CapitalBrussels
Population11,960,170
Area30,528 km²
GDP per capita$63,100
LanguagesDutch, French, German under
Currencyeuros
Life Expectancy82.3 yr
Governmenta federal parliamentary democracy functioning under a constitutional monarchy
Introduction
Background
In 1830, Belgium achieved independence from the Netherlands and was subsequently occupied by Germany during both World War I and World War II. The nation has thrived as a contemporary, technologically sophisticated European country and is a member of both NATO and the EU. Recently, enduring conflicts between the Dutch-speaking Flemish population in the north and the French-speaking Walloons in the south have resulted in constitutional changes that provide these areas with formal acknowledgment and autonomy. Brussels, the capital, hosts a variety of international organizations, such as the EU and NATO.
Geography
Area
land
30,278 sq km
water
250 sq km
total
30,528 sq km
Climate
temperate; characterized by mild winters, cool summers; experiences rainy, humid, and overcast conditions
Terrain
level coastal plains in the northwest, gently rolling hills in the central region, and the rugged Ardennes Mountains in the southeast
Land use
other
33.6% (2023 est.)
forest
22% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
44.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 28.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 15.3% (2023 est.)
Location
Located in Western Europe, bordered by the North Sea, positioned between France and the Netherlands
Coastline
66.5 km
Elevation
lowest point
North Sea 0 m
highest point
Botrange 694 m
mean elevation
181 m
Irrigated land
57 sq km (2013)
Map references
Europe
Land boundaries
total
1,297 km
border countries
France 556 km; Germany 133 km; Luxembourg 130 km; Netherlands 478 km
Maritime claims
contiguous zone
24 nm
territorial sea
12 nm
continental shelf
median line with neighbors
exclusive economic zone
geographic coordinates define outer limit
Natural hazards
there is a risk of flooding along riverbanks and in regions of reclaimed coastal land, which are safeguarded from the sea by concrete dikes
Geography - note
a pivotal junction in Western Europe; the majority of Western European capitals lie within 1,000 km of Brussels, the hub of both the EU and NATO
Natural resources
building materials, silica sand, carbonates, arable land
Area - comparative
approximately equivalent in size to the state of Maryland
Geographic coordinates
50 50 N, 4 00 E
Population distribution
the majority of the populace is situated in the northern two-thirds of the nation; the southeast is less densely populated; it is regarded as having one of the highest population densities globally, with around 97% residing in urban settings
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage
Seine (78,919 sq km), Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)
People & Society
Languages
Languages
Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) under 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 estimate)
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
total population
0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.8 male(s)/female
Birth rate
9.09 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
9.55 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
40.8 years
total
42.4 years (2025 est.)
female
43.1 years
Population
male
5,907,498
total
11,960,170 (2025 est.)
female
6,052,672
Nationality
noun
Belgian(s)
adjective
Belgian
Tobacco use
male
26.4% (2025 est.)
total
24.1% (2025 est.)
female
22% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
98.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
0.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 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)
Ethnic groups
Belgian 75.2%, Italian 4.1%, Moroccan 3.7%, French 2.4%, Turkish 2%, Dutch 2%, other 10.6% (2012 estimate)
Child marriage
women married by age 15
0% (2020)
women married by age 18
0.1% (2020)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
57.6 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
24.9 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
3.1 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
32.6 (2025 est.)
Physician density
6.53 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
11% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
15.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
4.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density
5.5 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.46 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
6.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
12% national budget (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
3.5 deaths/1,000 live births
total
3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
2.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
0.45% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.71 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
a majority of the populace resides in the northern two-thirds of the nation; the southeastern region is less densely populated; it is regarded as having one of the highest population densities globally, with around 97% of individuals living in urban settings
Life expectancy at birth
male
79.7 years
female
85 years
total population
82.3 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
4.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
3.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
9.15 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.)
Major urban areas - population
2.122 million BRUSSELS (capital), 1.057 million Antwerp (2023)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
22.1% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth
29.2 years (2020 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
52.4% (2021 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
0.3% (2023 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
18 years (2022 est.)
total
19 years (2022 est.)
female
20 years (2022 est.)
Environment
Climate
temperate; winters are mild, summers are cool; characterized by rain, humidity, and cloudiness
Geoparks
global geoparks and regional networks
Famenne-Ardenne; Schelde Delta (encompasses the Netherlands) (2024)
total global geoparks and regional networks
2 (2024)
Land use
other
33.6% (2023 est.)
forest
22% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
44.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 28.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 15.3% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
98.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
0.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
4.766 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
31.7% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
urban growth; potential hazards from industrial activities and intensive agriculture; pollution of air and water
Total water withdrawal
municipal
740.19 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial
4.14 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural
41.97 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
112.083 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas
27.282 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke
8.166 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
76.635 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
12.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
18.3 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
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
signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Government
Flag
description: three vertical bands of equal size, colored black (on the left), yellow, and red
history: the vertical layout was inspired by the flag of France; the colors derive from the heraldry of the duchy of Brabant (depicting a yellow lion with red claws and tongue against a black background)
Capital
name
Brussels
etymology
the term has Germanic roots, originating from broca (meaning marsh) and sali (referring to a room or structure)
time difference
UTC+1 (which is 6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1 hour, commencing on the last Sunday of March and concluding on the last Sunday of October
geographic coordinates
50 84 N, 4 35 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Belgium
dual citizenship recognized
yes
residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Constitution
history
drafted on 25 November 1830, ratified on 7 February 1831, effective from 26 July 1831, amended on 14 July 1993 (establishing a federal state)
amendment process
"revisions" are proposed as declarations by the federal government in agreement with the king or by Parliament, followed by the dissolution of Parliament and new elections; to be adopted, a two-thirds majority vote is necessary from a two-thirds quorum in both chambers of the next elected Parliament
Country name
etymology
the name is derived from the Belgae, an ancient Celtic tribal alliance that occupied the region between the English Channel and the west bank of the Rhine in the early centuries B.C.
local long form
Royaume de Belgique (French)/Koninkrijk Belgie (Dutch)/Koenigreich Belgien (German)
local short form
Belgique/Belgie/Belgien
conventional long form
Kingdom of Belgium
conventional short form
Belgium
Independence
4 October 1830 (when a provisional government proclaimed independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (when King LEOPOLD I began his reign)
Legal system
a civil law framework modeled on the French Civil Code; includes judicial review of legislative measures
Government type
a federal parliamentary democracy functioning under a constitutional monarchy
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Constitutional Court, known as Grondwettelijk Hof in Dutch and Cour Constitutionelle in French (comprising 12 judges - 6 Dutch-speaking and 6 French-speaking); Supreme Court of Justice, called Hof van Cassatie in Dutch and Cour de Cassation in French (organized into three chambers: civil and commercial; criminal; social, fiscal, and military; each chamber has a Dutch division and a French division, each led by a chairperson and consisting of 5-6 judges)
subordinate courts
Courts of Appeal; regional courts; specialized courts addressing administrative, commercial, labor, immigration, and audit matters; magistrate's courts; justices of the peace
judge selection and term of office
judges of the Constitutional Court are appointed by the monarch from a list of candidates proposed by Parliament; they serve for life but must retire at age 70; judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the monarch from candidates nominated by the High Council of Justice, which consists of 44 members from both judicial and non-judicial backgrounds; they also serve for life
Executive branch
cabinet
Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch
chief of state
King PHILIPPE (since 21 July 2013)
head of government
Prime Minister Bart DE WEVER (since 3 February 2025)
election/appointment process
the monarchy operates on a hereditary and constitutional basis; after legislative elections, the monarch typically designates the leader of the majority party or coalition as prime minister, subject to legislative approval
National holiday
Belgian National Day (commemorating the ascension of King LEOPOLD I), observed on 21 July (1831)
National color(s)
red, black, yellow
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)
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
Legislative branch
legislature name
Federal Parliament (Parlement fédéral - Federaal Parlement - Föderales Parlament)
legislative structure
bicameral
National anthem(s)
title
"La Brabançonne" (The Song of Brabant)
history
adopted in 1830; according to tradition, Louis-Alexandre DECHET, an actor at the theater where the revolt against the Netherlands commenced, penned the lyrics with a group of youths in a café in Brussels
lyrics/music
Louis-Alexandre DECHET [French] and Victor CEULEMANS [Dutch]/Francois VAN CAMPENHOUT
National symbol(s)
golden rampant lion
Administrative divisions
three regions (French: régions, singular - région; Dutch: gewesten, singular - gewest); Brussels-Capital Region, also called Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (Dutch), Région 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 referred to as Région Wallonne (French long form), Wallonie (French short form), Waals Gewest (Dutch long form), Wallonie (Dutch short form)
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
House of Representatives (Chambre des Représentants)
term in office
5 years
number of seats
150 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
6/9/2024
expected date of next election
June 2029
percentage of women in chamber
41.3%
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)
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
Senate (Sénat - Senaat - Senat)
term in office
5 years
number of seats
60 (all indirectly elected)
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
7/18/2024
expected date of next election
July 2029
percentage of women in chamber
47.5%
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 338-4960
chancery
1430 K Street NW, Washington DC 20005
telephone
[1] (202) 333-6900
chief of mission
Ambassador Frédéric BERNARD (appointed on 25 February 2025)
consulate(s) general
Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York
email address and website
[email protected]
https://unitedstates.diplomatie.belgium.be/en
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[32] (2) 811-4500
embassy
Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels
telephone
[32] (2) 811-4000
mailing address
7600 Brussels Place, Washington DC 20521-7600
chief of mission
Ambassador Bill WHITE (since 17 November 2025)
email address and website
[email protected]
https://be.usembassy.gov/
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
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Economy
Budget
revenues
$220.657 billion (2022 est.)
expenditures
$235.767 billion (2022 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022
$565.233 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$542.508 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$525.458 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
Imports 2022
$573.192 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$546.426 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$531.029 billion (2024 est.)
Industries
engineering and metal products, assembly of motor vehicles, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, base metals, textiles, glass, petroleum
Labor force
5.416 million (2024 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2022
92.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022
2.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
2.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024
2.3% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
0.876 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
0.845 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
0.95 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
0.925 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
0.924 (2024 est.)
Economic overview
high-income, core EU and eurozone economy; characterized by slow growth, diminished domestic consumption, and export demand; high levels of public debt and structural deficits associated with social expenditures; an aging labor force with low productivity growth and participation rates
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2022
5.6% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
5.6% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
5.5% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
France 20%, Netherlands 15%, Germany 14%, Italy 6%, USA 5% (2023)
Imports - partners
Netherlands 20%, Germany 13%, France 11%, USA 7%, Ireland 4% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2022
$62,700 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$62,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$63,100 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2022
4.3% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
1.2% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024
1% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
sugar beets, milk, potatoes, wheat, pork, lettuce, maize, chicken, barley, pears (2023)
Exports - commodities
refined petroleum, natural gas, vaccines, cars, packaged medicine (2023)
Imports - commodities
cars, natural gas, vaccines, packaged medicine, crude petroleum (2023)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2022
-$7.031 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
-$4.503 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024
-$5.679 billion (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
22.7% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$664.564 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
50.4% (2023 est.)
government consumption
23.8% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories
1% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital
24.4% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services
84.2% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services
-84.8% (2023 est.)
Population below poverty line
12.3% (2022 est.)
Average household expenditures
on food
12.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco
4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
9.6% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
4% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
3.1% (2024 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
-0.6% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$732.865 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$741.672 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$749.229 billion (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
18.6% (2024 est.)
total
16.8% (2024 est.)
female
14.7% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$41.274 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$40.813 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$41.449 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
17.6% (2024 est.)
services
72.1% (2024 est.)
agriculture
0.8% (2024 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
3.8% (2022 est.)
highest 10%
22.2% (2022 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022
26.4 (2022 est.)
Energy
Coal
exports
184,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports
4.046 million metric tons (2023 est.)
production
1.269 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption
4.372 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves
4.1 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production
11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption
596,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)
Electricity
exports
18.279 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports
18.626 billion kWh (2023 est.)
consumption
74.537 billion kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
28.248 million kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
3.147 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Natural gas
exports
8.461 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports
23.007 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
production
12.938 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption
14.382 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Nuclear energy
Number of operational nuclear reactors
4 (2025)
Percent of total electricity production
41.2% (2023 est.)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors
3.46GW (2025 est.)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down
3 (2025)
Electricity access
electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
190.416 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
wind
20% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar
9.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
nuclear
40.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
24.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
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
biomass and waste
6.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
95% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
a divided market characterized by three principal linguistic groups (Flemish, French, and German speakers) each managing their own media outlets; several television channels are available for each linguistic community; over 90% of households are linked to cable and can receive television broadcasts from adjacent nations; each group maintains a public radio network that operates alongside private radio stations.
Internet country code
.be
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
2.49 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
21 (2024 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
12.2 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
104 (2024 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
5.12 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
44 (2023 est.)
Transportation
Ports
large
1
small
2
medium
2
key ports
Antwerpen, Bruxelles, Ghent, Oostende, Zeebrugge
very small
2
total ports
7 (2024)
ports with oil terminals
5
Airports
48 (2025)
Railways
total
3,602 km (2020) 3,160 km electrified
Heliports
112 (2025)
Merchant marine
total
198 (2023)
by type
17 bulk carriers, 2 container ships, 16 general cargo ships, 21 oil tankers, and 142 other vessels
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
OO
Military & Security
Military - note
The duties of the Belgian military encompass territorial defense, humanitarian and disaster assistance, support to law enforcement when needed, international peacekeeping operations, and adherence to its NATO and EU security obligations, which Belgium regards as crucial elements of its national security strategy; abroad, the military predominantly engages as part of an international organization or coalition; Belgium was among the initial 12 nations to endorse the North Atlantic Treaty (commonly referred to as the Washington Treaty), which established NATO in 1949; it is the host of NATO's headquarters located in Brussels; additionally, Belgium collaborates bilaterally with neighboring nations like Luxembourg and the Netherlands for joint aerial patrols and has formed a unified special operations command alongside Denmark and the Netherlands (2025)
Military deployments
Typically, around 1,000 personnel are stationed on international missions, with over 300 ground forces deployed in Eastern Europe to safeguard NATO's eastern flank (2025)
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2021
1.1% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022
1.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023
1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2024
1.3% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2025
2% of GDP (2025 est.)
Military and security forces
Belgian Armed Forces (Defensie or La Défense): Includes Land Component, Marine (Naval) Component, Air Component, Medical Component, and Cyber Command (2025)
Military service age and obligation
The minimum age for voluntary military service is 18 for both men and women; the maximum age varies according to the position; conscription was abolished in 1995 (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
The armed forces utilize a diverse range of weaponry sourced from European manufacturers and the United States; Belgium maintains a defense industry that is geared towards exports, focusing on components and subcontracting (2025)
Military and security service personnel strengths
Approximately 23,000 active-duty military personnel are part of the forces (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)
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees
236,689 (2024 est.)
stateless persons
849 (2024 est.)
Space
Space agency/agencies
Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy - Interfederal Space Agency of Belgium (BIRA-IASB; founded in 1964; IASB incorporated in 2017); Belgium Federal Science Policy Office (BELSPO) (2025)
Space program overview
designs and manufactures satellites, with a strong emphasis on research, scientific, and technological applications, as well as remote sensing systems; engages in the research, development, and production of a diverse array of space technologies, encompassing telecommunications, optics, robotics, scientific instruments, and components for space launch vehicles; a founding member of the ESA, it actively participates in numerous ESA and EU initiatives, including Space Surveillance and Tracking, Copernicus Earth observation, and the Galileo global navigation satellite system; hosts the European Space Security and Education Center (established in 1968); contributes to international astronomical projects, particularly through collaboration with the European Southern Observatory (ESO); has established partnerships with various international space agencies and commercial organizations beyond Europe, including those in Argentina, China, India, Russia, South Africa, the UAE, Vietnam, and the United States (2025)
Key space-program milestones
1986 - became part of the inaugural European Earth Observation program; founding member of the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites
1992 - saw the first Belgian astronaut journey into space aboard the US Space Shuttle
2001 - witnessed the launch of the first remote sensing satellite (PROBA-1) by India
2024 - entered into the US-led Artemis Accords, which delineate best practices for space exploration
