Belgium - Economic Indicators

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands

50 50 N, 4 00 E

Europe

about the size of Maryland

66.5 km

temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

highest point: Botrange 694 m

construction materials, silica sand, carbonates, arable land

arable land 27.2%; permanent crops 0.8%; permanent pasture 16.1%

230 sq km (2012)

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

flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes

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

crossroads of Western Europe; most West European capitals are within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO

11,491,346 (July 2017 est.)

Belgian 75%, Italian 4.1%, Moroccan 3.7%, French 2.4%, Turkish 2%, Dutch 2%, other 12.8% (2011 est.)

Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%

Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant and other Christian 2.5%, Muslim 5%, Jewish 0.4%, Buddhist 0.3%, atheist 9.2%, none 32.6% (2009 est.)

0.7% (2017 est.)

11.3 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

9.7 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

5.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

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

BRUSSELS (capital) 2.045 million; Antwerp 994,000 (2015)

28.6 years (2013 est.)

7 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

1.78 children born/woman (2017 est.)

66.8%

10.6% of GDP (2014)

3.01 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

6.2 beds/1,000 population (2014)

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

urban: 99.5% of population

rural: 99.4% of population

total: 99.5% of population

urban: 0.5% of population

rural: 0.6% of population

total: 0.5% of population (2015 est.)

NA

NA

NA

22.1% (2016)

6.6% of GDP (2014)

federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy

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)

4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)

Belgian National Day (ascension to the throne of King LEOPOLD I), 21 July (1831)

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

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Christian Democratic and Flemish or CD&V [Wouter BEKE]

Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD [Gwendolyn RUTTEN]

Groen [Meyrem ALMACI] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens)

New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE WEVER]

Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A [John CROMBEZ and Stephanie VAN HOUTVEN]

Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Tom VAN GRIEKEN]

Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Patrick DUPRIEZ and Zakia KHATTABI]

Francophone Federalist Democrats or Defi [Olivier MAINGAIN]

Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Benoit LUTGEN]

People's Party or PP [Mischael MODRIKAMEN]

Reform Movement or MR [Olivier CHASTEL]

Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]

Workers' Party or PTB [Peter MERTENS]

other minor parties

Belgian General Federation of Labor or ABVV or FGTB [Rudy DE LEEUW, Marc GOBLET]

Confederation of Christian Trade Unions or ACV or CSC [Marc LEEMANS, Marie-Helene SKA]

Federation of Enterprises in Belgium or VBO or FEB [Pieter TIMMERMANS, Bernard GILLIOT]

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, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

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)

golden rampant lion; national colors: red, black, yellow

Belgium’s central geographic location and highly developed transport network have helped develop a well-diversified economy, with a broad mix of transport, services, manufacturing, and high tech. Service and high-tech industries are concentrated in the northern Flanders region while the southern region of Wallonia is home to industries like coal and steel manufacturing. Belgium is completely reliant on foreign sources of fossil fuels, and the planned closure of its seven nuclear plants by 2025 should increase its dependence on foreign energy. Its role as a regional logistical hub makes its economy vulnerable to shifts in foreign demand, particularly with EU trading partners. Roughly three-quarters of Belgium's trade is with other EU countries, and the port of Zeebrugge conducts almost half its trade with the United Kingdom alone, leaving Belgium’s economy vulnerable to the outcome of negotiations on the UK’s exit from the EU.

Belgium’s GDP grew by 1.7% in 2017 and the budget deficit was 1.5% of GDP. Unemployment stood at 7.3%, however the unemployment rate is lower in Flanders than Wallonia, 4.4% compared to 9.4%, because of industrial differences between the regions. The economy largely recovered from the March 2016 terrorist attacks that mainly impacted the Brussels region tourist and hospitality industry. Prime Minister Charles MICHEL's center-right government has pledged to further reduce the deficit in response to EU pressure to decrease Belgium's high public debt of about 104% of GDP, but such efforts could also dampen economic growth. In addition to restrained public spending, low wage growth and higher inflation promise to curtail a more robust recovery in private consumption.

The government has pledged to pursue a reform program to improve Belgium’s competitiveness, including changes to labor market rules and welfare benefits. These changes have generally made Belgian wages more competitive regionally, but risk worsening tensions with trade unions and triggering extended strikes. In 2017, Belgium approved a tax reform plan to ease corporate rates from 33% to 29% by 2018 and down to 25% by 2020. The tax plan also included benefits for innovation and SMEs, intended to spur competitiveness and private investment.

$526.4 billion (2017 est.)

$517.9 billion (2016 est.)

$511.8 billion (2015 est.)

$491.7 billion (2017 est.)

1.6% (2017 est.)

1.2% (2016 est.)

1.5% (2015 est.)

$46,300 (2017 est.)

$45,800 (2016 est.)

$45,500 (2015 est.)

23.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

22.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

23.6% of GDP (2015 est.)

sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk

engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, base metals, textiles, glass, petroleum

1.5% (2017 est.)

5.324 million (2017 est.)

7.5% (2017 est.)

7.9% (2016 est.)

15.1% (2013 est.)

25.9 (2013 est.)

28.7 (1996 est.)

50.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

-2.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

104.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

106% of GDP (2017 est.)

calendar year

2.2% (2017 est.)

1.8% (2016 est.)

0.25% (31 December 2017 est.)

0.3% (31 December 2010 est.)

2% (31 December 2017 est.)

2.01% (31 December 2016 est.)

$238 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$198 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$601.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$525.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$783.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$684.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$414.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$378.5 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$374.3 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$-1.47 billion (2017 est.)

$-1.849 billion (2016 est.)

$309.1 billion (2017 est.)

$277.7 billion (2016 est.)

chemicals, machinery and equipment, finished diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs

Germany 16.7%, France 15.4%, Netherlands 11.2%, UK 8.9%, US 5.8%, Italy 5.2% (2016)

$306.1 billion (2017 est.)

$271.2 billion (2016 est.)

raw materials, machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products

Netherlands 16.1%, Germany 13.6%, France 9.5%, US 8.1%, UK 4.8%, Ireland 4.5%, China 4.3% (2016)

$23.57 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$24.1 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$1.281 trillion (31 March 2016 est.)

$1.214 trillion (31 March 2015 est.)

$1.093 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.054 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

$1.035 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.016 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

0.89 (2017 est.)

0.9 (2016 est.)

0.92 (2015 est.)

0.89 (2014 est.)

0.76 (2013 est.)

64.78 billion kWh (2015 est.)

81.96 billion kWh (2015 est.)

8.465 billion kWh (2016 est.)

14.65 billion kWh (2016 est.)

21.15 million kW (2015 est.)

34.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

28% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

32.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

639,500 bbl/day (2016 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

701,700 bbl/day (2016 est.)

662,400 bbl/day (2016 est.)

597,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

585,700 bbl/day (2016 est.)

0 cu m (2014 est.)

23.01 billion cu m (2015 est.)

1.694 billion cu m (2015 est.)

18.81 billion cu m (2015 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

93.62 million Mt (2013 est.)

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 (2009)

.be

OO (2016)

41 (2013)

1 (2013)

gas 3,139 km; oil 154 km; refined products 535 km (2013)

2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2012)

0.9% of GDP (2017)

0.87% of GDP (2016)

0.93% of GDP (2015)

0.97% of GDP (2014)

1.01% of GDP (2013)

Belgian Armed Forces: Land Operations Command, Naval Operations Command, Air Operations Command (2012)

18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 1994 (2012)

none

growing producer of synthetic drugs and cannabis; transit point for US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe; despite a strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco; significant domestic consumption of ecstasy