Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
44 (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
5.12 million (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadcast media
a segmented market with the three major linguistic communities (Flemish-, French-, and German-speaking) each responsible for their own broadcast media; multiple TV channels exist for each community; over 90% of households are connected to cable and can access TV broadcasts from neighboring countries; each community has a public radio network coexisting with private broadcasters
Communications: Internet country code
.be
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
95.78% (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
21 (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
2.49 million (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
104 (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
12.2 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
sugar beets, milk, potatoes, wheat, pork, lettuce, maize, chicken, barley, pears (2023)
Economy: Average household expenditures: on alcohol and tobacco
4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Economy: Average household expenditures: on food
12.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$235.767 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$220.657 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
$5.079 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
$4.041 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
$6.363 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
$2.647 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
$3.518 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
-$4.743 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
$660.7 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
$4.788 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2021
$11.182 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2022
-$7.031 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2023
-$4.503 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2024
-$5.679 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
0.923890 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
0.752945 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
0.752728 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
0.901296 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
0.903421 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
0.885206 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
0.846773 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
0.893276 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
0.875506 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
0.845494 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
0.949624 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
0.924840 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
0.923890 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
refined petroleum, natural gas, vaccines, cars, packaged medicine (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2011
$423.188 billion (2011 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2014
$427.143 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2015
$359.051 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2016
$377.606 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2017
$417.980 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2018
$453.012 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2019
$445.308 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2020
$419.501 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2021
$536.428 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$565.233 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$542.508 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2024
$525.458 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: exports of goods and services
84.2% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: government consumption
23.8% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption
50.4% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: imports of goods and services
-84.8% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in fixed capital
24.4% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in inventories
1% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
0.8% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
17.6% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
72.1% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$73,514 (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$664.564 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$871.780 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015
27.7 (2015 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016
27.6 (2016 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017
27.4 (2017 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018
27.2 (2018 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019
27.2 (2019 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020
26.0 (2020 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021
26.6 (2021 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022
26.4 (2022 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023
26.8 (2023 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%
22.2% (2022 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
3.8% (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
cars, natural gas, vaccines, packaged medicine, crude petroleum (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2010
$357.962 billion (2010 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2015
$355.885 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2016
$376.759 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2017
$418.057 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2018
$460.129 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2019
$442.789 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2020
$411.855 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2021
$525.243 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$573.192 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$546.426 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2024
$531.029 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Industrial production growth rate
-0.6% (2024 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
0.56% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
1.97% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
2.13% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
2.05% (2018 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
1.44% (2019 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
0.74% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
2.44% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
9.60% (2022 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
4.05% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
3.14% (2024 est.)
Economy: Labor force
5.416 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Population below poverty line
12.30% (2022 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2022
92.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$506.063 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$519.424 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016
$548.606 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$571.671 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
$651.568 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020
$647.548 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$702.925 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$732.865 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$741.672 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$749.229 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
1.47% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
1.19% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
1.47% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
1.88% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
2.44% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
-4.79% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
6.25% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
3.96% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
1.2% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024
1.07% (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$45,148 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$46,072 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$48,415 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$50,256 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2019
$56,712 (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2020
$56,120 (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$60,669 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$69,128 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$71,946 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$11.695 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$12.161 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$10.465 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$13.112 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
$14.286 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
2.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
2.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2024
2.3% of GDP (2024 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015
$24.102 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016
$23.481 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017
$26.151 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2018
$26.857 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019
$28.970 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020
$33.296 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
$42.217 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$41.274 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$40.813 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$41.449 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Taxes and other revenues
22.7% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
5.36% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
5.54% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
6.25% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
5.57% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
5.55% (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024
5.70% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
14.7% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
18.6% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
16.8% (2024 est.)
Energy: Coal: consumption
4.372 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: exports
184,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: imports
4.046 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: production
1.269 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: proven reserves
4.1 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: biomass and waste
6.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
24.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity 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
Energy: Electricity generation sources: nuclear
40.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
9.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: wind
20% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
74.537 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: exports
18.279 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: imports
18.626 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
28.248 million kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
3.147 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023
190.416 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: consumption
14.382 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: exports
8.461 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: imports
23.007 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: production
12.938 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Nuclear energy: Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors
3.46GW (2025 est.)
Energy: Nuclear energy: Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down
3 (2025)
Energy: Nuclear energy: Number of operational nuclear reactors
4 (2025)
Energy: Nuclear energy: Percent of total electricity production
41.2% (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
596,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: total petroleum production
11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from coal and metallurgical coke
8.166 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from consumed natural gas
27.282 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
76.635 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
112.083 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Climate
temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
Environment: Environmental issues
urbanization; possible risks from industry and intensive farming; air and water pollution
Environment: Geoparks: global geoparks and regional networks
Famenne-Ardenne; Schelde Delta (includes Netherlands) (2024)
Environment: Geoparks: total global geoparks and regional networks
2 (2024)
Environment: International environmental 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
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
44.4% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 28.3% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.8% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 15.3% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
22% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
33.6% (2023 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
12.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Total renewable water resources
18.3 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: agricultural
41.97 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: industrial
4.14 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: municipal
740.19 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
0.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
87.61% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
4.766 million tons (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: percent of municipal solid waste recycled
31.7% (2022 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
about the size of Maryland
Geography: Area: land
30,278 sq km
Geography: Area: water
250 sq km
Geography: Coastline
66.5 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
Botrange 694 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
North Sea 0 m
Geography: Elevation: mean elevation
181 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
50 50 N, 4 00 E
Geography: 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
Geography: Irrigated land
57 sq km (2013)
Geography: Land boundaries: border countries
France 556 km; Germany 133 km; Luxembourg 130 km; Netherlands 478 km
Geography: Land boundaries: total
1,297 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
44.4% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 28.3% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.8% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 15.3% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
22% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
33.6% (2023 est.)
Geography: Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage
Seine (78,919 sq km), Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)
Geography: Map references
Europe
Geography: Maritime claims: contiguous zone
24 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: continental shelf
median line with neighbors
Geography: Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone
geographic coordinates define outer limit
Geography: Maritime claims: territorial sea
12 nm
Geography: Natural hazards
flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes
Geography: 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
Geography: Terrain
flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
Government: Administrative divisions
3 regions (French: régions , singular - région ; Dutch: gewesten , singular - gewest ); Brussels-Capital Region, also known as Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (Dutch), R é gion 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)
Government: Capital: daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Government: Capital: etymology
the name is of Germanic origin, from broca (marsh) and sali (room or building)
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
50 84 N, 4 35 E
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
no
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Belgium
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
yes
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Government: Constitution: amendment process
"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
Government: Constitution: history
drafted 25 November 1830, approved 7 February 1831, entered into force 26 July 1831, revised 14 July 1993 (creating a federal state)
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Belgium
Government: Country name: 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: Country name: local long form
Royaume de Belgique (French)/Koninkrijk Belgie (Dutch)/Koenigreich Belgien (German)
Government: Country name: local short form
Belgique/Belgie/Belgien
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
Ambassador Bill WHITE (since 17 November 2025)
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: email address and website
uscitizenBrussels@state.gov https://be.usembassy.gov/
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: FAX
[32] (2) 811-4500
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: mailing address
7600 Brussels Place, Washington DC 20521-7600
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: telephone
[32] (2) 811-4000
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery
1430 K Street NW, Washington DC 20005
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Ambassador Frédéric BERNARD (since 25 February 2025)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: consulate(s) general
Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: email address and website
Washington@diplobel.fed.be https://unitedstates.diplomatie.belgium.be/en
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX
[1] (202) 338-4960
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: telephone
[1] (202) 333-6900
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
King PHILIPPE (since 21 July 2013)
Government: Executive branch: 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
Government: Executive branch: head of government
Prime Minister Bart DE WEVER (since 3 February 2025)
Government: Flag
description: three equal vertical bands of black (left side), yellow, and red history: the vertical design was based on the flag of France; the colors are from the arms of the duchy of Brabant (yellow lion with red claws and tongue on a black field)
Government: International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Government: 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
Government: 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)
Government: Judicial branch: 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
Government: Judicial branch: subordinate courts
Courts of Appeal; regional courts; specialized courts for administrative, commercial, labor, immigration, and audit issues; magistrate's courts; justices of the peace
Government: Legal system
civil law system based on the French Civil Code; judicial review of legislative acts
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name
House of Representatives (Chambre des Représentants)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: electoral system
proportional representation
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: expected date of next election
June 2029
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: most recent election date
6/9/2024
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: number of seats
150 (all directly elected)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: parties elected and seats per party
New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) (24); Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) (20); Movement for Reform (MR) (20); Socialist Party in Wallonia (PS) (16); Workers' Party of Belgium (PTB*PVDA) (15); LES ENGAGÉS (14); Vooruit (13); Christian Democratic and Flemish (CD&V) (11); Other (17)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: percentage of women in chamber
41.3%
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: term in office
5 years
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name
Senate (Sénat - Senaat - Senat)
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: expected date of next election
July 2029
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: most recent election date
7/18/2024
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: number of seats
60 (all indirectly elected)
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: percentage of women in chamber
47.5%
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: term in office
5 years
Government: Legislative branch: legislative structure
bicameral
Government: Legislative branch: legislature name
Federal Parliament (Parlement fédéral - Federaal Parlement - Föderales Parlament)
Government: National anthem(s): 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
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
Louis-Alexandre DECHET [French] and Victor CEULEMANS [Dutch]/Francois VAN CAMPENHOUT
Government: National color(s)
red, black, yellow
Government: 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)
Government: National heritage: total World Heritage Sites
16 (15 cultural, 1 natural)
Government: National holiday
Belgian National Day (ascension to the throne of King LEOPOLD I), 21 July (1831)
Government: National symbol(s)
golden rampant lion
Government: 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) Movement for Reform or MR Socialist Party or PS Workers' Party or PVDA-PTB
Government: Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Introduction: 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.
Military and Security: Military - note
the Belgian military's 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; 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 bilaterally 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 (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security forces
Belgian Armed Forces (Defensie or La Défense): Land Component, Marine (Naval) Component, Air Component, Medical Component, Cyber Command (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 23,000 active-duty military personnel (2025)
Military and Security: Military deployments
has on average about 1,000 personnel deployed on foreign missions, including more than 300 ground forces deployed in Eastern Europe for the defense of NATO's eastern flank (2025)
Military and Security: Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the armed forces have a mix of weapons systems from European suppliers and the US; Belgium has an export-focused defense industry that focuses on components and subcontracting (2025)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2015
0.91% (2015 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2016
0.90% (2016 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2017
0.89% (2017 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2018
0.89% (2018 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2019
0.89% (2019 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2020
1.01% (2020 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2021
1.04% (2021 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2022
1.16% (2022 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2023
1.18% (2023 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024
1.28% (2024 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2025
2% of GDP (2025 est.)
Military and Security: Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; maximum age varies by position; conscription abolished in 1995 (2025)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
16.9% (male 1,038,578/female 990,215)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
62.8% (male 3,796,844/female 3,730,784)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
20.2% (2024 est.) (male 1,073,635/female 1,347,578)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: beer
4.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: other alcohols
0.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: spirits
1.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: total
9.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: wine
3.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Birth rate
9.09 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Child marriage: women married by age 15
0% (2020)
People and Society: Child marriage: women married by age 18
0.1% (2020)
People and Society: Children under the age of 5 years underweight
0.3% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
10.80% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Currently married women (ages 15-49)
52.4% (2021 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
9.55 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
32.6 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
3.1 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
57.6 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
24.9 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: rural
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: rural
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP)
6.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% national budget)
12% national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditures
6.28% (2022 est.)
People and Society: Ethnic groups
Belgian 75.2%, Italian 4.1%, Moroccan 3.7%, French 2.4%, Turkish 2%, Dutch 2%, other 10.6% (2012 est.)
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
0.71 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
11% of GDP (2021)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
15.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.20% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Hospital bed density
5.4 beds/1,000 population (2023 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
2.7 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
3.5 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
People and Society: Languages: Languages
Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%
People and Society: Languages: 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.
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
84.4 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
80.3 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
2.122 million BRUSSELS (capital), 1.057 million Antwerp (2023)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
43.1 years
People and Society: Median age: male
40.8 years
People and Society: Mother's mean age at first birth
29.2 years (2020 est.)
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
Belgian
People and Society: Net migration rate
4.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
22.1% (2016)
People and Society: Physician density
6.53 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
People and Society: Population
11,858,610 (2024 est.)
People and Society: 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
People and Society: Population growth rate
0.45% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
6,052,672
People and Society: Population: male
5,907,498
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: rural
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: rural
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): female
20 years (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): male
18 years (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total
19 years (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.05 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
1.02 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
0.8 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: female
22% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: male
26.4% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: total
24.1% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
1.44 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
0.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
87.61% (2024 est.)
Space: Key space-program milestones
1986 - joined first European Earth Observation program; founding member of European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites 1992 - first Belgian astronaut in space on the US Space Shuttle 2001 - first remote sensing satellite (PROBA-1) launched by India 2024 - signed US-led Artemis Accords outlining best practices for space exploration
Space: 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) (2025)
Space: Space program overview
builds satellites, particularly research/science/technology and remote sensing platforms; researches, develops, and produces a wide variety of space technologies, including telecommunications, optics, robotics, scientific instruments, and space launch vehicle components; founding member of the ESA and participates in a variety of ESA and EU projects, such as Space Surveillance and Tracking, Copernicus Earth observation, and Galileo global navigation satellite system; hosts the European Space Security and Education Center (established 1968); participates in international astronomy efforts, particularly through the European Southern Observatory (ESO); has worked with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial entities outside Europe, including those of Argentina, China, India, Russia, South Africa, UAE, Vietnam, and the US (2025)
Terrorism: Terrorist group(s)
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)
Transnational Issues: Illicit drugs: USG identification
major precursor-chemical producer (2025)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees
236,689 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: stateless persons
849 (2024 est.)
Transportation: Airports
48 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
OO
Transportation: Heliports
112 (2025)
Transportation: Merchant marine: by type
bulk carrier 17, container ship 2, general cargo 16, oil tanker 21, other 142
Transportation: Merchant marine: total
198 (2023)
Transportation: Ports: key ports
Antwerpen, Bruxelles, Ghent, Oostende, Zeebrugge
Transportation: Ports: large
1
Transportation: Ports: medium
2
Transportation: Ports: ports with oil terminals
5
Transportation: Ports: small
2
Transportation: Ports: total ports
7 (2024)
Transportation: Ports: very small
2
Transportation: Railways: total
3,602 km (2020) 3,160 km electrified
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.