Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 20.5% less likely to be obese

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

Economy

make 17.6% more money

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

be 33.9% less likely to live below the poverty line

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

be 35.7% more likely to be unemployed

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

pay a 19.3% higher top tax rate

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

Life

be 50.0% less likely to die during childbirth

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

be 16.5% less likely to die during infancy

In United Kingdom, approximately 3.8 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 21.8% more on education

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

Geography

see 99.5% less coastline

United Kingdom has a total of 12,429 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, HM Revenue & Customs.

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 United Kingdom? See an in-depth size comparison.

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