Belgium
Introduction
Background
Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. In recent years, political divisions 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
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: 17.03% (male 1,038,921/female 990,288)
15-64 years: 63.06% (male 3,788,406/female 3,724,202)
65 years and over: 19.91% (2023 est.) (male 1,049,402/female 1,322,414)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 56.5
youth dependency ratio: 26.1
elderly dependency ratio: 30.4
potential support ratio: 3.3 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 41.6 years
male: 40.4 years
female: 42.8 years (2020 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: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
29.2 years (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
5 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163Infant mortality rate
total: 3.15 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 82.06 years
male: 79.47 years
female: 84.79 years (2023 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.86 (2023 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)
Physicians 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.)
Tobacco use
total: 23.4% (2020 est.)
male: 25.8% (2020 est.)
female: 21% (2020 est.)
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)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 19.6%
male: 18.9%
female: 20.4% (2021 est.)
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
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 12.88 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 96.89 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 7.78 megatons (2020 est.)
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.)
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.)
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)
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
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
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); Heir Apparent Princess ELISABETH (daughter of the monarch, born 25 October 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Alexander DE CROO (since 1 October 2020); Deputy Prime Ministers Vincent Van QUICKENBORNE (since 1 October 2020), Vincent VAN PETEGHEM (since 1 October 2020), Frank VANDENBROUCKE (since 1 October 2020), Pierre-Yves DERMAGNE (since 1 October 2020), Petra DE SUTTER (since 1 October 2020), Georges GILKINET (since 1 October 2020), David CLARINVAL (since 15 July 2022)
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
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 26 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024)
Chamber of Representatives - last held on 26 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024); note - elections coincided with the EU electionselection results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - N-VA 15%, VB 12%, PS 12%, MR 12%, CD&V 8.3%, Open VLD 8.3%, Ecolo 15%, SP.A 6.7%, CDH 3.3%, PVDA-PTB 8.3%; seats by party - N-VA 9, VB 7, PS 7, MR 7, CD&V 5, Open VLD 5, Ecolo 9, SP.A 4, CDH 2, PVDA-PTB 5; composition as of March 2022 - men 31, women 29, percent of women 48.3%
Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - N-VA 16.7%, VB 12%, PS 13.3%, CD&V 8%, PVDA-PTB 8%, Open VLD 8%, MR 9.3%, SP.A 6%, Ecolo 8.7%, Green 5.3%, CDH 3.3%, Defi 1.3%; seats by party - N-VA 25, VB 18, PS 20, CD&V 12, PVDA+PTB 12, Open VLD 12, MR 14, SP.A 9, Ecolo 13, Green 8, CDH 5, Defi 2; composition as of March 2022 - men 87, women 63, percent of women 42%; note - overall Parliament percent of women 43.8%
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 and leaders
Flemish parties:
Christian Democratic and Flemish or CD&V [Sammy MAHDI]
Forward [Conner ROUSSEAU] (formerly Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A)
Groen or Green [Nadia NAJI and Jeremie VANEECKHOUT] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens)
New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE WEVER]
Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD [Egbert LACHAERT]
Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Tom VAN GRIEKEN]
Francophone parties:
Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Marc NOLLET and Rajae MAOUANE]
Francophone Federalist Democrats or Defi [Francois DE SMET]
Les Engages [Maxime PREVOT] (formerly Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH)
Reform Movement or MR [George-Louis BOUCHEZ]
Socialist Party or PS [Paul MAGNETTE]
Workers' Party or PVDA-PTB [Raoul HEDEBOUW]
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 REGIBEAU (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:
Washington@diplobel.fed.be
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:
uscitizenBrussels@state.gov
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: 15 (14 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 economy with strong but moderate growth; high public debt; aging labor force; low labor force participation of low-skilled, migrant, and older workers; strong welfare system; high congestion; complex business permitting and judicial systems
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$599.814 billion (2021 est.)
$565.149 billion (2020 est.)
$597.165 billion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
6.13% (2021 est.)
-5.36% (2020 est.)
2.24% (2019 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$51,700 (2021 est.)
$49,000 (2020 est.)
$52,000 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$533.028 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.44% (2021 est.)
0.74% (2020 est.)
1.44% (2019 est.)
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.)
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, poultry, maize, barley, pears
Industries
engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, base metals, textiles, glass, petroleum
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 1.3%
industry: 18.6%
services: 80.1% (2013 est.)
Unemployment rate
6.42% (2021 est.)
5.55% (2020 est.)
5.36% (2019 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 19.6%
male: 18.9%
female: 20.4% (2021 est.)
Population below poverty line
14.8% (2018 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
27.2 (2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167Average household expenditures
on food: 13.4% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 4.3% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 3.4%
highest 10%: 28.4% (2006)
Budget
revenues: $267.105 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $277.492 billion (2019 est.)
Public debt
119.43% of GDP (2020 est.)
103.38% of GDP (2019 est.)
101.39% of GDP (2018 est.)
note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions; general government debt is defined by the Maastricht definition and calculated by the National Bank of Belgium as consolidated gross debt; the debt is defined in European Regulation EC479/2009 concerning the implementation of the protocol on the excessive deficit procedure annexed to the Treaty on European Union (Treaty of Maastricht) of 7 February 1992; the sub-sectors of consolidated gross debt are: federal government, communities and regions, local government, and social security funds
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
$2.917 billion (2021 est.)
$5.702 billion (2020 est.)
$507.275 million (2019 est.)
Exports
$515.625 billion (2021 est.)
$417.222 billion (2020 est.)
$441.566 billion (2019 est.)
note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
Exports - partners
Germany 17%, France 14%, Netherlands 13%, United Kingdom 8%, United States 6%, Italy 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
vaccines and cultures, cars, packaged medicines, refined petroleum, diamonds, natural gas (2021)
note: Belgian amphetamine production and MDMA (ecstasy) production remain significant illicit trade commodities
Imports
$509.018 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$408.343 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$438.221 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners
Netherlands 16%, Germany 13%, France 10%, United States 8%, Ireland 5%, China 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities
cars, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, medical cultures/vaccines, diamonds, natural gas (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$41.872 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
$33.296 billion (31 December 2020 est.)
$28.97 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
Debt - external
$1,317,513,000,000 (2019 est.)
$1,332,358,000,000 (2018 est.)
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
0.845 (2021 est.)
0.876 (2020 est.)
0.893 (2019 est.)
0.847 (2018 est.)
0.885 (2017 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 26.929 million kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 81,171,300,000 kWh (2020 est.)
exports: 14.053 billion kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 13.394 billion kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 3.444 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 33.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 38.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 5.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 15% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 7.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal
production: 1.105 million metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 4.167 million metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 504,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 3.467 million metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 11,400 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 642,300 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 666,700 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production
731,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25Natural gas
production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
consumption: 18.17 billion cubic meters (2019 est.)
exports: 3.943 billion cubic meters (2019 est.)
imports: 22.61 billion cubic meters (2019 est.)
proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
128.247 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 10.301 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 83.474 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 34.472 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
234.216 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 3,293,420 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2021 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 11,740,118 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 101 (2021 est.)
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.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 4,734,210 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2020 est.)
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
Airports - with paved runways
26
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
15
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
Heliports
1 (2021)
Pipelines
3,139 km gas, 154 km oil, 535 km refined products (2013)
Roadways
total: 118,414 km (2015)
paved: 118,414 km (2015) (includes 1,747 km of expressways)
Merchant marine
total: 199
by type: bulk carrier 18, container ship 3, general cargo 15, oil tanker 23, other 140 (2022)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Oostende, Zeebrugge
container port(s) (TEUs): Antwerp (12,020,000) (2021)
LNG terminal(s) (import): Zeebrugge
river port(s): Antwerp, Gent (Schelde River)
Brussels (Senne River) Liege (Meuse River)
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Belgian Armed Forces: Land Component, Marine (Naval) Component, Air Component, Medical Service (2023)
Military expenditures
1.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.1% of GDP (2021)
1% of GDP (2020)
0.9% of GDP (2019)
0.9% of GDP (2018)
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 25,000 active duty personnel (10,000 Land Component; 1,500 Marine Component; 5,000 Air Force Component; 1,500 Medical Service; 7,000 other, including joint staff, support, and training schools) (2022)
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 (2023)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished in 1995 (2022)
note 1: in 2020, women comprised about 9% 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
125 France (contributing member of EuroCorps); 250 Romania (NATO) (2022)
note: in response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, some NATO countries, including Belgium, have sent additional troops and equipment to the battlegroups deployed in NATO territory in eastern Europe
Military - note
Belgium is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949; Belgium hosts the NATO headquarters in Brussels
in 2015, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg signed an agreement to conduct joint air policing of their territories; under the agreement, which went into effect in January of 2017, the Belgian and Dutch Air Forces trade responsibility for patrolling the skies over the three countries
in 2018, the Defense Ministers of Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the creation of a Composite Special Operations Component Command (C-SOCC); the C-SOCC was declared operational in December 2020
(2023)Terrorism
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 Appendix-T
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none identified
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 20,086 (Syria), 7,049 (Afghanistan), 5,769 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022); 72,168 (Ukraine) (as of 9 May 2023)
stateless persons: 1,190 (2022)
Illicit drugs
a primary entry point for cocaine smuggled into Europe; also a transit point for precursor chemicals from China for amphetamine and MDMA (ecstasy) production labs in Belgium; a transit country for new psychoactive substances (NPS); increasing number of amphetamine and ecstasy production labs in Belgium; heroin also transits through Belgium.