: 13.4% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 4.3% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
lowest 10%: 3.4%
highest 10%: 28.4% (2006)
revenues: $267.105 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $277.492 billion (2019 est.)
-1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
119.43% of GDP (2020 est.)
103.38% of GDP (2019 est.)
101.39% of GDP (2018 est.)
note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions; general government debt is defined by the Maastricht definition and calculated by the National Bank of Belgium as consolidated gross debt; the debt is defined in European Regulation EC479/2009 concerning the implementation of the protocol on the excessive deficit procedure annexed to the Treaty on European Union (Treaty of Maastricht) of 7 February 1992; the sub-sectors of consolidated gross debt are: federal government, communities and regions, local government, and social security funds
21.97% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
calendar year
$2.917 billion (2021 est.)
$5.702 billion (2020 est.)
$507.275 million (2019 est.)
$515.625 billion (2021 est.)
$417.222 billion (2020 est.)
$441.566 billion (2019 est.)
note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
Germany 17%, France 14%, Netherlands 13%, United Kingdom 8%, United States 6%, Italy 5% (2019)
vaccines and cultures, cars, packaged medicines, refined petroleum, diamonds, natural gas (2021)
note: Belgian amphetamine production and MDMA (ecstasy) production remain significant illicit trade commodities
$509.018 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$408.343 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$438.221 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Netherlands 16%, Germany 13%, France 10%, United States 8%, Ireland 5%, China 5% (2019)
cars, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, medical cultures/vaccines, diamonds, natural gas (2019)
$41.872 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
$33.296 billion (31 December 2020 est.)
$28.97 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
$1,317,513,000,000 (2019 est.)
$1,332,358,000,000 (2018 est.)
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
0.845 (2021 est.)
0.876 (2020 est.)
0.893 (2019 est.)
0.847 (2018 est.)
0.885 (2017 est.)
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
installed generating capacity: 26.929 million kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 81,171,300,000 kWh (2020 est.)
exports: 14.053 billion kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 13.394 billion kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 3.444 billion kWh (2020 est.)comparison rankings:
fossil fuels: 33.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 38.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 5.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 15% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 7.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Number of operational nuclear reactors: 5 (2023)
Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 0
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 3.93GW (2023)
Percent of total electricity production: 50.8% (2021)
Percent of total energy produced: 71% (2021)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 2
production: 1.105 million metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 4.167 million metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 504,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 3.467 million metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
total petroleum production: 11,400 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 642,300 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 666,700 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
731,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)
680,800 bbl/day (2017 est.)
601,400 bbl/day (2017 est.)
production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
consumption: 18.17 billion cubic meters (2019 est.)
exports: 3.943 billion cubic meters (2019 est.)
imports: 22.61 billion cubic meters (2019 est.)
proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
128.247 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 10.301 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 83.474 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 34.472 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
234.216 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
number of registered air carriers: 7 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 117
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 13,639,487 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,285,340,000 (2018) mt-km
OO
41 (2021)
26
civil airports: 5
military airports: 5
joint use (civil-military) airports: 2
other airports: 14
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
15
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
1 (2021)
3,139 km gas, 154 km oil, 535 km refined products (2013)
total: 3,602 km (2020) 3,160 km electrified
total: 118,414 km (2015)
paved: 118,414 km (2015) (includes 1,747 km of expressways)
unpaved: (2010)
2,043 km (2012) (1,528 km in regular commercial use)
total: 199 (2022)
by type: bulk carrier 18, container ship 3, general cargo 15, oil tanker 23, other 140
major seaport(s): Oostende, Zeebrugge
container port(s) (TEUs): Antwerp (12,020,000) (2021)
LNG terminal(s) (import): Zeebrugge
river port(s): Antwerp, Gent (Schelde River)
Brussels (Senne River) Liege (Meuse River)
manyapis