World median is the middle country on each statistic: half of all countries with data are above it, half below. It is not an average, so it is never pulled up or down by giants or microstates.
Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Belgium fits inside the median country 3.6 times
Belgium: 30,689 km² (2024) · World median: 111,370 km² (2024)
How much coast is there?
The median country’s coastline is 6.6 times as long as Belgium’s
Belgium: 67 km (2026 edition) · World median: 440 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
The median country’s highest peak towers 1,641 m above Belgium’s
Belgium: 694 m (2026 edition) · World median: 2,335 m (2026 edition)
How much of the land is farmed?
Farmland covers 44% of Belgium, versus 38% of the median country
Belgium: 44.4% (2024) · World median: 37.8% (2024)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Belgium has 61% more people than the median country
Belgium: 11.9 million (2025) · World median: 7.4 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Belgium is 4 times as densely populated as the median country
Belgium: 392 per km² (2025) · World median: 98 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Belgium are 5.6 cm taller than in the median country
Belgium: 179.1 cm (2019) · World median: 173.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Belgium are 2.8 cm taller than in the median country
Belgium: 163.4 cm (2019) · World median: 160.6 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Belgium is 10 years older than in the median country
Belgium: 41.4 years (2023) · World median: 31.1 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in the median country have 0.5 more children on average than in Belgium
Belgium: 1.44 children per woman (2024) · World median: 1.9 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
21% of people in Belgium are 65 or older, versus 8.6% in the median country
Belgium: 21% (2025) · World median: 8.6% (2025)
How many refugees does it host?
Belgium hosts 19 times as many refugees per resident as the median country
Belgium: 15.6 per 1,000 (2025) · World median: 0.8 per 1,000 (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Belgium has produced 8.4 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, the median country none
Belgium: 8.4 (2026) · World median: 0 (2026)
How many official languages?
Belgium has 3 official languages, the median country 1
Belgium: 3 (2026) · World median: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Belgium’s economy is 16 times the size of the median country’s
Belgium: $725 billion (2025) · World median: $45.5 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Belgium produces 3.5 times as much per person as the median country
Belgium: Int$74,676 (2025) · World median: Int$21,072 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in the median country than in Belgium (Gini 7.6 points higher)
Belgium: 26.8 (2023) · World median: 34.4 (2023)
How many live on less than $3 a day?
1.6% of people in the median country live on less than $3 a day, versus 0.1% in Belgium
Belgium: 0.1% (2023) · World median: 1.6% (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 5.9% in Belgium, versus 5.1% in the median country
Belgium: 5.9% (2025) · World median: 5.1% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Belgium and the median country are practically level
Belgium: 2% (2025) · World median: 1.8% (2025)
How much does the central government collect in tax?
Belgium’s central government collects 23% of GDP in tax, the median country’s 17%
Belgium: 23% (2024) · World median: 17% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Belgium’s price level (US = 100) is 1.8× the median country’s
Belgium: 81% (2025) · World median: 45% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Belgium spends 13 times as much on health per person as the median country
Belgium: $5,931 (2023) · World median: $470 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in Belgium live 7.7 years longer than in the median country
Belgium: 82.3 years (2024) · World median: 74.6 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in the median country is 4.1 times as likely to die before turning one as in Belgium
Belgium: 3.1 per 1,000 (2024) · World median: 12.7 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Belgium has 2.1 times as many doctors per person as the median country
Belgium: 3.6 per 1,000 (2022) · World median: 1.7 per 1,000 (2022)
How many hospital beds are there?
Belgium has 2.2 times as many hospital beds per person as the median country
Belgium: 5.4 per 1,000 (2023) · World median: 2.4 per 1,000 (2023)
How common is suicide?
The suicide rate in Belgium is 51% higher than in the median country
Belgium: 15.1 per 100k (2023) · World median: 10 per 100k (2023)
How common is obesity?
24% of adults in the median country are obese, versus 23% in Belgium
Belgium: 22.9% (2024) · World median: 24% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
24% of adults in Belgium smoke, versus 19% in the median country
Belgium: 23.5% (2024) · World median: 19% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Belgium rate their lives 1.09 points higher than in the median country
Belgium: 6.93 (2025) · World median: 5.83 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Belgium drink 2.2 times as much alcohol as in the median country
Belgium: 9.5 litres (2023) · World median: 4.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Belgium has 7% more meat per person than the median country
Belgium: 60 kg (2023) · World median: 56.2 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Belgium has 984 kcal more food per person per day than the median country
Belgium: 3,921 kcal (2023) · World median: 2,938 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in the median country put in 381 more hours a year than in Belgium
Belgium: 1,593 hours (2023) · World median: 1,974 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Belgium went to school 2.8 years longer than in the median country
Belgium: 12.7 years (2023) · World median: 9.9 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Belgium welcomed 2.4 times as many tourists per resident as the median country (2019)
Belgium: 0.81 (2024) · World median: 0.34 (2024)
How many World Heritage sites?
Belgium has 13 more World Heritage sites than the median country (16 against 3)
Belgium: 16 (2026) · World median: 3 (2026)
How many Olympic medals has it won?
Belgium has won 177 Olympic medals, the median country 4
Belgium: 177 (2026 edition) · World median: 4 (2026 edition)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
96% of people in Belgium are online, versus 82% in the median country
Belgium: 96% (2024) · World median: 82% (2024)
How fast is home internet?
Home internet in Belgium is 58% faster than in the median country
Belgium: 254 Mbps (2026) · World median: 161 Mbps (2026)
Who has electricity at home?
Belgium and the median country are practically level
Belgium: 100% (2024) · World median: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
88% of people in Belgium live in cities, versus 64% in the median country
Belgium: 88% (2025) · World median: 64% (2025)
How many phones per person?
The median country has 115 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Belgium 104
Belgium: 104 (2024) · World median: 115 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Belgium’s railway network is 69% longer than the median country’s
Belgium: 3,612 km (2021) · World median: 2,141 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Belgium fly 4 times as many passengers per resident as those from the median country
Belgium: 0.95 (2023) · World median: 0.24 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 33% of the median country, but only 22% of Belgium
Belgium: 22% (2024) · World median: 32.8% (2024)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Belgium emits 2.4 times as much CO₂ as someone in the median country
Belgium: 7.3 t (2024) · World median: 3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
39% of Belgium’s electricity is renewable, versus 31% in the median country
Belgium: 38.9% (2025) · World median: 30.8% (2024)
How clean is the air?
The air in the median country carries 78% more fine dust than in Belgium
Belgium: 9.3 µg/m³ (2024) · World median: 16.6 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 2.1 times as likely to be murdered in the median country as in Belgium
Belgium: 1.1 per 100k (2021) · World median: 2.3 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in the median country are 2.7 times as deadly as in Belgium
Belgium: 6.8 per 100k (2023) · World median: 18.6 per 100k (2023)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
The median country is on average 11.9 °C warmer than Belgium
Belgium: 11°C (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 23°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
The median country gets 9% more rain than Belgium
Belgium: 928 mm (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 1,014 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Belgium bigger than the median country?
The median country is larger. Belgium fits inside the median country 3.6 times.
Which has more people, Belgium or the median country?
Belgium has 61% more people than the median country (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Belgium or the median country?
People in Belgium live 7.7 years longer than in the median country. Life expectancy at birth is 82.3 years in Belgium and 74.6 in the median country.
Are people taller in Belgium or the median country?
Men in Belgium are 5.6 cm taller than in the median country (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
