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.

Geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 30,528 km²
Land: 30,278 km²
Water: 250 km²
Comparative: about the size of Maryland
Country comparison total: 1,297 km
Country comparison border countries: (4) France 556 km; Germany 133 km; Luxembourg 130 km; Netherlands 478 km

Land boundaries
Total: 1,297 km
Border countries: (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: construction materials, silica sand, carbonates, arable land

Land use
Agricultural land: 44.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 27.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 16.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 22.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 33.5% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 57 km² (2013)

Major watersheds area km²: Atlantic Ocean drainage: Seine (78,919 km²), Rhine-Maas (198,735 km²)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 740 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 3.47 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 18.3 billion m³ (2020 est.)

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

Population
Distribution: 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
Total: 11,977,634
Male: 5,909,057
Female: 6,068,577 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 0.53% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 12.3% (2022 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Nationality
Noun: Belgian(s)
Adjective: Belgian

Ethnic groups: Belgian 75.2%, Italian 4.1%, Moroccan 3.7%, French 2.4%, Turkish 2%, Dutch 2%, other 10.6% (2012 est.)

Languages: Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%
Major-language samples: Gheos Wereld Gids, een onmisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch); Gheos World Guide une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French); Gheos World Guide, 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.)

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: 56.5
Youth dependency ratio: 26.1
Elderly dependency ratio: 30.4
Potential support ratio: 3.3 (2021 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: 4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: 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

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
Current issues: 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
International agreements 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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
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.)

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: 29.2 years (2020 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 5 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 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: 66.7% (2018)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 100% of population
Unimproved rural: 0% of population
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 0% of population

Hospital bed density: 5.6 beds/1,000 population (2019)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: 100% of population
Improved total: 100% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 0% of population
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 22.1% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 9.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 4.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 3.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 1.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 23.4% (2020 est.)
Male: 25.8% (2020 est.)
Female: 21% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 1% (2014/15)

Education expenditures: 6.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Total population: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 19 years
Male: 18 years
Female: 20 years (2020)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 16.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 17.8% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 14.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Country name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
Conventional short form: Belgium
Local long form: Royaume de Belgique (French)/Koninkrijk Belgie (Dutch)/Koenigreich Belgien (German)
Local short form: Belgique/Belgie/Belgien
Etymology: 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.

Government type: federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy

Capital
Name: Brussels
Geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 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: may derive from the Old Dutch bruoc/broek, meaning 'marsh' and sella/zele/sel signifying 'home' to express the meaning 'home in the marsh'

Administrative divisions: 3 regions (French: regions, singular - region; Dutch: gewesten, singular - gewest); Brussels-Capital Region, also known as Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (Dutch), Region 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), Region Flamande (French long form), Flandre (French short form); Walloon Region (Wallonia), also known as Region Wallone (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

Independence: 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)

National holiday: Belgian National Day (ascension to the throne of King LEOPOLD I), 21 July (1831)

Constitution
History: drafted 25 November 1830, approved 7 February 1831, entered into force 26 July 1831, revised 14 July 1993 (creating a federal state)
Amendments: 'revisions' proposed as declarations by the federal government in accord with the king or by Parliament followed by dissolution of Parliament and new elections; adoption requires two-thirds majority vote of a two-thirds quorum in both houses of the next elected Parliament; amended many times, last in 2019

Legal system: civil law system based on the French Civil Code
Note: Belgian law continues to be modified in conformance with the legislative norms mandated by the European Union; judicial review of legislative acts

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

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Belgium
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
Chief of state: King PHILIPPE (since 21 July 2013)
Head of government: Prime Minister Alexander DE CROO (since 1 October 2020)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch
Elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and approved by Parliament
Note: Alexander DE CROO resigned on 9 June 2024 following the parliamentary elections and is serving as prime minister in a caretaker status until a new prime minister is sworn into office

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate or Senaat (in Dutch), Senat (in French) (60 seats; 50 members indirectly elected by the community and regional parliaments based on their election results, and 10 elected by the 50 other senators; members serve 5-year terms), Chamber of Representatives or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers (in Dutch), Chambre des Representants (in French) (150 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last held 18 July 2024 (next to be held on 31 July 2,029), Chamber of Representatives - last held on 9 June 2024 (next to be held on 30 June 2,029)
Elections results: Senate - percent of vote by party - N/A; seats by party - N-VA 10, MR 10, VB 8, PS 6, PVDA-PTB 6, CD&V 5, Les Engages 5, Open VLD 3, Ecolo 3, Vooruit 4; composition - men 32, women 28, percent percentage women 46.7%, Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - N-VA 16.7%, VB 13.5%, MR 10.3%, PVDA-PTB 9.9%, Vooruit 8.1%, PS 8%, CD&V 8%, Les Engages 6.8%, Open VLD 5.5%, Green 4.7%, Ecolo 3%, Defi 1%; seats by party - N-VA 24, VB 20, MR 20, PS 16, PVDA+PTB 15, Les Engages 14, Vooruit 13, CD&V 11, Open VLD 7,Green 6, Ecolo 3, Defi 1; composition - men 86, women 64, percentage women 42.7%; total Parliament percentage women 42.9%
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
Highest courts: Constitutional Court or Grondwettelijk Hof (in Dutch) and Cour Constitutionelle (in French) (consists of 12 judges - 6 Dutch-speaking and 6 French-speaking); Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) and Cour de Cassation (in French) (court organized into 3 chambers: civil and commercial; criminal; social, fiscal, and armed forces; each chamber includes a Dutch division and a French division, each with a chairperson and 5-6 judges)
Judge selection and term of office: Constitutional Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates submitted by Parliament; judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 70; Supreme Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates submitted by the High Council of Justice, a 44-member independent body of judicial and non-judicial members; judges appointed for life
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; regional courts; specialized courts for administrative, commercial, labor, immigration, and audit issues; magistrate's courts; justices of the peace

Political parties and leaders: Flemish parties:, Christian Democratic and Flemish or CD&V , Vooruit or Forward (formerly Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A), Groen or Green (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens), New Flemish Alliance or N-VA , Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD , Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB , Francophone parties:, Ecolo (Francophone Greens) , Francophone Federalist Democrats or Defi , Les Engages (formerly Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH), Reform Movement or MR , Socialist Party or PS , Workers' Party or PVDA-PTB

International organization participation: ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Sophie Chaska KARLSHAUSEN (since 31 August 2024)
In the us chancery: 1430 K Street NW, Washington DC 20,005
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 333-6,900
In the us fax: [1] (202) 338-4,960
In the us email address and website: Washington@diplobel.fed.be; [link]
In the us consulates general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Michael ADLER (since 15 March 2022)
From the us embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels
From the us mailing address: 7,600 Brussels Place, Washington DC 20,521-7,600
From the us telephone: [32] (2) 811-4,000
From the us fax: [32] (2) 811-4,500
From the us email address and website: uscitizenBrussels@state.gov; [link]

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the vertical design was based on the flag of France; the colors are those of the arms of the duchy of Brabant (yellow lion with red claws and tongue on a black field)

National symbols: golden rampant lion; national colors: red, black, yellow

National anthem
Name: 'La Brabanconne' (The Song of Brabant)
Lyrics/music: Louis-Alexandre DECHET [French] and Victor CEULEMANS [Dutch]/Francois VAN CAMPENHOUT
Note: adopted 1830; according to legend, Louis-Alexandre DECHET, an actor at the theater in which 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:

Economy overview: high-income, core EU and eurozone economy; slow but steady growth supported by household consumption and energy shock recovery; high public debt and structural deficits linked to social spending; aging workforce with weak productivity growth and participation rates

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $751.592 billion (2023 est.); $741.47 billion (2022 est.); $719.771 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 1.37% (2023 est.); 3.01% (2022 est.); 6.93% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $63,600 (2023 est.); $63,500 (2022 est.); $62,100 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 51.4% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 24.2% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 24.6% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.7% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 86.7% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -87.6% (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% (2023 est.)
Industry: 18.4% (2023 est.)
Services: 70.7% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: sugar beets, milk, potatoes, wheat, pork, lettuce, maize, chicken, barley, pears (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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: -1.95% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 5.432 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 5.51% (2023 est.); 5.56% (2022 est.); 6.26% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 16.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 17.8% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 14.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 12.3% (2022 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Budget
Revenues: $220.744 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $234.883 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 23.09% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 94.04% of GDP (2022 est.)
Note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.05% (2023 est.); 9.6% (2022 est.); 2.44% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Current account balance: -$6.205 billion (2023 est.); -$5.304 billion (2022 est.); $8.233 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $535.174 billion (2023 est.); $558.271 billion (2022 est.); $527.746 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Germany 19%, France 15%, Netherlands 14%, US 6%, Italy 5% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: natural gas, vaccines, refined petroleum, packaged medicine, cars (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $545.471 billion (2023 est.); $567.164 billion (2022 est.); $516.8 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Netherlands 19%, Germany 12%, France 9%, US 6%, China 6% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: natural gas, refined petroleum, cars, packaged medicine, vaccines (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $40.813 billion (2023 est.); $41.274 billion (2022 est.); $41.872 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 26.31 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 79.972 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 23.877 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 16.35 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 3.394 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 29% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 45.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 7.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources wind: 13% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: -0.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources note: Belgium has negative net hydroelectric power generation based on losses from use of pumped storage hydropower
Generation sources biomass and waste: 4.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Production: 1.27 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Consumption: 4.869 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 557,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 4.554 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 4.1 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 585,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 13.436 million m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 15.347 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Exports: 9.86 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 25.327 billion m³ (2022 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 116.271 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 8.163 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 78.995 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 29.113 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 205.444 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2.953 million (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 25 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 11.874 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 102 (2022 est.)

Military expenditures: 1.3% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.2% of GDP (2023); 1.2% of GDP (2022); 1.1% of GDP (2021); 1% of GDP (2020)

Military and security forces: Belgian Armed Forces (Defensie or La Défense): Land Component, Marine (Naval) Component, Air Component, Medical Component (2024)
Note: the Belgian Federal Police is the national police force and responsible for internal security and nationwide law and order, including migration and border enforcement; the force reports to the ministers of interior and justice

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished in 1995 (2024)
Note 1: in 2024, women comprised about 11% of the military's full-time personnel
Note 2: foreign nationals 18-34 years of age who speak Dutch or French and are citizens of EU countries, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland may apply to join the military

Terrorist groups: Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

National air transport system
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

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: OO

Airports: 49 (2024)

Heliports: 108 (2024)

Pipelines: 3,139 km gas, 154 km oil, 535 km refined products (2013)

Roadways
Total: 118,414 km
Paved: 118,414 km (2015) (includes 1,747 km of expressways)

Waterways: 2,043 km (2012) (1,528 km in regular commercial use)

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 20,086 (Syria), 7,049 (Afghanistan), 5,769 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022); 75,030 (Ukraine) (as of 29 February 2024)
Stateless persons: 1,190 (2022)

Illicit drugs: a transit point for precursor chemicals from China and India destined for clandestine synthetic drug laboratories in the Netherlands and to some labs in Belgium; a primary entry point for cocaine into Europe; one of the top methamphetamine producers in Europe; a major source of precursor or essential chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics