Belgium vs Ireland: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 112 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

Comparing Belgium and Ireland: Ireland leads on Oil Imports (176,000) against Belgium (1.01); Ireland leads on Electricity Imports (871) against Belgium (14.65); Belgium leads on Oil Production (11,220) against Ireland (431). Across 112 compared metrics, Belgium wins on 53 and Ireland wins on 47.

  • Communications: 6 metrics compared
  • Economy: 45 metrics compared
  • Environment: 6 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 4 metrics compared
  • Health: 10 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 30 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared

Communications

6 metrics
Metric🇧🇪 Belgium🇮🇪 IrelandShare
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)94.63 %96.5 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 95% (2023 est.)percent of population: 97% (2023 est.)
Press Freedom Index Score80.12 points86.92 points
Radios8.082.55
Televisions4.721.82
Waterways2,043956

Economy

45 metrics
Metric🇧🇪 Belgium🇮🇪 IrelandShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country4.31B $8.24B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars742.86B $691.57B $
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)0 %0.05 %
Coal Revenue00
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)2.08 %4.08 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)10.3 % of GDP6.9 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index7594.4
Electricity Consumption82.1625.68
Electricity Exports8.471.58
Electricity from Fossil Fuels3565
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants12
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels280
Electricity from Other Renewables3633
Electricity Imports14.65871
Electricity Installed Capacity21.569.95
Electricity Production79.8328.53
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)190.42 USD per capita113.84 USD per capita
Gini Index Coefficient26.429.9
Gross Fixed Investment22.19.3
Gross National Saving24.533.1
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.6 %-4.9 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)3.1 %2.1 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2 % of GDP0.2 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption17.615.24
Natural Gas Exports736.20
Natural Gas Imports18.091.64
Natural Gas Production03.51
Natural Gas Proved Reserves09.91
Oil Consumption622,600159,700
Oil Exports353,00017,480
Oil Imports1.01176,000
Oil Production11,220431
Oil Proved Reserves00
Population Below Poverty Line12.3 people14 people
Public Debt92.545.4
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)1 USD1.2 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption648,600153,700
Refined Petroleum Products Exports680,80037,040
Refined Petroleum Products Imports601,400126,600
Refined Petroleum Products Production731,70064,970
Remittances2.30.1
Revenue from Forest Resources0.020.01
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0.090.08
Taxes and Other Revenues22.716.8
Unemployment Rate5.5 %4.4 %

Environment

6 metrics
Metric🇧🇪 Belgium🇮🇪 IrelandShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)752,840-257,316
Carbon Dioxide Emissions112.0835.49
Continental Shelfnot specific;no precise definition;
Population Distributionmost 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 areaspopulation distribution is weighted to the eastern side of the island, with the largest concentration in and around Dublin; populations in the west are small due to mountainous land, poorer soil, and lack of transport routes
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country0.9 Cubic meters per year10.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources18.352

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇧🇪 Belgium🇮🇪 IrelandShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization22.29 %2.15 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)172.3111.64
Agricultural land13,716.58 sq. km41,336 sq. km
Coastline Length (km)66.5 km1,448 km
Dam capacity per capita12.18 cubic meters per inhabitant162.41 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land570

Government

4 metrics
Metric🇧🇪 Belgium🇮🇪 IrelandShare
Rule of Law Index by Country88.74 %97.46 %
Administrative Divisions328
Independence46
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

10 metrics
Metric🇧🇪 Belgium🇮🇪 IrelandShare
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)8.2710.06
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)5.93.6
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)11 % of GDP6.1 % of GDP
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA0.3 %
Hospital Bed Density5.5 people/sq km2.9 people/sq km
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)4 %4 %
Mean Age at First Birth29.230.9
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)22.1 %25.3 %
People Living With HIV/AIDSNA7,800
Underweight Children Under 51NA

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇧🇪 Belgium🇮🇪 IrelandShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)24,0009,000

People and Society

30 metrics
Metric🇧🇪 Belgium🇮🇪 IrelandShare
Currently married (Percent)50.3 %44.92 %
Human Capital Index0.770.83
Life expectancy at birth84.77 years85.07 years
Median age of population42.19 years39.37 years
Population Change7,999.1 persons48,816.6 persons
Population density390.59 per sq. km78.85 per sq. km
Total population11.78M persons5.36M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.950.92
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsA-BB
Birth Rate (%)9.09 %10.95 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate66.7 %NA
Death Rate (%)9.55 %7.43 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6.3 % of GDP2.9 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age2.54M persons1.27M persons
Labor Force Participation Rate5.422.86
Learning-adjusted years of school11.22 years12.12 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother120 days68.6 days
Major Urban Areas Population2.12 people1.27 people
Mean Male Height (cm)181.7178.93
Military Manpower at Military Age1917
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization79.32 %55.92 %
Physician Density6.53 people/sq km3.88 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.45 %0.8 %
Population living in slums0 %8.87 %
Total deaths116,107.9 persons37,283 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)66.05 %70.02 %
Total fertility rate1.29 per woman1.53 per woman
Total net-migration30,580.2 persons36,316.6 persons
Under-five mortality rate3.23 per live births3.03 per live births

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇧🇪 Belgium🇮🇪 IrelandShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)1.324.17
Airports48100
Civil Air Travel4723
Heliports11210

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