Updated
Overview
Belgium has 30% more people than Austria: 11.94 million against 9.21 million (2025).
Belgium's economy is 25% larger than Austria's, at $725.47B versus $579.47B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Belgium | Austria | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $725.47B | $579.47B | 2025 | $664.56B / $521.64B |
| GDP per capita | $60,750 | Higher: $62,930 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 1.0% | 0.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.5% | 3.5% | 2025 | 3.1% / 2.9% |
| Unemployment | 5.9% | Lower: 5.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 81 | 82 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $7,044 | $6,155 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $2,387 | — | 2025 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 11.94 million | 9.21 million | 2025 | 11.96 million / 9.17 million |
| Population growth | 0.7% | 0.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 41.9 yrs | 43.6 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.39 | 1.33 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 82.3 yrs | 82.0 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 88% | 70% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 96% | 92% | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 30,528 km² | 83,871 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 391.2/km² | 109.8/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 85 Mt | Lower: 56 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 7.3 t | Lower: 6.2 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $8.56B | $5.26B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.3% | 1.0% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 24,000 | 23,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Both economies are growing at a similar pace (1.0% for Belgium, 0.6% for Austria).
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.5% in Belgium and 3.5% in Austria.
Average monthly earnings favour Belgium: $7,044 against $6,155 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 41.9 (Belgium) and 43.6 (Austria).
Belgium is considerably more urbanized: 88% of people live in cities, against 70%.
Geography
By land area, Belgium is 64% smaller than Austria: 30,528 km² versus 83,871 km².
Both sit in the same broad region but do not share a border.
Belgium is far more densely settled: 391 people per km² against 110.
Military
Belgium spends about 65% more on defence than Austria: $8.56B versus $5.26B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Belgium fields the larger armed forces: 24,000 personnel against 23,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Belgium bigger than Austria?
- Austria is larger by land area. Belgium covers 30,528 km² while Austria covers 83,871 km², so Austria is 2.7 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Belgium or Austria?
- Belgium has the larger population: 11.94 million versus 9.21 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Belgium richer than Austria?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Austria is richer: $62,930 against $60,750. Total GDP tells a different story: $725.47B for Belgium versus $579.47B for Austria.
- Who spends more on their military, Belgium or Austria?
- Belgium spends more: $8.56B versus $5.26B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).