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.
Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
Geography
Location
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
Geographic coordinates
50 50 N, 4 00 E
Map references
Europe
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.)
arable land: 27.2% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 16.1% (2018 est.)
forest: 22.4% (2018 est.)
other: 33.5% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
57 sq km (2013)
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Seine (78,919 sq km), Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)
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
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
People and Society
Population
total: 11,977,634
male: 5,909,057
female: 6,068,577 (2024 est.)
comparison rankings: female 82; male 83; total 82
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 sample(s):
Het Wereld Feitenboek, een onmisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch)
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 2.3%, other Christian, 2.8%, Muslim 6.8%, other 1.7%, atheist 9.1%, nonbeliever/agnostic 20.2% (2018 est.)
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.)
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)
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.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
29.2 years (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
comparison ranking: total 205
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 82.3 years (2024 est.)
male: 79.7 years
female: 85 years
comparison ranking: total population 30
Gross reproduction rate
0.86 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
66.7% (2018)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
11.1% of GDP (2020)
Physician density
6.08 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Hospital bed density
5.6 beds/1,000 population (2019)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 9.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 4.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 3.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 1.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 34
Tobacco use
total: 23.4% (2020 est.)
male: 25.8% (2020 est.)
female: 21% (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 61
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
43.2% (2023 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)
Environment
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
Climate
temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
Land use
agricultural land: 44.1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 27.2% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 16.1% (2018 est.)
forest: 22.4% (2018 est.)
other: 33.5% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 98.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
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.)
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.)
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Seine (78,919 sq km), Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)
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 cubic meters (2020 est.)
Geoparks
total global geoparks and regional networks: 2 (2024)
global geoparks and regional networks: Famenne-Ardenne; Schelde Delta (includes Netherlands) (2024)
Government
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)
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
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
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 2029)
Chamber of Representatives - last held on 9 June 2024 (next to be held on 30 June 2029); note - elections coincided with the EU parliamentary elections
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%
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 reality leaves six governments, each with its own legislative assembly; changes above occurred since the sixth state reform
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
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
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 Jean-Arthur RÉGIBEAU (since 17 September 2020)
chancery: 1430 K Street NW, Washington DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900
FAX: [1] (202) 338-4960
email address and website:
[email protected]
https://unitedstates.diplomatie.belgium.be/en
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael ADLER (since 15 March 2022)
embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent [Regentlaan], B-1000 Brussels
mailing address: 7600 Brussels Place, Washington DC 20521-7600
telephone: [32] (2) 811-4000
FAX: [32] (2) 811-4500
email address and website:
[email protected]
https://be.usembassy.gov/
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 symbol(s)
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: 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)
Economy
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
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
comparison ranking: 36
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
comparison ranking: 155
Real GDP per capita
$63,600 (2023 est.)
$63,500 (2022 est.)
$62,100 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 26
GDP (official exchange rate)
$632.217 billion (2023 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.05% (2023 est.)
9.6% (2022 est.)
2.44% (2021 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
comparison ranking: 81
Credit ratings
Fitch rating: AA- (2016)
Moody's rating: Aa3 (2011)
Standard & Poors rating: AA (2011)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 0.7% (2017 est.)
industry: 22.1% (2017 est.)
services: 77.2% (2017 est.)
comparison rankings: services 41; industry 131; agriculture 207
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 51.2% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 23.4% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 23.3% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.3% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 85.1% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -84.4% (2017 est.)
Agricultural 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
comparison ranking: 179
Labor force
5.432 million (2023 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
comparison ranking: 79
Unemployment rate
5.51% (2023 est.)
5.56% (2022 est.)
6.26% (2021 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
comparison ranking: 106
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 16.1% (2023 est.)
male: 17.8% (2023 est.)
female: 14.1% (2023 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
comparison ranking: total 89
Population below poverty line
12.3% (2022 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
26.6 (2021 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
comparison ranking: 142
Average household expenditures
on food: 13.5% of household expenditures (2021 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 4% of household expenditures (2021 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 3.6% (2021 est.)
highest 10%: 21.9% (2021 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Remittances
2.29% of GDP (2023 est.)
2.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
2.34% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Budget
revenues: $267.105 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $277.492 billion (2019 est.)
Public debt
94.04% of GDP (2022 est.)
note: central government debt as a % of GDP
comparison ranking: 26
Taxes and other revenues
23.09% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
comparison ranking: 61
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
comparison ranking: 189
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
comparison ranking: 18
Exports - partners
Germany 19%, France 15%, Netherlands 14%, US 6%, Italy 5% (2022)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports - commodities
natural gas, vaccines, refined petroleum, packaged medicine, cars (2022)
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
comparison ranking: 18
Imports - partners
Netherlands 19%, Germany 12%, France 9%, US 6%, China 6% (2022)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports - commodities
natural gas, refined petroleum, cars, packaged medicine, vaccines (2022)
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
comparison ranking: 53
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
0.925 (2023 est.)
0.95 (2022 est.)
0.845 (2021 est.)
0.876 (2020 est.)
0.893 (2019 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity
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.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 145; imports 15; exports 10; consumption 40; installed generating capacity 39
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 29% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
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.)
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
biomass and waste: 4.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Nuclear energy
Number of operational nuclear reactors: 5 (2023)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 3.91GW (2023 est.)
Percent of total electricity production: 41.2% (2023 est.)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 3 (2023)
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 cubic meters (2022 est.)
consumption: 15.347 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
exports: 9.86 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
imports: 25.327 billion cubic meters (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.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 38
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 2.953 million (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 25 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 38
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 11.874 million (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 102 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 84
Telecommunication systems
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)
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)
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)
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 users
total: 10.92 million (2021 est.)
percent of population: 91% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 57
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 4,734,210 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 34
Transportation
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
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)
comparison ranking: total 42
Merchant marine
total: 198 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 17, container ship 2, general cargo 16, oil tanker 21, other 142
comparison ranking: total 68
Ports
total ports: 7 (2024)
large: 1
medium: 2
small: 2
very small: 2
ports with oil terminals: 5
key ports: Antwerpen, Bruxelles, Ghent, Oostende, Zeebrugge
Military and Security
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 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)
comparison ranking: 107
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 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 service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished in 1995 (2024)
note 1: in 2023, women comprised nearly 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
Military deployments
100 Middle East; Belgium has 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 (numbers vary based on the mission) (2024)
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)
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) (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: 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
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Terrorist group(s): 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
Transnational Issues
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