Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in United Kingdom instead of Belgium, you would:

Health

be 25.8% more likely to be obese

In Belgium, 22.1% of adults are obese as of 2016. In United Kingdom, that number is 27.8% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 26.3% less likely to be unemployed

In Belgium, 5.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In United Kingdom, that number is 4.1% as of 2023.

pay a 16.2% lower top tax rate

Belgium has a top tax rate of 53.7% as of 2016. In United Kingdom, the top tax rate is 45.0% as of 2016.

make 14.9% less money

Belgium has a GDP per capita of $63,600 as of 2023, while in United Kingdom, the GDP per capita is $54,100 as of 2023.

be 51.2% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Belgium, 12.3% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In United Kingdom, however, that number is 18.6% as of 2017.

Life

be 100.0% more likely to die during childbirth

In Belgium, approximately 5.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In United Kingdom, 10.0 women do as of 2020.

be 19.7% 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 United Kingdom, on the other hand, 3.8 children do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 17.9% less on education

Belgium spends 6.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. United Kingdom spends 5.5% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

Geography

see 186.9 times more coastline

Belgium has a total of 66 km of coastline. In United Kingdom, that number is 12,429 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Service Public Fédéral Finances, The World Factbook, HM Revenue & Customs.

United Kingdom: At a glance

United Kingdom (sometimes abbreviated UK) is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 241,930 sq km. The United Kingdom has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith in the 19th century, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two world wars and the Irish Republic's withdrawal from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council and a founding member of NATO and the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy. The UK is also an active member of the EU, although it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999. The latter was suspended until May 2007 due to wrangling over the peace process, but devolution was fully completed in March 2010.
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How big is United Kingdom compared to Belgium? See an in-depth size comparison.

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