Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Belgium fits inside New Zealand 8.7 times.
Belgium: 30,689 km² (2023) · New Zealand: 267,710 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
New Zealand’s coastline is 228 times as long as Belgium’s.
Belgium: 67 km (2026 edition) · New Zealand: 15,134 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Belgium’s highest peak towers 664 m above New Zealand’s.
Belgium: 694 m (2026 edition) · New Zealand: 30 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Belgium has 2.2 times as many people as New Zealand.
Belgium: 11.9 million (2025) · New Zealand: 5.32 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Belgium is 19 times as densely populated as New Zealand.
Belgium: 392 per km² (2025) · New Zealand: 20 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Belgium are 1.4 cm taller than in New Zealand.
Belgium: 179.1 cm (2019) · New Zealand: 177.7 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in New Zealand are 1.3 cm taller than in Belgium.
Belgium: 163.4 cm (2019) · New Zealand: 164.7 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Belgium is 4.2 years older than in New Zealand.
Belgium: 41.4 years (2023) · New Zealand: 37.3 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in New Zealand have 0.1 more children on average than in Belgium.
Belgium: 1.44 children per woman (2024) · New Zealand: 1.57 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
21% of people in Belgium are 65 or older, versus 18% in New Zealand.
Belgium: 21% (2025) · New Zealand: 17.6% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Belgium has produced 7.5 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, New Zealand 5.6.
Belgium: 7.5 (2025) · New Zealand: 5.6 (2025)
How many official languages?
Belgium and New Zealand are practically level.
Belgium: 3 (2026) · New Zealand: 3 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Belgium’s economy is 2.7 times the size of New Zealand’s.
Belgium: $725 billion (2025) · New Zealand: $264 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Belgium produces 30% more per person than New Zealand.
Belgium: Int$74,676 (2025) · New Zealand: Int$57,350 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Belgium: 26.8 (2023) · New Zealand: no data
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 5.9% in Belgium, versus 5.1% in New Zealand.
Belgium: 5.9% (2025) · New Zealand: 5.1% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Belgium and New Zealand are practically level.
Belgium: 1.3% (2024) · New Zealand: 1.2% (2024)
How expensive is it?
New Zealand’s price level (US = 100) is 1.1× Belgium’s.
Belgium: 81% (2025) · New Zealand: 86% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Belgium spends 18% more on health per person than New Zealand.
Belgium: $5,931 (2023) · New Zealand: $5,022 (2024)
How long do people live?
Belgium and New Zealand are practically level.
Belgium: 82.3 years (2024) · New Zealand: 82 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in New Zealand is 29% more likely to die before turning one than in Belgium.
Belgium: 3.1 per 1,000 (2024) · New Zealand: 4 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
New Zealand has 1% more doctors per person than Belgium.
Belgium: 3.6 per 1,000 (2022) · New Zealand: 3.6 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
35% of adults in New Zealand are obese, versus 23% in Belgium.
Belgium: 22.9% (2024) · New Zealand: 34.7% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
24% of adults in Belgium smoke, versus 9.3% in New Zealand.
Belgium: 23.5% (2024) · New Zealand: 9.3% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in New Zealand rate their lives 0.07 points higher than in Belgium.
Belgium: 6.93 (2025) · New Zealand: 7.00 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Belgium drink 8% more alcohol than in New Zealand.
Belgium: 9.5 litres (2023) · New Zealand: 8.9 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
New Zealand has 33% more meat per person than Belgium.
Belgium: 60 kg (2023) · New Zealand: 79.5 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Belgium has 800 kcal more food per person per day than New Zealand.
Belgium: 3,921 kcal (2023) · New Zealand: 3,122 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in New Zealand put in 114 more hours a year than in Belgium.
Belgium: 1,593 hours (2023) · New Zealand: 1,708 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in New Zealand went to school 0.19 years longer than in Belgium.
Belgium: 12.7 years (2023) · New Zealand: 12.9 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Belgium welcomed 35% more tourists per resident than New Zealand (2019).
Belgium: 0.81 (2024) · New Zealand: 0.6 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
96% of people in Belgium are online, versus 94% in New Zealand.
Belgium: 96% (2024) · New Zealand: 94% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Belgium and New Zealand are practically level.
Belgium: 100% (2024) · New Zealand: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
88% of people in Belgium live in cities, versus 84% in New Zealand.
Belgium: 88% (2025) · New Zealand: 84% (2025)
How many phones per person?
New Zealand has 130 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Belgium 104.
Belgium: 104 (2024) · New Zealand: 130 (2024)
How much railway is there?
New Zealand’s railway network is 14% longer than Belgium’s.
Belgium: 3,612 km (2021) · New Zealand: 4,128 km (2018)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from New Zealand fly 3 times as many passengers per resident as those from Belgium.
Belgium: 0.95 (2023) · New Zealand: 2.82 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 38% of New Zealand, but only 23% of Belgium.
Belgium: 22.6% (2023) · New Zealand: 37.8% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Belgium emits 17% more CO₂ than someone in New Zealand.
Belgium: 7.3 t (2024) · New Zealand: 6.2 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
89% of New Zealand’s electricity is renewable, versus 39% in Belgium.
Belgium: 38.9% (2025) · New Zealand: 88.5% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in Belgium carries 33% more fine dust than in New Zealand.
Belgium: 9.3 µg/m³ (2024) · New Zealand: 7 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 35% more likely to be murdered in New Zealand than in Belgium.
Belgium: 1.1 per 100k (2021) · New Zealand: 1.5 per 100k (2022)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in New Zealand are 43% deadlier than in Belgium.
Belgium: 4.6 per 100k (2021) · New Zealand: 6.6 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
New Zealand and Belgium are practically level.
Belgium: 11°C (2016–2025 avg) · New Zealand: 11.1°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
New Zealand gets 72% more rain than Belgium.
Belgium: 928 mm (2016–2025 avg) · New Zealand: 1,596 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Belgium bigger than New Zealand?
New Zealand is larger. Belgium fits inside New Zealand 8.7 times.
Which has more people, Belgium or New Zealand?
Belgium has 2.2 times as many people as New Zealand (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Belgium or New Zealand?
Belgium and New Zealand are practically level. Life expectancy at birth is 82.3 years in Belgium and 82.0 in New Zealand.
Are people taller in Belgium or New Zealand?
Men in Belgium are 1.4 cm taller than in New Zealand (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
