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> Our information files > Country Sheet : Belgium

Country Sheet : Belgium

Information file

Last Update on 17th July 2024

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BELGIUM

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In English - version of 17th July 2024

Geography

Area : 30,528 km²

Borders : 1,385 km; France: 620 km, Germany: 167 km, Luxembourg: 148 km, Netherlands: 450 km

Coastline : 66.5 km

Capital : Brussels

Official language : Dutch, French, German

Flag

Image Drapeau

Population

Population : 11,697,557 inhabitants (January 2023)

Crude natural change rate : 0.6‰ (2023 est.)

Population repartition: aged under 15 years: 17%(2023 est.), aged over 65%: 19.9% (2023 est.)

Foreign residents: 7.9% EU nationals, 4.4% non-EU nationals (2019)

Crude net migration rate: 4.2‰ (2023 est.)

First time asylum applicants: 36 740 (2022)

Life expectancy: men 79.5 years, women 84.8 years (2023 est.)

Religions: Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 2.3%, other Christian, 2.8%, Muslim 6.8%, other 1.7%, atheist 9.1%, nonbeliever/agnostic 20.2% (2018 est.)

Source : Eurostat, The CIA World Factbook

Economy

Currency: Euro

GDP: 549,456.2 million € (2022)

GDP per capita (PPS): 36,860 € (2022)

GDP growth : 0.2% (Q2 2023)

Inflation: 4.9% (May 2024)

Public debt: 106% of GDP (2023)

Unemployment: 5.9% (May 2024)

Public deficit: -2.9% of GDP (2022)

Stock of foreign direct investment from the entire world: 155% of GDP (2022)

Source : Eurostat, Trading Economics

Political system

Constitutional monarchy, democracy

Head of State: King Philippe, since 21st July 2013.

Prime Minister: Alexander de Croo (Open VLD) was appointed Prime Minister by the King on September 30th 2020. The New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) emerged victorious from the parliamentary elections of June 9th 2024. King Phillipe has appointed Bart De Wever (N-VA) to form a new government.

Bicameral legislative power: The House of Representatives comprises 150 members, elected for a period of 4 years The Senate comprises 60 members, also elected for 5 years, 50 of whom are elected by direct universal suffrage and 10 are co-opted

Political representation

Composition of the House of Representatives (following the June 9th 2024 elections):

  • 24 seats N-VA (New Flemish Alliance)
  • 16 seats PS (Socialist Party)
  • 20 seat Vlaams Belang (Flemish far-right party)
  • 20 seats MR (Reformist Movement)
  • 11 seats CD&V (Flemish Christian- Democratic Party)
  • 15 seats PTB-PVDA (Labour Party)
  • 7 seats Open VLD ( Flemish Liberals and Democrats)
  • 13 seats Vooruit (Flemish socialist Party)
  • 9 Ecolo-GROEN (Greens)
  • 14 seats Les Engagés (Humanist democratic centre)
  • 1 seats DéFI (independant federalist democrat)

Composition of the Senate (in April 2021):

  • 9 seats N-VA (New Flemish Alliance)
  • 9 seats Ecolo-Groen
  • 7 seats PS (Socialist Party)
  • 7 seats Vlaams Belang
  • 7 seats MR (Reformist Movement)
  • 5 seats CD&V (flemish Christian- Democratic Party)
  • 5 seats Open VLD (Liberal and Democrats)
  • 5 seats PTB + PVDA (Labour)
  • 4 seats Vooruit (Flemish socialist party)
  • 2 seats Les Engagés (Humanist democratic centre)

Women's representations

  • -in the government: 8/15
  • -in the House of Representatives: 53/150
  • -in the Senate: 27/60

Next Elections:

  • general elections in 2029.

    • BELGIUM

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    In English - version of 17th July 2024