Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Colombia instead of Belgium, you would:

Health

live 7.0 years less

In Belgium, the average life expectancy is 82 years (79 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022. In Colombia, that number is 75 years (71 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

pay a 38.5% lower top tax rate

Belgium has a top tax rate of 53.7% as of 2016. In Colombia, the top tax rate is 33.0% as of 2016.

make 70.4% less money

Belgium has a GDP per capita of $63,600 as of 2023, while in Colombia, the GDP per capita is $18,800 as of 2023.

be 73.7% more likely to be unemployed

In Belgium, 5.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Colombia, that number is 9.6% as of 2023.

be 3.0 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Belgium, 12.3% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Colombia, however, that number is 36.6% as of 2022.

Life

have 38.0% more children

In Belgium, there are approximately 10.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Colombia, there are 14.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 15.0 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Belgium, approximately 5.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Colombia, 75.0 women do as of 2020.

be 3.7 times more likely to die during infancy

In Belgium, approximately 3.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Colombia, on the other hand, 11.7 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 19.8% less likely to have internet access

In Belgium, approximately 91.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Colombia, about 73.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 26.9% less on education

Belgium spends 6.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Colombia spends 4.9% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 18.9% less on healthcare

Belgium spends 11.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Colombia, that number is 9.0% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 48.2 times more coastline

Belgium has a total of 66 km of coastline. In Colombia, that number is 3,208 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Service Public Fédéral Finances, The World Factbook, Directorate of National Taxes and Customs (DIAN).

Colombia: At a glance

Colombia is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 1,038,700 sq km. Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A nearly five-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s. More than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia as a formal organization had ceased to function. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, but continue attacks against civilians. Large areas of the countryside are under guerrilla influence or are contested by security forces. In November 2012, the Colombian Government started formal peace negotiations with the FARC aimed at reaching a definitive bilateral ceasefire and incorporating demobilized FARC members into mainstream society and politics. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments. Despite decades of internal conflict and drug related security challenges, Colombia maintains relatively strong democratic institutions characterized by peaceful, transparent elections and the protection of civil liberties.
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How big is Colombia compared to Belgium? See an in-depth size comparison.

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