Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Belgium fits inside Malaysia 11 times.
Belgium: 30,689 km² (2023) · Malaysia: 330,411 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Malaysia’s coastline is 70 times as long as Belgium’s.
Belgium: 67 km (2026 edition) · Malaysia: 4,675 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Malaysia’s highest peak towers 3,401 m above Belgium’s.
Belgium: 694 m (2026 edition) · Malaysia: 4,095 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Malaysia has 3 times as many people as Belgium.
Belgium: 11.9 million (2025) · Malaysia: 36 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Belgium is 3.6 times as densely populated as Malaysia.
Belgium: 392 per km² (2025) · Malaysia: 110 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Belgium are 9.9 cm taller than in Malaysia.
Belgium: 179.1 cm (2019) · Malaysia: 169.2 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Belgium are 6.3 cm taller than in Malaysia.
Belgium: 163.4 cm (2019) · Malaysia: 157.1 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Belgium is 11 years older than in Malaysia.
Belgium: 41.4 years (2023) · Malaysia: 30.1 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Malaysia have 0.1 more children on average than in Belgium.
Belgium: 1.44 children per woman (2024) · Malaysia: 1.54 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
21% of people in Belgium are 65 or older, versus 8.0% in Malaysia.
Belgium: 21% (2025) · Malaysia: 8% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Belgium has produced 7.5 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Malaysia 0.0.
Belgium: 7.5 (2025) · Malaysia: 0 (2025)
How many official languages?
Belgium has 3 official languages, Malaysia 2.
Belgium: 3 (2026) · Malaysia: 2 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Belgium’s economy is 54% larger than Malaysia’s.
Belgium: $725 billion (2025) · Malaysia: $472 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Belgium produces 80% more per person than Malaysia.
Belgium: Int$74,676 (2025) · Malaysia: Int$41,498 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Malaysia than in Belgium (Gini 13.9 points higher).
Belgium: 26.8 (2023) · Malaysia: 40.7 (2021)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 5.9% in Belgium, versus 3.8% in Malaysia.
Belgium: 5.9% (2025) · Malaysia: 3.8% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Belgium and Malaysia are practically level.
Belgium: 1.3% (2024) · Malaysia: 1% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Belgium’s price level (US = 100) is 2.6× Malaysia’s.
Belgium: 81% (2025) · Malaysia: 32% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Belgium spends 13 times as much on health per person as Malaysia.
Belgium: $5,931 (2023) · Malaysia: $450 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in Belgium live 5.5 years longer than in Malaysia.
Belgium: 82.3 years (2024) · Malaysia: 76.8 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Malaysia is 2.3 times as likely to die before turning one as in Belgium.
Belgium: 3.1 per 1,000 (2024) · Malaysia: 7 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Belgium has 53% more doctors per person than Malaysia.
Belgium: 3.6 per 1,000 (2022) · Malaysia: 2.3 per 1,000 (2023)
How common is obesity?
24% of adults in Malaysia are obese, versus 23% in Belgium.
Belgium: 22.9% (2024) · Malaysia: 23.6% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
24% of adults in Belgium smoke, versus 17% in Malaysia.
Belgium: 23.5% (2024) · Malaysia: 16.9% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Belgium rate their lives 0.92 points higher than in Malaysia.
Belgium: 6.93 (2025) · Malaysia: 6.01 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Belgium drink 12 times as much alcohol as in Malaysia.
Belgium: 9.5 litres (2023) · Malaysia: 0.8 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Malaysia has 15% more meat per person than Belgium.
Belgium: 60 kg (2023) · Malaysia: 69.1 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Belgium has 995 kcal more food per person per day than Malaysia.
Belgium: 3,921 kcal (2023) · Malaysia: 2,927 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in Malaysia put in 714 more hours a year than in Belgium.
Belgium: 1,593 hours (2023) · Malaysia: 2,308 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Belgium went to school 1.6 years longer than in Malaysia.
Belgium: 12.7 years (2023) · Malaysia: 11.1 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Belgium welcomed 2.8 times as many tourists per resident as Malaysia (2019).
Belgium: 0.81 (2024) · Malaysia: 0.29 (2022)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
98% of people in Malaysia are online, versus 96% in Belgium.
Belgium: 96% (2024) · Malaysia: 98% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Belgium and Malaysia are practically level.
Belgium: 100% (2024) · Malaysia: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
88% of people in Belgium live in cities, versus 77% in Malaysia.
Belgium: 88% (2025) · Malaysia: 77% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Malaysia has 140 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Belgium 104.
Belgium: 104 (2024) · Malaysia: 140 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Belgium’s railway network is 2.2 times as long as Malaysia’s.
Belgium: 3,612 km (2021) · Malaysia: 1,655 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Malaysia fly 36% more passengers per resident than those from Belgium.
Belgium: 0.95 (2023) · Malaysia: 1.3 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 58% of Malaysia, but only 23% of Belgium.
Belgium: 22.6% (2023) · Malaysia: 57.7% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Malaysia emits 12% more CO₂ than someone in Belgium.
Belgium: 7.3 t (2024) · Malaysia: 8.2 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
39% of Belgium’s electricity is renewable, versus 21% in Malaysia.
Belgium: 38.9% (2025) · Malaysia: 20.7% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in Malaysia carries 65% more fine dust than in Belgium.
Belgium: 9.3 µg/m³ (2024) · Malaysia: 15.3 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 47% more likely to be murdered in Belgium than in Malaysia.
Belgium: 1.1 per 100k (2021) · Malaysia: 0.7 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Malaysia are 3 times as deadly as in Belgium.
Belgium: 4.6 per 100k (2021) · Malaysia: 13.9 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Malaysia is on average 14.9 °C warmer than Belgium.
Belgium: 11°C (2016–2025 avg) · Malaysia: 26°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Malaysia gets 3.3 times as much rain as Belgium.
Belgium: 928 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Malaysia: 3,081 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Belgium bigger than Malaysia?
Malaysia is larger. Belgium fits inside Malaysia 11 times.
Which has more people, Belgium or Malaysia?
Malaysia has 3 times as many people as Belgium (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Belgium or Malaysia?
People in Belgium live 5.5 years longer than in Malaysia. Life expectancy at birth is 82.3 years in Belgium and 76.8 in Malaysia.
Are people taller in Belgium or Malaysia?
Men in Belgium are 9.9 cm taller than in Malaysia (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
