Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 24.8% less likely to be obese

In Canada, 29.4% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Belgium, that number is 22.1% of people as of 2016.

live 1.9 years less

In Canada, the average life expectancy is 84 years (82 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Belgium, that number is 82 years (79 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 14.0% more money

Canada has a GDP per capita of $55,800 as of 2023, while in Belgium, the GDP per capita is $63,600 as of 2023.

be 30.9% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Canada, 9.4% live below the poverty line as of 2008. In Belgium, however, that number is 12.3% as of 2022.

pay a 62.7% higher top tax rate

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

Life

be 54.5% less likely to die during childbirth

In Canada, approximately 11.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Belgium, 5.0 women do as of 2020.

be 27.2% less likely to die during infancy

In Canada, approximately 4.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Belgium, on the other hand, 3.2 children do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 14.0% less on healthcare

Canada spends 12.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Belgium, that number is 11.1% of GDP as of 2020.

spend 28.8% more on education

Canada spends 5.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Belgium spends 6.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

Geography

see 100.0% less coastline

Canada has a total of 202,080 km of coastline. In Belgium, that number is 66 km.

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

Belgium: At a glance

Belgium is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 30,278 sq km. Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Political divisions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. Its capital, Brussels, is home to numerous international organizations including the EU and NATO.
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How big is Belgium compared to Canada? See an in-depth size comparison.

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