Belgium vs United Kingdom: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 177 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

United Kingdom has 5.9 times as many people as Belgium (69.96 million vs 11.78 million). United Kingdom's economy is 5.5 times the size of Belgium's ($4.1 trillion vs $742.86 billion GDP).

Comparing Belgium and United Kingdom: Belgium leads on Refined Petroleum Products Production (731,700) against United Kingdom (1.29); Belgium leads on Refined Petroleum Products Consumption (648,600) against United Kingdom (1.58); Belgium leads on Oil Consumption (622,600) against United Kingdom (1.62). Across 177 compared metrics, Belgium wins on 78 and United Kingdom wins on 89.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 66 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 25 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 40 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 5 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡Ŗ BelgiumšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration44.23 subscriptions per 100 inhabitantsā˜…42.16 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)95.78 %ā˜…95.47 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)94.63 %96.3 %ā˜…
Internet Userspercent of population: 95% (2023 est.)percent of population: 96% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed44.23 Mbpsā˜…42.16 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score80.12 pointsā˜…78.89 points
Radios8.0884.5ā˜…
Televisions4.7230.5ā˜…
Waterways2,0433,200ā˜…

Economy

66 metrics
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡Ŗ BelgiumšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country4.31B $31.15B $ā˜…
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars742.86B $4.10T $ā˜…
AI Investment (% of GDP)24.5 %ā˜…19.12 %
Apple Import Volume97.50M tonnes326.31M tonnesā˜…
Bank Account Ownership Rate98.24 %99.28 %ā˜…
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)0 %0.25 %ā˜…
Coal Revenue00
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)2.08 %4.38 %ā˜…
Corporate Tax Rate Trends29.58 %ā˜…19 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)10.3 % of GDPā˜…10 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index7593.8ā˜…
Electricity Consumption82.16309.2ā˜…
Electricity Exports8.47ā˜…2.15
Electricity from Fossil Fuels3550ā˜…
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants12ā˜…
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels28ā˜…9
Electricity from Other Renewables3639ā˜…
Electricity Imports14.6519.7ā˜…
Electricity Installed Capacity21.5697.06ā˜…
Electricity Production79.83318.2ā˜…
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)190.42 USD per capitaā˜…94.28 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate67.17 %73.49 %ā˜…
Gini Index Coefficient26.432.4ā˜…
Gross Fixed Investment22.1ā˜…13.9
Gross National Saving24.5ā˜…13.6
High-Tech Export Percentage56.41 %63.43 %ā˜…
Highest GDP per Capita Countries63,488.42 USDā˜…53,993.12 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-0.6 %-0.5 %ā˜…
Inflation Rate2.47 %ā˜…3.88 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)3.1 %ā˜…3.3 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2 % of GDP2.4 % of GDPā˜…
Natural Gas Consumption17.6179.17ā˜…
Natural Gas Exports736.2ā˜…11.27
Natural Gas Imports18.0947ā˜…
Natural Gas Production042.11ā˜…
Natural Gas Proved Reserves0176ā˜…
Number of AI Patents Filed8 patents478 patentsā˜…
Oil Consumption622,600ā˜…1.62
Oil Exports353,000ā˜…1.31
Oil Imports1.011.45ā˜…
Oil Production11,220ā˜…1.39
Oil Proved Reserves02.86ā˜…
Population Below Poverty Line12.3 peopleā˜…18.6 people
Public Debt92.5ā˜…138.6
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)3.27 %ā˜…2.68 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)1 USD1.1 USDā˜…
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption648,600ā˜…1.58
Refined Petroleum Products Exports680,800ā˜…613,800
Refined Petroleum Products Imports601,400907,500ā˜…
Refined Petroleum Products Production731,700ā˜…1.29
Remittances2.3ā˜…0.1
Researchers in R&D per Million4,757.31 researchersā˜…4,472.69 researchers
Revenue from Forest Resources0.02ā˜…0.01
Robotics Research Funding3.27 USDā˜…2.68 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0.04ā˜…0.5
Tax Burden (% of GDP)22.96 %ā˜…26.89 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)22.96 % of GDP26.89 % of GDPā˜…
Taxes and Other Revenues22.727.4ā˜…
Top Exporting Countries532.22B USD1.14T USDā˜…
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)-3.97 %1.91 %ā˜…
Total Number of Billionaires1156ā˜…
Tourism Contribution to GDP3.16 %ā˜…1.77 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)3.16 %ā˜…1.77 %
Unemployment Rate5.5 %4.2 %ā˜…
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate54.27 %ā˜…61.37 %
Youth Unemployment Rate17.78 %14.65 %ā˜…

Environment

12 metrics
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡Ŗ BelgiumšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Annual COā‚‚ Emissions Growth (abs)752,840ā˜…5.08M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-3,755.99 %12,000 %ā˜…
Average Annual Temperature11.29 °Cā˜…10.37 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions112.08ā˜…340.94
Continental Shelfnot specific;200
Global Precipitation Distribution761.49 mm962.53 mmā˜…
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 areasthe core of the population lies in and around London, with significant clusters found in central Britain around Manchester and Liverpool, in the Scottish lowlands between Edinburgh and Glasgow, in southern Wales in and around Cardiff, and in far-eastern N
Protected Land Area for Adaptation16.63 sq km28.58 sq kmā˜…
Protected Land Area Percentage16.4 %28.4 %ā˜…
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country0.9 Cubic meters per year9.8 Cubic meters per yearā˜…
Total Renewable Water Resources18.3147ā˜…
Total Threatened Mammal Species3 speciesā˜…4 species

Geography

7 metrics
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡Ŗ BelgiumšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization22.29 %ā˜…9.75 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)172.3ā˜…115
Agricultural land13,716.58 sq. km172,448.2 sq. kmā˜…
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km30,494241,930ā˜…
Coastline Length (km)66.5 km12,429 kmā˜…
Dam capacity per capita12.18 cubic meters per inhabitant75.83 cubic meters per inhabitantā˜…
Irrigated Land57718ā˜…

Government

9 metrics
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡Ŗ BelgiumšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Rule of Law Index by Country88.74 %ā˜…86.77 %
Administrative Divisions3England: 24 two-tier counties, 32 London boroughs and 1 City of London or Greater London, 36 metropolitan districts, 59 unitary authorities (including 4 single-tier counties*) two-tier counties: Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, East Sussex, Ess
Corruption Perception Index69 indexā˜…71 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score69 index71 indexā˜…
Independence4no official date of independence: 927 (minor English kingdoms unite); 3 March 1284 (enactment of the Statute of Rhuddlan uniting England and Wales); 1536 (Act of Union incorporates England and Wales); 1 May 1707 (Acts of Union unite England, Scotland, and
LGBT Rights Index Score1010.98ā˜…
Prison Population Rate113 per 100,000ā˜…139.33 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception69ā˜…71
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

25 metrics
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡Ŗ BelgiumšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water99.55 %99.82 %ā˜…
Average BMI for Adults26.6 kg/m²27.3 kg/mĀ²ā˜…
Change in Measles Immunization Rate96 %ā˜…89 %
Dentist Density7.2 per 10,000 peopleā˜…5.1 per 10,000 people
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)8.27ā˜…8.38
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)5.97.4ā˜…
Female Life Expectancy Leaders82.3 yearsā˜…81.39 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.31 per 1,000 births0.25 per 1,000 birthsā˜…
Health Care Spending per Capita8,638.85 USDā˜…7,011.86 USD
Health Coverage Index Score86 score88 scoreā˜…
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)11 % of GDP11.3 % of GDPā˜…
Highest Male Life Expectancy82.3 yearsā˜…81.39 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNANA
Hospital Bed Density5.5 people/sq kmā˜…2.4 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita5.46 beds per 1,000ā˜…2.42 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence6.76 %ā˜…6.83 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)4 %ā˜…8 %
Mean Age at First Birth29.2ā˜…29
Nurses and Midwives Density12.89 per 1,000 peopleā˜…9.12 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)22.1 %ā˜…27.8 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending21.51 %14.63 %ā˜…
People Living With HIV/AIDSNANA
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)8.13 %8.98 %ā˜…
Total Number of Doctors3.57ā˜…3.14
Underweight Children Under 50.3ā˜…0.6

Military and Security

3 metrics
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡Ŗ BelgiumšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Active Military Personnel23,000 personnel150,000 personnelā˜…
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)2.01 %ā˜…2.35 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)24,000153,000ā˜…

People and Society

40 metrics
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡Ŗ BelgiumšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Currently married (Percent)50.3 %ā˜…46.59 %
Human Capital Index0.770.79ā˜…
Life expectancy at birth84.77 yearsā˜…83.69 years
Median age of population42.19 yearsā˜…40.33 years
Population Change7,999.1 persons377,688.2 personsā˜…
Population density390.59 per sq. km288.63 per sq. kmā˜…
Total population11.78M persons69.96M personsā˜…
Academic Freedom Index0.95ā˜…0.67
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsA-BCā˜…
Beer Consumption per Capita3.89 litersā˜…3.54 liters
Birth Rate (%)9.09 %10.76 %ā˜…
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate66.7 %76.1 %ā˜…
Crude Birth Rate9.2 per 1,000 people9.89 per 1,000 peopleā˜…
Death Rate (%)9.55 %9.25 %ā˜…
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6.3 % of GDPā˜…5.9 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age2.54M persons15.28M personsā˜…
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)95.59 %ā˜…93.5 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate44.23 %ā˜…42.16 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.76 male/female105.42 male/femaleā˜…
Human Development Index0.740.78ā˜…
Labor Force Participation Rate5.4235.36ā˜…
Learning-adjusted years of school11.22 years11.65 yearsā˜…
Length of paid parental leave for mother120 daysā˜…0 days
Major Urban Areas Population2.12 people9.65 peopleā˜…
Mean Male Height (cm)181.7ā˜…177.49
Mean Years of Schooling11.57 years12.9 yearsā˜…
Military Service Age and Obligation18ā˜…16
Old-Age Dependency Ratio31.65 %30.33 %ā˜…
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization79.32 %86.48 %ā˜…
Physician Density6.53 people/sq kmā˜…3.3 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.45 %ā˜…0.4 %
Population living in slums0 %0.16 %ā˜…
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio11.28ā˜…15.13
Total deaths116,107.9 personsā˜…675,626.2 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)66.05 %75.07 %ā˜…
Total fertility rate1.29 per woman1.53 per womanā˜…
Total net-migration30,580.2 persons375,700.7 personsā˜…
Under-five mortality rate3.23 per live birthsā˜…4.03 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.77 %ā˜…0.39 %
Voting Age Population75.82 millionsā˜…52.79 millions

Transportation

5 metrics
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡Ŗ BelgiumšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)1.322.25ā˜…
Airports481,057ā˜…
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)00
Civil Air Travel47618ā˜…
Heliports112139ā˜…

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡Ŗ BelgiumšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita10.45B USD84.55B USDā˜…

Frequently Asked Questions About Belgium vs United Kingdom

Which has a larger population, Belgium or United Kingdom?ā–¾

United Kingdom. United Kingdom has 5.9 times as many people as Belgium (69.96 million vs 11.78 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Belgium or United Kingdom?ā–¾

United Kingdom. United Kingdom's economy is 5.5 times the size of Belgium's ($4.1 trillion vs $742.86 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Belgium or United Kingdom?ā–¾

Belgium is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $63,070 in Belgium vs $58,622 in United Kingdom (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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