placestats

Last European coloniser: A European colonial power · Largest religious group: Christians. These are labels that describe the country, not numbers, so they are never compared with other measures. The numbers behind them, such as population shares, are.

Belgium

Against high income countries, Belgium ranks 6th of 58 on governance and 57th of 83 on environment. Each ranking counts only the countries that report that score, so the totals differ and the two ranks can’t be compared directly. Both compare Belgium with countries of similar wealth. That is the only kind of ranking that tells you something a ranking by income does not already show.

How it has changed

Every measure Belgium reports, over all the years it has been published. Pick one. Hover or use the arrow keys to read a year. Gaps in a line are years with no data. They are left open, not filled in.

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Scores by area

Each score averages the measures in one area, such as health. Each measure is first put on a common scale and turned so that higher is always better. Zero is the average country in an average year. One point is a typical gap between countries (a standard deviation), so +1 means about one typical gap above average. These are summaries, not measurements. See how the country scores are built and how the topic scores compare with each other.

ScoreValueRank, all countriesRank, similar incomeMostly income?
Governance score 2025+1.416 of 1796 of 58moderate +0.53
Health score 2024+0.2163 of 19333 of 63moderate +0.32
Education score 2023+1.258 of 1998 of 72proxy +0.81
Wellbeing score 2010+0.8218 of 11017 of 49high +0.80
Equality score 2023+0.9010 of 1657 of 47high +0.64
Infrastructure score 2024+1.6414 of 21013 of 80proxy +0.90
Gender score 2024+1.4514 of 18611 of 58moderate +0.37
Environment score 2024-0.46158 of 21357 of 83moderate -0.33
Labour score 2025+0.6844 of 19541 of 67high +0.79

The last column shows how closely each score just tracks national income. The number is its link with GDP per person (the value of everything a country produces, divided by its people), from −1 to +1. A score marked proxy is mostly a measure of how rich the country is. Its rank among all countries says little that GDP per person does not. That is why the rank among similar-income countries sits beside it.

The measures behind them

Every measure reported for Belgium, grouped by area. Some measures have no agreed better direction, such as population growth, inflation and military spending. They are listed here but left out of every score, since there is no fair way to say which way is better. Some names use technical terms: PPP means adjusted for what money buys in each country, HDI is a United Nations score combining life expectancy, schooling and income, and a Gini indexmeasures how unequally income is shared. Each measure’s own page explains it.

crime

Public order spending1.68%% of GDP2023no agreed direction
Conflict deaths0per 100,000 people2025higher is worse
Armed conflict present01 if any conflict, else 02025higher is worse
Homicide rate1.08per 100,000 population2021higher is worse

culture

Religious attendance18.9%% of respondents2010no agreed direction
Religion very important13.2%% of respondents2010no agreed direction
Confidence in religious institutions36.2%% of respondents2010no agreed direction
Divorce rate1.7divorces per 1,000 people2022no agreed direction
Births outside marriage52.4%% of live births2018no agreed direction
Women's age at first marriage32years2020no agreed direction
Marriage rate4.2marriages per 1,000 people2022no agreed direction
Children with one parent20.1%% of children aged 0-172023no agreed direction
Religiously unaffiliated39%% of population2020no agreed direction
Christian share51%% of population2020no agreed direction
Muslim share6.81%% of population2020no agreed direction
Single-parent households9.18%% of households2011no agreed direction
One-person households34%% of households2011no agreed direction
Women in a union52.4%% of women aged 15-492021no agreed direction
Marriage rate (UN)3.96marriages per 1,000 people2023no agreed direction
Divorce rate (UN)1.7divorces per 1,000 people2023no agreed direction

demography

Median age41.4years2023no agreed direction
Age at childbearing31years2023no agreed direction
Population11,941,781people2025no agreed direction
Population growth0.699%% per year2025no agreed direction
Urbanization87.7%% of population2025no agreed direction
Population 65+21%% of population2025no agreed direction
Population 0-1415.7%% of population2025no agreed direction
Fertility rate1.44births per woman2024no agreed direction
Birth rate9.2per 1,000 people2024no agreed direction
Net migration31,989people2025no agreed direction
Migrant share of population20%% of population2024no agreed direction

economy

Public social spending28.6%% of GDP2024no agreed direction
Family benefits spending2.8%% of GDP2021no agreed direction
Old-age spending10.2%% of GDP2021no agreed direction
Aid given0.37%% of GNI2025no agreed direction
Government spending per capita$40,194current international dollars2024no agreed direction
Corporate tax rate29.6%% of profit2018no agreed direction
HDI0.951index, 0 to 12023higher is better
Inequality-adjusted HDI0.891index, 0 to 12023higher is better
GDP per capita (PPP)$63,488international $2025higher is better
GNI per capita (PPP)$62,975international $2024higher is better
GDP per capita (market)$45,146US$2025higher is better
GDP growth0.983%% per year2025no agreed direction
Inflation2.47%% per year2025no agreed direction
Trade openness153%% of GDP2025no agreed direction
FDI inflows-3.97%% of GDP2025no agreed direction
Tax revenue23%% of GDP2024no agreed direction
Government consumption24%% of GDP2025no agreed direction
Government expense39.7%% of GDP2022no agreed direction
Military spending1.28%% of GDP2024no agreed direction
Employment in agriculture0.985%% of employment2025no agreed direction

education

PISA maths489PISA points2022higher is better
PISA reading479PISA points2022higher is better
PISA science491PISA points2022higher is better
Primary completion98.9%% of children2025higher is better
Expected schooling19years2023higher is better
Mean years of schooling12.7years2023higher is better
Education spending6.28%% of GDP2022no agreed direction
Primary enrollment102%% gross2023higher is better
Secondary enrollment143%% gross2023higher is better
Tertiary enrollment82.1%% gross2023higher is better
Compulsory schooling13years2025no agreed direction
Out of school, primary1.66%% of primary-age children2023higher is worse
Pupil-teacher ratio11.3pupils per teacher2017higher is worse
Researchers5,990per million people2023higher is better

environment

Recycling rate35.1%% of municipal waste2015higher is better
CO2 per capita7.31t CO2e per capita2024higher is worse
Forest area22.6%% of land area2023higher is better
Agricultural land44.4%% of land area2023no agreed direction
Protected land16.4%% of land area2025higher is better

gender

Gender wage gap3.3%% of men's median earnings2014higher is worse
Gender Inequality Index0.031index, 0 to 12023higher is worse
Gender Development Index0.979ratio of women's HDI to men's2023no agreed direction
Women's political empowerment0.952index (0-1)2025higher is better
Women ministers42.9%% of ministers2024higher is better
Women in parliament41.3%% of seats2025higher is better
Women in management33.1%% of managers2024higher is better
Married by 180.1%% of women aged 20-242020higher is worse

governance

Corruption Perceptions Index69index (0-100, higher = cleaner)2024higher is better
Political rights (FH)1rating (1-7, 1 = most free)2025higher is worse
Civil liberties (FH)1rating (1-7, 1 = most free)2025higher is worse
Trust in government50.5%% of respondents2024higher is better
Pre-trial detainee share23.6%% of prisoners2024higher is worse
Refugees originating0.792per 100,000 people2024higher is worse
Electoral democracy0.889index (0-1)2025higher is better
Liberal democracy0.794index (0-1)2025higher is better
Participatory democracy0.633index (0-1)2025higher is better
Free and fair elections0.968index (0-1)2025higher is better
Regime type3regime category (0-3)2025higher is better
Political corruption0.031index (0-1)2025higher is worse
Freedom of expression0.969index (0-1)2025higher is better
Freedom of association0.896index (0-1)2025higher is better
Political civil liberties0.963index (0-1)2025higher is better
Civil society participation0.947index (0-1)2025higher is better
Birth registration100%% of children under 52022higher is better
Control of corruption1.47index (approx. -2.5 to 2.5)2024higher is better
Rule of law1.28index (approx. -2.5 to 2.5)2024higher is better
Government effectiveness1.19index (approx. -2.5 to 2.5)2024higher is better
Regulatory quality1.24index (approx. -2.5 to 2.5)2024higher is better
Voice and accountability1.5index (approx. -2.5 to 2.5)2024higher is better
Political stability0.121index (approx. -2.5 to 2.5)2024higher is better

health

Life expectancy82.3years2024higher is better
Infant mortality3.1per 1,000 live births2024higher is worse
Under-5 mortality3.7per 1,000 live births2024higher is worse
Health spending10.8%% of GDP2023no agreed direction
Suicide rate18.4per 100,0002021higher is worse
Hospital beds5.42per 1,000 people2023no agreed direction
Basic water access100%% of population2024higher is better
Basic sanitation99.5%% of population2024higher is better
Child stunting2.6%% of children under 52024higher is worse
Adolescent fertility3.5births per 1,000 women aged 15-192024higher is worse
Maternal mortality4per 100,000 live births2023higher is worse
Alcohol consumption9.43litres per adult per year2020no agreed direction
Tobacco use23.5%% of adults2024higher is worse
Road traffic deaths5.8per 100,000 population2019higher is worse
Physicians3.57per 1,000 people2022higher is better
DTP3 immunisation97%% of children aged 12-23 months2024higher is better
HIV prevalence0.2%% of adults aged 15-492024higher is worse
Tuberculosis incidence2.7per 100,000 people2024higher is worse
Premature NCD mortality9.2%% probability, ages 30-702021higher is worse
Anaemia in women15%% of women aged 15-492023higher is worse
Out-of-pocket health spending21.5%% of health spending2023higher is worse
Undernourishment2.5%% of population2023higher is worse
Food insecurity8.1%% of population2023higher is worse
Adult obesity20.8%% of adults2024higher is worse
Health coverage index86index, 0 to 1002023higher is better

inequality

Market-income Gini0.486index, 0 to 12023higher is worse
Redistribution47.7%% reduction in the Gini2023no agreed direction
Gini index26.8index (0-100)2023higher is worse
Extreme poverty rate0.1%% of population2023higher is worse

infrastructure

Internet users95.8%% of population2024higher is better
Mobile subscriptions104per 100 people2024higher is better
Electricity access100%% of population2024higher is better
Slum share of urban population0%% of urban population2022higher is worse
Fixed broadband44.2per 100 people2024higher is better

labor

Active labour market spending0.866%% of GDP2021no agreed direction
Unemployment benefit spending1.86%% of GDP2021no agreed direction
Retirement age, men61.6years2018no agreed direction
Retirement age, women60.5years2018no agreed direction
Hours worked1,546hours per year2016no agreed direction
Informal employment1.37%% of employment2024higher is worse
Unemployment5.91%% of labor force2025higher is worse
Female labor participation49.8%% of women 15+2025no agreed direction
Male labor participation59%% of men 15+2025no agreed direction
Youth not in work or study8.15%% of 15 to 24 year olds2024higher is worse
Vulnerable employment11%% of employment2025higher is worse

wellbeing

Interpersonal trust35.7%% of respondents2010higher is better
Self-reported happiness94.3%% of respondents2010higher is better
Life satisfaction6.93score (0-10)2025higher is better

Values are the most recent in 2010–2025, and different measures can come from different years. The year is shown beside each. Nothing here ranks countries by merit. An area score averages whatever measures its publishers happen to collect, and the choice of what to collect is itself a judgement made by someone else. All countries · How the country data works

Countries to compare with Belgium

Also in Europe & Central Asia: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Channel Islands, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyz Republic, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan.

Also high income, in other regions: American Samoa, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Bahamas, The, Bahrain, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Costa Rica, Curacao, French Polynesia, Guam, Guyana, Hong Kong SAR, China, Israel, Japan, Korea, Rep., Kuwait, Macao SAR, China, Malta, Naoero, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Palau, Panama, Puerto Rico (US), Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Sint Maarten (Dutch part), St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Martin (French part), and more on the full list of countries.