Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 10.0 years longer

In Turkmenistan, the average life expectancy is 72 years (69 years for men, 75 years for women) as of 2022. In Belgium, that number is 82 years (79 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022.

be 18.8% more likely to be obese

In Turkmenistan, 18.6% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Belgium, that number is 22.1% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 4.3 times more money

Turkmenistan has a GDP per capita of $14,700 as of 2022, while in Belgium, the GDP per capita is $63,600 as of 2023.

be 33.7% more likely to be unemployed

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

be 61.5 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Turkmenistan, 0.2% live below the poverty line as of 2012. In Belgium, however, that number is 12.3% as of 2022.

Life

be 91.5% less likely to die during infancy

In Turkmenistan, approximately 37.6 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.

have 35.7% fewer children

In Turkmenistan, there are approximately 16.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Belgium, there are 10.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 3.6 times more likely to have internet access

In Turkmenistan, approximately 25.3% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Belgium, about 91.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 2.2 times more on education

Turkmenistan spends 3.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Belgium spends 6.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 94.7% more on healthcare

Turkmenistan spends 5.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Belgium, that number is 11.1% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

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 Turkmenistan? See an in-depth size comparison.

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