Map of Belgium | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: 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.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 30,528 km²
Land: 30,278 km²
Water: 250 km²
Comparative: about the size of Maryland

Land boundaries
Total: 1,297 km
Border countries (4): (4) France 556 km; Germany 133 km; Luxembourg 130 km; Netherlands 478 km

Coastline: 66.5 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit
Continental shelf: median line with neighbors

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

Elevation
Highest point: Botrange 694 m
Lowest point: North Sea 0 m
Mean elevation: 181 m

Natural resources

Land use
Agricultural land: 44.4% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 28.3% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.8% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 15.3% (2023 est.)
Forest: 22% (2023 est.)
Other: 33.6% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 57 km² (2013)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes

Geography
Note: crossroads of Western Europe; most West European capitals are within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the EU and NATO


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Population
Total: 11,977,634 (2024 est.)
Male: 5,909,057
Female: 6,068,577
Distribution: most of the population is 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, with approximately 97% living in urban areas
Growth rate: 0.53% (2024 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups

Languages: 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.

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.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 16.9% (male 1,038,578/female 990,215)
15-64 years: 62.8% (male 3,796,844/female 3,730,784)
65 years and over: 20.2% (2024 est.) (male 1,073,635/female 1,347,578)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 57.3 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 25.3 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 32.1 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 3.1 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 42 years (2024 est.)
Male: 40.8 years
Female: 43.1 years

Population growth rate: 0.53% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 10.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 9.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate

Population distribution: most of the population is 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, with approximately 97% living in urban areas

Urbanization
Urban population: 98.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 2.122 million BRUSSELS (capital), 1.057 million Antwerp (2023)

Environment

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
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: 0.8 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 82.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 79.7 years
Female: 85 years

Total fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 0.3% (2023 est.)

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 5.5% (2024 est.); 5.6% (2023 est.); 5.6% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment


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Country name

Government type

Capital
Name: Brussels
Geographic coordinates: 50 84 N, 4 35 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Etymology: the name is of Germanic origin, from broca (marsh) and sali (room or building)

Administrative divisions: 3 regions; French: régions, singular - région; Dutch: gewesten, singular - gewest); Brussels-Capital Region, also known as Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (Dutch), Région de Bruxelles-Capitale (French long form), Bruxelles-Capitale (French short form); Flemish Region (Flanders), also known as Vlaams Gewest (Dutch long form), Vlaanderen (Dutch short form), Région Flamande (French long form), Flandre (French short form); Walloon Region (Wallonia), also known as Région Wallonne (French long form), Wallonie (French short form), Waals Gewest (Dutch long form), Wallonie (Dutch short form)
Note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; the 2012 sixth state reform transferred additional competencies from the federal state to the regions and linguistic communities

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

Constitution

Legal system: civil law system based on the French Civil Code; judicial review of legislative acts

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage

Executive branch
Chief of state: King PHILIPPE (since 21 July 2013)
Head of government: Prime Minister Bart DE WEVER (since 3 February 2025)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch
Election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following legislative elections, the monarch usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister, which the legislature approves

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Federal Parliament (Parlement fédéral - Federaal Parlement - Föderales Parlament)
Legislative structure: bicameral
Note: the 1993 constitutional revision that further devolved Belgium into a federal state created three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this results in six governments, each with its own legislative assembly

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (left side), yellow, and red

National symbols

National anthem
Title: 'La Brabançonne' (The Song of Brabant)
Lyrics/music: Louis-Alexandre DECHET [French] and Victor CEULEMANS [Dutch]/Francois VAN CAMPENHOUT
History: adopted 1830; according to legend Louis-Alexandre DECHET, an actor at the theater where the revolution against the Netherlands began, wrote the lyrics with a group of young people in a Brussels cafe

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 16 (15 cultural, 1 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 1% (2024 est.); 1.2% (2023 est.); 4.3% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 1% (2024 est.); 1.2% (2023 est.); 4.3% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 50.4% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 23.8% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 24.4% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 84.2% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -84.8% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.8% (2024 est.)
Industry: 17.6% (2024 est.)
Services: 72.1% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products

Industries: engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, base metals, textiles, glass, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate: -0.6% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 5.416 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 5.5% (2024 est.); 5.6% (2023 est.); 5.6% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 5.5% (2024 est.); 5.6% (2023 est.); 5.6% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $220.657 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $235.767 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 22.7% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $525.458 billion (2024 est.); $542.508 billion (2023 est.); $565.233 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, natural gas, vaccines, cars, packaged medicine (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $531.029 billion (2024 est.); $546.426 billion (2023 est.); $573.192 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: cars, natural gas, vaccines, packaged medicine, crude petroleum (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates


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Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 28.248 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 74.537 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 18.279 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 18.626 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 3.147 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 24.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 40.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 9.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 20% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources 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
Generation sources biomass and waste: 6.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Production: 1.269 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 4.372 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 184,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 4.046 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 4.1 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 596,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 12.938 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 14.382 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Exports: 8.461 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 23.007 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 112.083 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 8.166 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 76.635 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 27.282 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 190.416 million Btu/person (2023 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2.667 million (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 12.1 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 102 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Users percent of population: 95% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 5.12 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2023 est.)


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Military expenditures: 2% of GDP (2025 est.); 1.3% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.); 1.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 48 (2025)

Heliports: 112 (2025)

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 3,602 km (2020) 3,160 km electrified

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 198 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 17, container ship 2, general cargo 16, oil tanker 21, other 142

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs