Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
The Netherlands is 35% bigger than Belgium.
Belgium: 30,689 km² (2023) · Netherlands: 41,540 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
The Netherlands’ coastline is 6.8 times as long as Belgium’s.
Belgium: 67 km (2026 edition) · Netherlands: 451 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
The Netherlands’ highest peak towers 168 m above Belgium’s.
Belgium: 694 m (2026 edition) · Netherlands: 862 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
The Netherlands has 51% more people than Belgium.
Belgium: 11.9 million (2025) · Netherlands: 18.1 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
The Netherlands is 37% more densely populated than Belgium.
Belgium: 392 per km² (2025) · Netherlands: 537 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in the Netherlands are 4.7 cm taller than in Belgium.
Belgium: 179.1 cm (2019) · Netherlands: 183.8 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in the Netherlands are 7.0 cm taller than in Belgium.
Belgium: 163.4 cm (2019) · Netherlands: 170.4 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
Belgium and the Netherlands are practically level.
Belgium: 41.4 years (2023) · Netherlands: 41.4 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Belgium have 0.0 more children on average than in the Netherlands.
Belgium: 1.44 children per woman (2024) · Netherlands: 1.43 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
Belgium and the Netherlands are practically level.
Belgium: 21% (2025) · Netherlands: 20.9% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
The Netherlands has produced 11.1 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Belgium 7.5.
Belgium: 7.5 (2025) · Netherlands: 11.1 (2025)
How many official languages?
Belgium has 3 official languages, the Netherlands 1.
Belgium: 3 (2026) · Netherlands: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
The Netherlands’ economy is 84% larger than Belgium’s.
Belgium: $725 billion (2025) · Netherlands: $1.33 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
The Netherlands produces 17% more per person than Belgium.
Belgium: Int$74,676 (2025) · Netherlands: Int$87,320 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Belgium than in the Netherlands (Gini 1.1 points higher).
Belgium: 26.8 (2023) · Netherlands: 25.7 (2021)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 5.9% in Belgium, versus 3.9% in the Netherlands.
Belgium: 5.9% (2025) · Netherlands: 3.9% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
The Netherlands spends 1.9% of its GDP on the military, Belgium 1.3%.
Belgium: 1.3% (2024) · Netherlands: 1.9% (2024)
How expensive is it?
The Netherlands’ price level (US = 100) is 1× Belgium’s.
Belgium: 81% (2025) · Netherlands: 84% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
The Netherlands spends 15% more on health per person than Belgium.
Belgium: $5,931 (2023) · Netherlands: $6,845 (2024)
How long do people live?
Belgium and the Netherlands are practically level.
Belgium: 82.3 years (2024) · Netherlands: 82 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in the Netherlands is 10% more likely to die before turning one than in Belgium.
Belgium: 3.1 per 1,000 (2024) · Netherlands: 3.4 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
The Netherlands has 8% more doctors per person than Belgium.
Belgium: 3.6 per 1,000 (2022) · Netherlands: 3.9 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
23% of adults in Belgium are obese, versus 17% in the Netherlands.
Belgium: 22.9% (2024) · Netherlands: 16.9% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
24% of adults in Belgium smoke, versus 21% in the Netherlands.
Belgium: 23.5% (2024) · Netherlands: 20.5% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in the Netherlands rate their lives 0.30 points higher than in Belgium.
Belgium: 6.93 (2025) · Netherlands: 7.22 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Belgium drink 11% more alcohol than in the Netherlands.
Belgium: 9.5 litres (2023) · Netherlands: 8.6 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
The Netherlands has 19% more meat per person than Belgium.
Belgium: 60 kg (2023) · Netherlands: 71.6 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Belgium has 454 kcal more food per person per day than the Netherlands.
Belgium: 3,921 kcal (2023) · Netherlands: 3,467 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in Belgium put in 155 more hours a year than in the Netherlands.
Belgium: 1,593 hours (2023) · Netherlands: 1,439 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Belgium and the Netherlands are practically level.
Belgium: 12.7 years (2023) · Netherlands: 12.7 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
The Netherlands welcomed 12% more tourists per resident than Belgium (2019).
Belgium: 0.81 (2024) · Netherlands: 0.91 (2022)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
97% of people in the Netherlands are online, versus 96% in Belgium.
Belgium: 96% (2024) · Netherlands: 97% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Belgium and the Netherlands are practically level.
Belgium: 100% (2024) · Netherlands: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
96% of people in the Netherlands live in cities, versus 88% in Belgium.
Belgium: 88% (2025) · Netherlands: 96% (2025)
How many phones per person?
The Netherlands has 129 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Belgium 104.
Belgium: 104 (2024) · Netherlands: 129 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Belgium’s railway network is 19% longer than the Netherlands’.
Belgium: 3,612 km (2021) · Netherlands: 3,041 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from the Netherlands fly 2.4 times as many passengers per resident as those from Belgium.
Belgium: 0.95 (2023) · Netherlands: 2.29 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 23% of Belgium, but only 11% of the Netherlands.
Belgium: 22.6% (2023) · Netherlands: 11.1% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Belgium emits 16% more CO₂ than someone in the Netherlands.
Belgium: 7.3 t (2024) · Netherlands: 6.3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
51% of the Netherlands’ electricity is renewable, versus 39% in Belgium.
Belgium: 38.9% (2025) · Netherlands: 51.2% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in the Netherlands carries 3% more fine dust than in Belgium.
Belgium: 9.3 µg/m³ (2024) · Netherlands: 9.6 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 56% more likely to be murdered in Belgium than in the Netherlands.
Belgium: 1.1 per 100k (2021) · Netherlands: 0.7 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Belgium are 35% deadlier than in the Netherlands.
Belgium: 4.6 per 100k (2021) · Netherlands: 3.4 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
The Netherlands is on average 0.2 °C warmer than Belgium.
Belgium: 11°C (2016–2025 avg) · Netherlands: 11.2°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Belgium gets 5% more rain than the Netherlands.
Belgium: 928 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Netherlands: 887 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Belgium bigger than the Netherlands?
The Netherlands is larger. The Netherlands is 35% bigger than Belgium.
Which has more people, Belgium or the Netherlands?
The Netherlands has 51% more people than Belgium (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Belgium or the Netherlands?
Belgium and the Netherlands are practically level. Life expectancy at birth is 82.3 years in Belgium and 82.0 in the Netherlands.
Are people taller in Belgium or the Netherlands?
Men in the Netherlands are 4.7 cm taller than in Belgium (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
