Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Belgium fits inside South Korea 3.3 times.
Belgium: 30,689 km² (2023) · South Korea: 100,450 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
South Korea’s coastline is 36 times as long as Belgium’s.
Belgium: 67 km (2026 edition) · South Korea: 2,413 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
South Korea’s highest peak towers 1,256 m above Belgium’s.
Belgium: 694 m (2026 edition) · South Korea: 1,950 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
South Korea has 4.3 times as many people as Belgium.
Belgium: 11.9 million (2025) · South Korea: 51.7 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
South Korea is 35% more densely populated than Belgium.
Belgium: 392 per km² (2025) · South Korea: 530 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Belgium are 3.6 cm taller than in South Korea.
Belgium: 179.1 cm (2019) · South Korea: 175.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Belgium and South Korea are practically level.
Belgium: 163.4 cm (2019) · South Korea: 163.2 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in South Korea is 3 years older than in Belgium.
Belgium: 41.4 years (2023) · South Korea: 44.5 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Belgium have 0.7 more children on average than in South Korea.
Belgium: 1.44 children per woman (2024) · South Korea: 0.75 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
21% of people in Belgium are 65 or older, versus 20% in South Korea.
Belgium: 21% (2025) · South Korea: 20.3% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Belgium has produced 7.5 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, South Korea 0.6.
Belgium: 7.5 (2025) · South Korea: 0.6 (2025)
How many official languages?
Belgium has 3 official languages, South Korea 1.
Belgium: 3 (2026) · South Korea: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
South Korea’s economy is 2.6 times the size of Belgium’s.
Belgium: $725 billion (2025) · South Korea: $1.87 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Belgium produces 18% more per person than South Korea.
Belgium: Int$74,676 (2025) · South Korea: Int$63,125 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in South Korea than in Belgium (Gini 6.1 points higher).
Belgium: 26.8 (2023) · South Korea: 32.9 (2021)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 5.9% in Belgium, versus 2.7% in South Korea.
Belgium: 5.9% (2025) · South Korea: 2.7% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
South Korea spends 2.6% of its GDP on the military, Belgium 1.3%.
Belgium: 1.3% (2024) · South Korea: 2.6% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Belgium’s price level (US = 100) is 1.4× South Korea’s.
Belgium: 81% (2025) · South Korea: 57% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Belgium spends 89% more on health per person than South Korea.
Belgium: $5,931 (2023) · South Korea: $3,137 (2024)
How long do people live?
People in South Korea live 1.3 years longer than in Belgium.
Belgium: 82.3 years (2024) · South Korea: 83.6 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 South Korea.
Belgium: 3.1 per 1,000 (2024) · South Korea: 2.3 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Belgium has 37% more doctors per person than South Korea.
Belgium: 3.6 per 1,000 (2022) · South Korea: 2.6 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
23% of adults in Belgium are obese, versus 7.5% in South Korea.
Belgium: 22.9% (2024) · South Korea: 7.5% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
24% of adults in Belgium smoke, versus 19% in South Korea.
Belgium: 23.5% (2024) · South Korea: 18.6% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Belgium rate their lives 0.89 points higher than in South Korea.
Belgium: 6.93 (2025) · South Korea: 6.04 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Belgium drink 15% more alcohol than in South Korea.
Belgium: 9.5 litres (2023) · South Korea: 8.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
South Korea has 40% more meat per person than Belgium.
Belgium: 60 kg (2023) · South Korea: 84 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Belgium has 491 kcal more food per person per day than South Korea.
Belgium: 3,921 kcal (2023) · South Korea: 3,430 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in South Korea put in 317 more hours a year than in Belgium.
Belgium: 1,593 hours (2023) · South Korea: 1,910 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
South Korea and Belgium are practically level.
Belgium: 12.7 years (2023) · South Korea: 12.7 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Belgium welcomed 2.6 times as many tourists per resident as South Korea (2019).
Belgium: 0.81 (2024) · South Korea: 0.32 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
98% of people in South Korea are online, versus 96% in Belgium.
Belgium: 96% (2024) · South Korea: 98% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Belgium and South Korea are practically level.
Belgium: 100% (2024) · South Korea: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
88% of people in Belgium live in cities, versus 81% in South Korea.
Belgium: 88% (2025) · South Korea: 81% (2025)
How many phones per person?
South Korea has 173 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Belgium 104.
Belgium: 104 (2024) · South Korea: 173 (2024)
How much railway is there?
South Korea’s railway network is 19% longer than Belgium’s.
Belgium: 3,612 km (2021) · South Korea: 4,309 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from South Korea fly 55% more passengers per resident than those from Belgium.
Belgium: 0.95 (2023) · South Korea: 1.48 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 64% of South Korea, but only 23% of Belgium.
Belgium: 22.6% (2023) · South Korea: 64.1% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in South Korea emits 55% more CO₂ than someone in Belgium.
Belgium: 7.3 t (2024) · South Korea: 11.3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
39% of Belgium’s electricity is renewable, versus 10% in South Korea.
Belgium: 38.9% (2025) · South Korea: 10.4% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in South Korea carries 2.3 times as much fine dust as in Belgium.
Belgium: 9.3 µg/m³ (2024) · South Korea: 21 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 2.3 times as likely to be murdered in Belgium as in South Korea.
Belgium: 1.1 per 100k (2021) · South Korea: 0.5 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in South Korea are 50% deadlier than in Belgium.
Belgium: 4.6 per 100k (2021) · South Korea: 6.9 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
South Korea is on average 2.1 °C warmer than Belgium.
Belgium: 11°C (2016–2025 avg) · South Korea: 13.2°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
South Korea gets 36% more rain than Belgium.
Belgium: 928 mm (2016–2025 avg) · South Korea: 1,265 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Belgium bigger than South Korea?
South Korea is larger. Belgium fits inside South Korea 3.3 times.
Which has more people, Belgium or South Korea?
South Korea has 4.3 times as many people as Belgium (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Belgium or South Korea?
People in South Korea live 1.3 years longer than in Belgium. Life expectancy at birth is 82.3 years in Belgium and 83.6 in South Korea.
Are people taller in Belgium or South Korea?
Men in Belgium are 3.6 cm taller than in South Korea (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
