Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Belgium fits inside Sweden 17 times.
Belgium: 30,689 km² (2023) · Sweden: 528,660 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Sweden’s coastline is 48 times as long as Belgium’s.
Belgium: 67 km (2026 edition) · Sweden: 3,218 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Sweden’s highest peak towers 1,406 m above Belgium’s.
Belgium: 694 m (2026 edition) · Sweden: 2,100 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Belgium has 13% more people than Sweden.
Belgium: 11.9 million (2025) · Sweden: 10.6 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Belgium is 15 times as densely populated as Sweden.
Belgium: 392 per km² (2025) · Sweden: 26 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Sweden are 1.4 cm taller than in Belgium.
Belgium: 179.1 cm (2019) · Sweden: 180.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Sweden are 3.3 cm taller than in Belgium.
Belgium: 163.4 cm (2019) · Sweden: 166.7 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Belgium is 1.5 years older than in Sweden.
Belgium: 41.4 years (2023) · Sweden: 39.9 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Belgium have 0.0 more children on average than in Sweden.
Belgium: 1.44 children per woman (2024) · Sweden: 1.43 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
Belgium and Sweden are practically level.
Belgium: 21% (2025) · Sweden: 20.9% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Sweden has produced 28.3 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Belgium 7.5.
Belgium: 7.5 (2025) · Sweden: 28.3 (2025)
How many official languages?
Belgium has 3 official languages, Sweden 1.
Belgium: 3 (2026) · Sweden: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Belgium’s economy is 8% larger than Sweden’s.
Belgium: $725 billion (2025) · Sweden: $669 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Belgium produces 3% more per person than Sweden.
Belgium: Int$74,676 (2025) · Sweden: Int$72,529 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Sweden than in Belgium (Gini 2.5 points higher).
Belgium: 26.8 (2023) · Sweden: 29.3 (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 8.7% in Sweden, versus 5.9% in Belgium.
Belgium: 5.9% (2025) · Sweden: 8.7% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Sweden spends 2.0% of its GDP on the military, Belgium 1.3%.
Belgium: 1.3% (2024) · Sweden: 2% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Sweden’s price level (US = 100) is 1.1× Belgium’s.
Belgium: 81% (2025) · Sweden: 87% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Sweden spends 9% more on health per person than Belgium.
Belgium: $5,931 (2023) · Sweden: $6,485 (2024)
How long do people live?
People in Sweden live 1.8 years longer than in Belgium.
Belgium: 82.3 years (2024) · Sweden: 84.1 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Belgium is 55% more likely to die before turning one than in Sweden.
Belgium: 3.1 per 1,000 (2024) · Sweden: 2 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Sweden has 23% more doctors per person than Belgium.
Belgium: 3.6 per 1,000 (2022) · Sweden: 4.4 per 1,000 (2021)
How common is obesity?
23% of adults in Belgium are obese, versus 19% in Sweden.
Belgium: 22.9% (2024) · Sweden: 18.7% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
24% of adults in Belgium smoke, versus 20% in Sweden.
Belgium: 23.5% (2024) · Sweden: 20.3% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Sweden rate their lives 0.33 points higher than in Belgium.
Belgium: 6.93 (2025) · Sweden: 7.26 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Belgium drink 10% more alcohol than in Sweden.
Belgium: 9.5 litres (2023) · Sweden: 8.7 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Sweden has 14% more meat per person than Belgium.
Belgium: 60 kg (2023) · Sweden: 68.4 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Belgium has 555 kcal more food per person per day than Sweden.
Belgium: 3,921 kcal (2023) · Sweden: 3,367 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in Belgium put in 162 more hours a year than in Sweden.
Belgium: 1,593 hours (2023) · Sweden: 1,432 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Sweden and Belgium are practically level.
Belgium: 12.7 years (2023) · Sweden: 12.7 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Belgium welcomed 29% more tourists per resident than Sweden (2019).
Belgium: 0.81 (2024) · Sweden: 0.63 (2022)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
Belgium and Sweden are practically level.
Belgium: 96% (2024) · Sweden: 96% (2025)
Who has electricity at home?
Belgium and Sweden are practically level.
Belgium: 100% (2024) · Sweden: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
89% of people in Sweden live in cities, versus 88% in Belgium.
Belgium: 88% (2025) · Sweden: 89% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Sweden has 141 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Belgium 104.
Belgium: 104 (2024) · Sweden: 141 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Sweden’s railway network is 2.7 times as long as Belgium’s.
Belgium: 3,612 km (2021) · Sweden: 9,714 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Sweden fly 93% more passengers per resident than those from Belgium.
Belgium: 0.95 (2023) · Sweden: 1.85 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 69% of Sweden, but only 23% of Belgium.
Belgium: 22.6% (2023) · Sweden: 68.7% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Belgium emits 2 times as much CO₂ as someone in Sweden.
Belgium: 7.3 t (2024) · Sweden: 3.6 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
71% of Sweden’s electricity is renewable, versus 39% in Belgium.
Belgium: 38.9% (2025) · Sweden: 71.2% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in Belgium carries 63% more fine dust than in Sweden.
Belgium: 9.3 µg/m³ (2024) · Sweden: 5.7 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 6% more likely to be murdered in Sweden than in Belgium.
Belgium: 1.1 per 100k (2021) · Sweden: 1.1 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Belgium are 2.2 times as deadly as in Sweden.
Belgium: 4.6 per 100k (2021) · Sweden: 2.1 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Belgium is on average 6.7 °C warmer than Sweden.
Belgium: 11°C (2016–2025 avg) · Sweden: 4.3°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Belgium gets 16% more rain than Sweden.
Belgium: 928 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Sweden: 801 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Belgium bigger than Sweden?
Sweden is larger. Belgium fits inside Sweden 17 times.
Which has more people, Belgium or Sweden?
Belgium has 13% more people than Sweden (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Belgium or Sweden?
People in Sweden live 1.8 years longer than in Belgium. Life expectancy at birth is 82.3 years in Belgium and 84.1 in Sweden.
Are people taller in Belgium or Sweden?
Men in Sweden are 1.4 cm taller than in Belgium (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
