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Belgium

BEL · Europe

Belgium

Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to the south, and the North Sea to the west.

Summary from Wikipédia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

compare with…

Data refreshed on 2026.11.04 · source: Wikidata

The Institute's composite reading

Vigilance

3.8 /10 risk

  • Security 0.0
  • Legitimacy 8.4
  • Economy 6.0
  • Diplomacy 5.3
  • Influence 1.5

Security: 0 stable → 10 unstable · others: 0 weak → 10 strong. Computed from V-Dem, FH, CPI, RSF, World Bank, SIPRI, sanctions.

UN list of 2026.11.03: 2 people and 1 entity linked to the country by nationality or a known address. Regimes: ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida (1), Democratic Republic of the Congo (1), Iran (1).

Listings linked to the country by nationality or address: United States 53 (list of 2026.10.27), United Kingdom 9 (list of 2026.11.03), EU 4 (list of 2026.10.23).

Capital
Brussels
Population
11,825,551 inh.
Area
30,528 km²
Currency
EUR
Regime
federation

Executive in office

Head of State

Philippe de Belgique

since 2013.07.21

Head of Government

Bart De Wever

since 2025.02.03 Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie

Government in office · 4 members

ministre des Affaires étrangères

Maxime Prévot

since 2025.02.03 Les Engagés Foreign affairs

ministre de la Défense

Theo Francken

since 2025.02.03 Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie Defence

ministre des Finances

Jan Jambon

since 2025.02.03 Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie Finance

ministre de la Justice

Annelies Verlinden

since 2025.02.03 Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams Justice

Parliament

Chambre des représentants

150 seats

New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Socialist Party Socialist Party Socialist Party Socialist Party Socialist Party Socialist Party Socialist Party Socialist Party Socialist Party Socialist Party Socialist Party Socialist Party Socialist Party Socialist Party Socialist Party Socialist Party Les Engagés Les Engagés Les Engagés Les Engagés Les Engagés Les Engagés Les Engagés Les Engagés Les Engagés Les Engagés Les Engagés Les Engagés Les Engagés Les Engagés Les Engagés Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Vooruit Vooruit Vooruit Vooruit Vooruit Vooruit Vooruit Vooruit Vooruit Vooruit Vooruit Vooruit Vooruit Christian Democratic and Flemish Christian Democratic and Flemish Christian Democratic and Flemish Christian Democratic and Flemish Christian Democratic and Flemish Christian Democratic and Flemish Christian Democratic and Flemish Christian Democratic and Flemish Christian Democratic and Flemish Christian Democratic and Flemish Christian Democratic and Flemish Anders Anders Anders Anders Anders Anders Anders Anders Groen Groen Groen Groen Groen Groen Ecolo Ecolo Ecolo Independent politician DéFI

Chair Peter De Roover

Inception 1831

  • New Flemish Alliance N-VA 23
  • Flemish Interest VB 20
  • Reformist Movement MR 18
  • Socialist Party PS 16
  • Les Engagés LE 15
  • Workers' Party of Belgium PVDA-PTB 15
  • Vooruit 13
  • Christian Democratic and Flemish CD&V 11
  • Anders 8
  • Groen 6
  • Ecolo 3
  • Independent politician 1
1 more groups
  • DéFI 1

Composition · Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) · 2026.11.04

Sénat

60 seats

New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance New Flemish Alliance Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Reformist Movement Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Flemish Interest Socialist Party Socialist Party Socialist Party Socialist Party Socialist Party Socialist Party Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Workers' Party of Belgium Les Engagés Les Engagés Les Engagés Les Engagés Les Engagés Christian Democratic and Flemish Christian Democratic and Flemish Christian Democratic and Flemish Christian Democratic and Flemish Christian Democratic and Flemish Vooruit Vooruit Vooruit Vooruit Vooruit Anders Anders Anders Groen Groen ProDG Ecolo

Chair Valérie De Bue

Inception 1831

  • New Flemish Alliance N-VA 10
  • Reformist Movement MR 8
  • Flemish Interest VB 8
  • Socialist Party PS 6
  • Workers' Party of Belgium PVDA-PTB 6
  • Les Engagés LE 5
  • Christian Democratic and Flemish CD&V 5
  • Vooruit 5
  • Anders 3
  • Groen 2
  • ProDG 1
  • Ecolo 1

Composition · Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) · 2026.11.04

Economic indicators World Bank · 2025

GDP

725 G$

2025 ↑ +8.1 % vs 2024

GDP / capita

60,750 $

2025 ↑ +7.4 % vs 2024

Growth

1.0 %

2025 ↓ -0.1 pt vs 2024

Inflation

2.5 %

2025 ↓ -0.7 pt vs 2024

Unemployment

5.9 %

2025 ↑ +0.2 pt vs 2024

Defense / GDP

2.0 %

2025 ↑ +0.7 pt vs 2024

Life expectancy

82.3 yrs

2024 ↓ -0.1 % vs 2023

Armed forces 19 units listed · Wikidata

Navy 1 Air Force 7
Show the 19 units · raw Wikidata list, which does not always flag a disbanded unit

Flotte

Vissersvloot Zeebrugge

Commandement

Allied Command Operations

Casteau 2002

Division

3rd Infantry Division

Brigade

Brigade Motorisée

Bourg-Léopold 1943

Régiment

4e régiment de lanciers

Tirlemont

Régiment

Special Operations Regiment

1948

Bataillon

29 Bataljon Logistiek

Bataillon

3e bataillon parachutiste

Kamina 1950

Bataillon

4 Element voor Medische Interventie

Kwartier Majoor Housiau

Bataillon

Bataillon de chasseurs à cheval

Heverlee 2011

Bataillon

Zivilarbeiter Bataillon

Escadron aérien

11e escadrille

base aérienne 120 Cazaux

Escadron aérien

31st Squadron

base aérienne de Kleine-Brogel 1951

Escadron aérien

349e escadrille

base aérienne de Kleine-Brogel 1943

Escadron aérien

350e escadrille

base aérienne de Florennes 1941

Escadron aérien

40e escadrille Héli

base aérienne de Coxyde

Escadron aérien

80 UAV Squadron

base aérienne de Florennes

Escadron aérien

9e escadrille

base aérienne de Beauvechain

Compagnie

Oost-Indische Compagnie van Oostende

Nuclear posture

OTAN, partage nucléaire

B61-12 (Kleine Brogel) · ~10 ogives

Governance indices V-Dem 2025 · Freedom House 2026 · CPI 2025 · RSF 2026

Democracy (V-Dem)

0.89/1

#3 liberal democracy 2025

Freedoms (Freedom House)

95/100

Free 2026

Corruption (CPI)

69/100

#212025

Press freedom (RSF)

81/100

#162026

Military posture SIPRI · 2025

Global spending rank

#30

SIPRI 2025

Annual budget

13.6 Md$

2025USD constants 2024

Defense effort

2.0 %PIB

2025

Trade dependencies OEC · UN Comtrade · 2023

Exports

530 Md$

Imports

510 Md$

Balance

20 Md$

Top exports

  • Médicaments + chimie 90 Md$
  • Voitures + pièces 42 Md$
  • Diamants taillés (Anvers) 24 Md$

Top imports

  • Pétrole brut + raffiné 56 Md$
  • Voitures 36 Md$
  • Diamants bruts 20 Md$

Export partners

Import partners

Diplomatic alignment UNGA 2020-2024 · Bailey-Strezhnev-Voeten

Vote concordance with each power at UN General Assembly.

  • USA 86%
  • GBR 92%
  • FRA 96%
  • DEU 96%
  • RUS 16%
  • CHN 23%
  • ISR 51%

Abstention: 9%

Key treaties UN Treaty Collection · IAEA · ICRC · OPCW

  • ✓

    NPT

    1968 Ratified

  • ✓

    CTBT

    1996 Ratified

  • ✗

    TPNW

    2017 Not party

  • ✓

    Rome Statute

    1998 Ratified

  • ✓

    Genocide

    1948 Ratified

  • ✓

    Geneva

    1949 Ratified

  • ✓

    Ottawa Mine Ban

    1997 Ratified

  • ✓

    Oslo Cluster Munitions

    2008 Ratified

  • ✓

    Arms Trade Treaty

    2013 Ratified

  • ✓

    Paris Agreement

    2015 Ratified

Society · human UNDP HDI 2023 · World Bank · WID · UNHCR 2025

HDI

0.951/1

#102023

Gini

26.8

low2023

Refugees hosted

186,393

UNHCR 2025

Refugees originating

113

UNHCR 2025

National anthem

La Brabançonne

Composer · François Van Campenhout

Alliances and organisations Institut · Wikidata

  • UN
  • NATO
  • EU
  • Eurozone
  • Schengen Area
  • OECD
  • WTO
  • Council of Europe
  • OSCE
  • Francophonie (OIF)

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Global attention Wikipedia · 90 days

The country's Wikipedia article is usually read 5,947 times a day (French and English). On 2026.11.03: 5,781, or ×1.0.

French + English French usual level 2026.08.06 · 2026.11.03 Wikimedia statistics (CC0), human users

Sources and freshness

  • Executive, government, parliament, anthem · Wikidata (CC0) · 2026-11-04
  • Economy · World Bank (CC BY 4.0) · 2025
  • Indices and figures · V-Dem 2026 (OWID) · Freedom House 2026 (OWID) · Transparency International CPI 2025 · RSF 2026 · PNUD IDH 2025 (OWID) · Banque mondiale Gini 2023 · UNHCR 2025 · SIPRI 2026 (OWID) · read on 2026-11-04
  • Memberships · Wikidata (CC0) · 2026-11-04
  • UN sanctions · Security Council consolidated list · list of 2026-11-03 · read on 2026-11-04
  • Sanctions · US Treasury (OFAC), SDN and non-SDN lists · list of 2026-10-27 · read on 2026-11-04
  • Sanctions · United Kingdom, UK Sanctions List (FCDO) · list of 2026-11-03 · read on 2026-11-04
  • Sanctions · European Union, consolidated financial sanctions list · list of 2026-10-23 · read on 2026-11-04
  • Institute dossier (sanctions, treaties, visits, capabilities) · as of 2026-05-01
  • Summary · Wikipédia (CC BY-SA 4.0)