Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Belgium fits inside Spain 16 times.
Belgium: 30,689 km² (2023) · Spain: 505,976 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Spain’s coastline is 75 times as long as Belgium’s.
Belgium: 67 km (2026 edition) · Spain: 4,964 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Spain’s highest peak towers 3,024 m above Belgium’s.
Belgium: 694 m (2026 edition) · Spain: 3,718 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Spain has 4.1 times as many people as Belgium.
Belgium: 11.9 million (2025) · Spain: 49.4 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Belgium is 4 times as densely populated as Spain.
Belgium: 392 per km² (2025) · Spain: 99 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Belgium are 3.0 cm taller than in Spain.
Belgium: 179.1 cm (2019) · Spain: 176.1 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Belgium are 1.4 cm taller than in Spain.
Belgium: 163.4 cm (2019) · Spain: 162 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Spain is 3.5 years older than in Belgium.
Belgium: 41.4 years (2023) · Spain: 44.9 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Belgium have 0.3 more children on average than in Spain.
Belgium: 1.44 children per woman (2024) · Spain: 1.1 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
22% of people in Spain are 65 or older, versus 21% in Belgium.
Belgium: 21% (2025) · Spain: 21.6% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Belgium has produced 7.5 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Spain 1.4.
Belgium: 7.5 (2025) · Spain: 1.4 (2025)
How many official languages?
Belgium has 3 official languages, Spain 1.
Belgium: 3 (2026) · Spain: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Spain’s economy is 2.6 times the size of Belgium’s.
Belgium: $725 billion (2025) · Spain: $1.91 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Belgium produces 25% more per person than Spain.
Belgium: Int$74,676 (2025) · Spain: Int$59,868 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Spain than in Belgium (Gini 6.6 points higher).
Belgium: 26.8 (2023) · Spain: 33.4 (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 10% in Spain, versus 5.9% in Belgium.
Belgium: 5.9% (2025) · Spain: 10.4% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Spain and Belgium are practically level.
Belgium: 1.3% (2024) · Spain: 1.4% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Belgium’s price level (US = 100) is 1.3× Spain’s.
Belgium: 81% (2025) · Spain: 65% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Belgium spends 91% more on health per person than Spain.
Belgium: $5,931 (2023) · Spain: $3,107 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in Spain live 1.6 years longer than in Belgium.
Belgium: 82.3 years (2024) · Spain: 83.9 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Belgium is 19% more likely to die before turning one than in Spain.
Belgium: 3.1 per 1,000 (2024) · Spain: 2.6 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Spain has 20% more doctors per person than Belgium.
Belgium: 3.6 per 1,000 (2022) · Spain: 4.3 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
23% of adults in Belgium are obese, versus 19% in Spain.
Belgium: 22.9% (2024) · Spain: 18.9% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
28% of adults in Spain smoke, versus 24% in Belgium.
Belgium: 23.5% (2024) · Spain: 27.6% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Belgium rate their lives 0.39 points higher than in Spain.
Belgium: 6.93 (2025) · Spain: 6.54 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Spain drink 27% more alcohol than in Belgium.
Belgium: 9.5 litres (2023) · Spain: 12.1 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Spain has 68% more meat per person than Belgium.
Belgium: 60 kg (2023) · Spain: 100.8 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Belgium has 544 kcal more food per person per day than Spain.
Belgium: 3,921 kcal (2023) · Spain: 3,377 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in Spain put in 45 more hours a year than in Belgium.
Belgium: 1,593 hours (2023) · Spain: 1,638 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Belgium went to school 1.9 years longer than in Spain.
Belgium: 12.7 years (2023) · Spain: 10.8 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Spain welcomed 2.4 times as many tourists per resident as Belgium (2019).
Belgium: 0.81 (2024) · Spain: 1.92 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
Belgium and Spain are practically level.
Belgium: 96% (2024) · Spain: 96% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Belgium and Spain are practically level.
Belgium: 100% (2024) · Spain: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
88% of people in Belgium live in cities, versus 81% in Spain.
Belgium: 88% (2025) · Spain: 81% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Spain has 130 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Belgium 104.
Belgium: 104 (2024) · Spain: 130 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Spain’s railway network is 4.4 times as long as Belgium’s.
Belgium: 3,612 km (2021) · Spain: 15,963 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Spain fly 2 times as many passengers per resident as those from Belgium.
Belgium: 0.95 (2023) · Spain: 1.91 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 37% of Spain, but only 23% of Belgium.
Belgium: 22.6% (2023) · Spain: 37.2% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Belgium emits 58% more CO₂ than someone in Spain.
Belgium: 7.3 t (2024) · Spain: 4.6 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
56% of Spain’s electricity is renewable, versus 39% in Belgium.
Belgium: 38.9% (2025) · Spain: 55.9% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in Spain carries 8% more fine dust than in Belgium.
Belgium: 9.3 µg/m³ (2024) · Spain: 10 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 56% more likely to be murdered in Belgium than in Spain.
Belgium: 1.1 per 100k (2021) · Spain: 0.7 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Belgium are 31% deadlier than in Spain.
Belgium: 4.6 per 100k (2021) · Spain: 3.5 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Spain is on average 3.8 °C warmer than Belgium.
Belgium: 11°C (2016–2025 avg) · Spain: 14.8°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Belgium gets 39% more rain than Spain.
Belgium: 928 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Spain: 665 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Belgium bigger than Spain?
Spain is larger. Belgium fits inside Spain 16 times.
Which has more people, Belgium or Spain?
Spain has 4.1 times as many people as Belgium (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Belgium or Spain?
People in Spain live 1.6 years longer than in Belgium. Life expectancy at birth is 82.3 years in Belgium and 83.9 in Spain.
Are people taller in Belgium or Spain?
Men in Belgium are 3.0 cm taller than in Spain (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
