Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Belgium fits inside Italy 9.8 times.
Belgium: 30,689 km² (2023) · Italy: 302,070 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Italy’s coastline is 114 times as long as Belgium’s.
Belgium: 67 km (2026 edition) · Italy: 7,600 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Italy’s highest peak towers 4,054 m above Belgium’s.
Belgium: 694 m (2026 edition) · Italy: 4,748 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Italy has 4.9 times as many people as Belgium.
Belgium: 11.9 million (2025) · Italy: 58.9 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Belgium is 2 times as densely populated as Italy.
Belgium: 392 per km² (2025) · Italy: 199 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Belgium are 4.7 cm taller than in Italy.
Belgium: 179.1 cm (2019) · Italy: 174.4 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Belgium are 1.6 cm taller than in Italy.
Belgium: 163.4 cm (2019) · Italy: 161.8 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Italy is 6 years older than in Belgium.
Belgium: 41.4 years (2023) · Italy: 47.5 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Belgium have 0.3 more children on average than in Italy.
Belgium: 1.44 children per woman (2024) · Italy: 1.18 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
25% of people in Italy are 65 or older, versus 21% in Belgium.
Belgium: 21% (2025) · Italy: 25.1% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Belgium has produced 7.5 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Italy 3.4.
Belgium: 7.5 (2025) · Italy: 3.4 (2025)
How many official languages?
Belgium has 3 official languages, Italy 1.
Belgium: 3 (2026) · Italy: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Italy’s economy is 3.5 times the size of Belgium’s.
Belgium: $725 billion (2025) · Italy: $2.55 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Belgium produces 19% more per person than Italy.
Belgium: Int$74,676 (2025) · Italy: Int$62,803 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Italy than in Belgium (Gini 7.5 points higher).
Belgium: 26.8 (2023) · Italy: 34.3 (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Italy and Belgium are practically level.
Belgium: 5.9% (2025) · Italy: 6.4% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Italy and Belgium are practically level.
Belgium: 1.3% (2024) · Italy: 1.6% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Belgium’s price level (US = 100) is 1.2× Italy’s.
Belgium: 81% (2025) · Italy: 69% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Belgium spends 75% more on health per person than Italy.
Belgium: $5,931 (2023) · Italy: $3,398 (2024)
How long do people live?
People in Italy live 1.7 years longer than in Belgium.
Belgium: 82.3 years (2024) · Italy: 84 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Belgium is 35% more likely to die before turning one than in Italy.
Belgium: 3.1 per 1,000 (2024) · Italy: 2.3 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Italy has 17% more doctors per person than Belgium.
Belgium: 3.6 per 1,000 (2022) · Italy: 4.2 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
23% of adults in Belgium are obese, versus 18% in Italy.
Belgium: 22.9% (2024) · Italy: 17.9% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
24% of adults in Belgium smoke, versus 22% in Italy.
Belgium: 23.5% (2024) · Italy: 22.4% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Belgium rate their lives 0.35 points higher than in Italy.
Belgium: 6.93 (2025) · Italy: 6.57 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Belgium drink 13% more alcohol than in Italy.
Belgium: 9.5 litres (2023) · Italy: 8.4 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Italy has 19% more meat per person than Belgium.
Belgium: 60 kg (2023) · Italy: 71.2 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Belgium has 169 kcal more food per person per day than Italy.
Belgium: 3,921 kcal (2023) · Italy: 3,753 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in Italy put in 108 more hours a year than in Belgium.
Belgium: 1,593 hours (2023) · Italy: 1,701 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Belgium went to school 1.9 years longer than in Italy.
Belgium: 12.7 years (2023) · Italy: 10.8 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Italy welcomed 20% more tourists per resident than Belgium (2019).
Belgium: 0.81 (2024) · Italy: 0.98 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
96% of people in Belgium are online, versus 89% in Italy.
Belgium: 96% (2024) · Italy: 89% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Belgium and Italy are practically level.
Belgium: 100% (2024) · Italy: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
88% of people in Belgium live in cities, versus 70% in Italy.
Belgium: 88% (2025) · Italy: 70% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Italy has 133 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Belgium 104.
Belgium: 104 (2024) · Italy: 133 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Italy’s railway network is 4.8 times as long as Belgium’s.
Belgium: 3,612 km (2021) · Italy: 17,305 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Belgium fly 2.8 times as many passengers per resident as those from Italy.
Belgium: 0.95 (2023) · Italy: 0.34 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 33% of Italy, but only 23% of Belgium.
Belgium: 22.6% (2023) · Italy: 32.9% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Belgium emits 43% more CO₂ than someone in Italy.
Belgium: 7.3 t (2024) · Italy: 5.1 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
49% of Italy’s electricity is renewable, versus 39% in Belgium.
Belgium: 38.9% (2025) · Italy: 48.8% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in Italy carries 63% more fine dust than in Belgium.
Belgium: 9.3 µg/m³ (2024) · Italy: 15.2 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 90% more likely to be murdered in Belgium than in Italy.
Belgium: 1.1 per 100k (2021) · Italy: 0.6 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Italy are 9% deadlier than in Belgium.
Belgium: 4.6 per 100k (2021) · Italy: 5 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Italy is on average 2.8 °C warmer than Belgium.
Belgium: 11°C (2016–2025 avg) · Italy: 13.9°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Italy gets 11% more rain than Belgium.
Belgium: 928 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Italy: 1,030 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Belgium bigger than Italy?
Italy is larger. Belgium fits inside Italy 9.8 times.
Which has more people, Belgium or Italy?
Italy has 4.9 times as many people as Belgium (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Belgium or Italy?
People in Italy live 1.7 years longer than in Belgium. Life expectancy at birth is 82.3 years in Belgium and 84.0 in Italy.
Are people taller in Belgium or Italy?
Men in Belgium are 4.7 cm taller than in Italy (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
