2024 Edition Primary

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.

Area

land

30,278 sq km

total

30,528 sq km

water

250 sq km

Area - comparative

about the size of Maryland

Climate

temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

Coastline

66.5 km

Elevation

highest point

Botrange 694 m

lowest point

North Sea 0 m

mean elevation

181 m

Geographic coordinates

50 50 N, 4 00 E

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

Irrigated land

57 sq km (2013)

Land boundaries

border countries

France 556 km; Germany 133 km; Luxembourg 130 km; Netherlands 478 km

total

1,297 km

Land use

agricultural land

44.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 27.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 16.1% (2018 est.)

forest

22.4% (2018 est.)

other

33.5% (2018 est.)

Location

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Seine (78,919 sq km), Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

median line with neighbors

exclusive economic zone

geographic coordinates define outer limit

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

construction materials, silica sand, carbonates, arable land

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

Terrain

flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

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)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

4.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

9.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

3.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

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

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

1% (2014/15)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

66.7% (2018)

Current health expenditure

11.1% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

43.2% (2023 est.)

Death rate

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

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

30.4

potential support ratio

3.3 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

56.5

youth dependency ratio

26.1

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

6.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.86 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

5.6 beds/1,000 population (2019)

Infant mortality rate

female

2.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

3.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

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.

Life expectancy at birth

female

85 years

male

79.7 years

total population

82.3 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

Major urban areas - population

2.122 million BRUSSELS (capital), 1.057 million Antwerp (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

43.1 years

male

40.8 years

total

42 years (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

29.2 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Belgian

noun

Belgian(s)

Net migration rate

4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.1% (2016)

Physician density

6.08 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

female

6,068,577 (2024 est.)

male

5,909,057

total

11,977,634

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

Population growth rate

0.53% (2024 est.)

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.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

20 years (2020)

male

18 years

total

19 years

Sex ratio

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

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

21% (2020 est.)

male

25.8% (2020 est.)

total

23.4% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.76 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

98.2% of total population (2023)

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

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

Capital

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"

geographic coordinates

50 50 N, 4 20 E

name

Brussels

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

Constitution

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

history

drafted 25 November 1830, approved 7 February 1831, entered into force 26 July 1831, revised 14 July 1993 (creating a federal state)

Country name

conventional long form

Kingdom of Belgium

conventional short form

Belgium

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.

local long form

Royaume de Belgique (French)/Koninkrijk Belgie (Dutch)/Koenigreich Belgien (German)

local short form

Belgique/Belgie/Belgien

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Michael ADLER (since 15 March 2022)

email address and website

uscitizenBrussels@state.govhttps://be.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels

FAX

[32] (2) 811-4500

mailing address

7600 Brussels Place, Washington DC  20521-7600

telephone

[32] (2) 811-4000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1430 K Street NW, Washington DC 20005

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Sophie Chaska KARLSHAUSEN (since 31 August 2024)

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York

email address and website

Washington@diplobel.fed.behttps://unitedstates.diplomatie.belgium.be/en

FAX

[1] (202) 338-4960

telephone

[1] (202) 333-6900

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch

chief of state

King PHILIPPE (since 21 July 2013)

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

head of government

Prime Minister Alexander DE CROO (since 1 October 2020)

note

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

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)

Government type

federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy

Independence

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

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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

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

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)

election 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%

elections

Senate - last held 18 July 2024 (next to be held on 31 July 2029) Chamber of Representatives - last held on 9 June 2024 (next to be held on 30 June 2029)

note

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

National anthem

lyrics/music

Louis-Alexandre DECHET [French] and Victor CEULEMANS [Dutch]/Francois VAN CAMPENHOUT

name

"La Brabanconne" (The Song of Brabant)

note

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

selected World Heritage Site locales

Belfries of Belgium (c); Historic Brugge (c); The Grand Place, Brussels (c); Major Town Houses of Victor Horta (c); Notre-Dame Cathedral, Tournai (c); Spa, Liege (c); Primeval Beech Forests - Sonian Wood (n); Stoclet Palace (c)

total World Heritage Sites

16 (15 cultural, 1 natural)

National holiday

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

National symbol(s)

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

Political parties

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agricultural products

sugar beets, milk, potatoes, wheat, pork, lettuce, maize, chicken, barley, pears (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

3.9% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

13.5% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$234.883 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$220.744 billion (2022 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

AA- (2016)

Moody's rating

Aa3 (2011)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

AA (2011)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

$8.233 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$5.304 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$6.205 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Economic 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

Exchange rates

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

0.893 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

0.876 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.95 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.925 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$527.746 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$558.271 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$535.174 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

natural gas, vaccines, refined petroleum, packaged medicine, cars (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Germany 19%, France 15%, Netherlands 14%, US 6%, Italy 5% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

86.7% (2023 est.)

government consumption

24.2% (2023 est.)

household consumption

51.4% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-87.6% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

24.6% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

0.7% (2023 est.)

note

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.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

70.7% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$632.217 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

26.6 (2021 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

21.9% (2021 est.)

lowest 10%

3.6% (2021 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2021

$516.8 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$567.164 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$545.471 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

natural gas, refined petroleum, cars, packaged medicine, vaccines (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

Netherlands 19%, Germany 12%, France 9%, US 6%, China 6% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

-1.95% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

2.44% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

9.6% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

4.05% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

5.432 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

12.3% (2022 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2022

94.04% of GDP (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$719.771 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$741.47 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$751.592 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

6.93% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3.01% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

1.37% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$62,100 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$63,500 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$63,600 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

2.34% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

2.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

2.29% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$41.872 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$41.274 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$40.813 billion (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

23.09% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

6.26% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

5.56% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

5.51% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

14.1% (2023 est.)

male

17.8% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

16.1% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

8.163 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

29.113 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

78.995 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

116.271 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

4.869 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

557,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

4.554 million metric tons (2022 est.)

production

1.27 million metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

4.1 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

79.972 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

23.877 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

16.35 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

26.31 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

3.394 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

4.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

29% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

-0.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) note: Belgium has negative net hydroelectric power generation based on losses from use of pumped storage hydropower

nuclear

45.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

7.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

13% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

205.444 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

15.347 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

exports

9.86 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

25.327 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

13.436 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Nuclear energy

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

3.91GW (2023 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

3 (2023)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

5 (2023)

Percent of total electricity production

41.2% (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

585,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

41 (2020 est.)

total

4,734,210 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

a segmented market with the three major communities (Flemish, French, and German speaking) each having responsibility for their own broadcast media; multiple TV channels exist for each community; additionally, in excess of 90% of households are connected to cable and can access broadcasts of TV stations from neighboring countries; each community has a public radio network coexisting with private broadcasters

Internet country code

.be

Internet users

percent of population

91% (2021 est.)

total

10.92 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

about 28 per 100 fixed-line and 101 per 100 mobile-cellular; nationwide mobile-cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network (2021)

general assessment

mobile networks have been upgraded to support growing mobile data use among subscribers, with near-comprehensive LTE coverage; operators have also trialed 5G in preparation for launching services; the auction of 5G-suitable spectrum has been delayed to the beginning of 2022, while the onerous restrictions on radiation have meant that some 5G trials have been suspended; there is effective competition in Belgium between the DSL and cable platforms, while in recent years government support has also encouraged investment in fiber networks; in a bid to encourage investment in under served areas, the regulator in 2018 amended the conditions by which market players grant wholesale access to copper and fiber infrastructure; in May 2019 it opened a further consultation on cost models for access to the networks of cablecos and fiber infrastructure (2021)

international

country code - 32; landing points for Concerto, UK-Belgium, Tangerine, and SeaMeWe-3, submarine cables that provide links to Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

25 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

2.953 million (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

102 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

11.874 million (2022 est.)

Airports

49 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

OO

Heliports

108 (2024)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 17, container ship 2, general cargo 16, oil tanker 21, other 142

total

198 (2023)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

1,285,340,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

13,639,487 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

117

number of registered air carriers

7 (2020)

Pipelines

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

Ports

key ports

Antwerpen, Bruxelles, Ghent, Oostende, Zeebrugge

large

1

medium

2

ports with oil terminals

5

small

2

total ports

7 (2024)

very small

2

Railways

total

3,602 km (2020) 3,160 km electrified

Roadways

paved

118,414 km (2015) (includes 1,747 km of expressways)

total

118,414 km

Waterways

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

Military - note

the Belgian military is a small, all-volunteer force equipped with modern Western equipment; its responsibilities include territorial defense, humanitarian/disaster relief, assistance to the police if required, international peacekeeping missions, and support to its NATO and EU security commitments, which Belgium considers vital components of its national security policy; outside of the country, the military operates almost always within an international organization or a coalition, such as its ongoing deployments to Africa for the EU and UN, eastern Europe as part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence mission, and the Middle East with an international coalition to combat the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham; Belgium was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) establishing NATO in 1949; it hosts the NATO headquarters in Brussels; Belgium also cooperates with neighboring countries, such as Luxembourg and the Netherlands, in conducting joint patrols of their respective air spaces and in a composite combined special operations command with Denmark and the Netherlands (2024)

Military and security forces

Belgian Armed Forces (Defensie or  La Défense): Land Component, Marine (Naval) Component, Air Component, Medical Component (2024)

note

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 and security service personnel strengths

approximately 23,000 active-duty personnel (10,000 Land Component; 1,500 Marine Component; 5,000 Air Force Component; 1,500 Medical Component; 5,000 other, including joint staff, support, and training schools) (2024)

Military deployments

has about 1,000 personnel deployed on foreign missions, including more than 300 ground forces deployed in Eastern Europe, as well as air and naval assets, supporting NATO missions for the defense of NATO's eastern flank (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the armed forces have a mix of weapons systems from European countries, Israel, and the US; Belgium has an export-focused defense industry that focuses on components and subcontracting (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

1% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.1% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.2% of GDP (2022)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.2% of GDP (2023)

Military Expenditures 2024

1.3% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished in 1995 (2024)

note

note 1: in 2024, women comprised about 11% of the military's full-time personnelnote 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

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

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)

Space agency/agencies

Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy-Interfederal Space Agency of Belgium (BIRA-IASB; established 1964; IASB added 2017); Belgium Federal Science Policy Office (BELSPO) (2024)

Space program overview

founding member of the European Space Agency (ESA), which acts as the de facto Belgian space agency as most programs are carried out under the ESA or bi-laterally with its member states; builds satellites, particularly research/science/technology and remote sensing (RS) platforms; also researches, develops, and produces a wide variety of other space technologies, including telecommunications, optics, robotics, scientific instruments, and space launch vehicle (SLV) components; supports the ESA’s SLV program with economic assistance (6% of the funding for the Ariane-5 SLV, for example), as well as legal, scientific, and technological expertise; hosts the European Space Security and Education Center (established 1968); participates in international astronomy efforts, particularly through the European Southern Observatory (ESO); participates in multiple ESA and EU space-related programs and research efforts; in addition to the ESA and EU and their individual country members, has cooperated with a variety foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of Argentina, China, India, Russia, South Africa, UAE, Vietnam, and the US (2024)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

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

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

96.89 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

7.78 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

11.26 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

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

Environment - 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

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Geoparks

global geoparks and regional networks

Famenne-Ardenne; Schelde Delta (includes Netherlands) (2024)

total global geoparks and regional networks

2 (2024)

Land use

agricultural land

44.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 27.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 16.1% (2018 est.)

forest

22.4% (2018 est.)

other

33.5% (2018 est.)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Seine (78,919 sq km), Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

18.3 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

3.47 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

740 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

98.2% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

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.)