Updated
Overview
Belgium has 2.1 times the population of Finland: 11.94 million people against 5.65 million (2025).
Belgium's economy is 2.3 times the size of Finland's, at $725.47B versus $317.04B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Belgium | Finland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $725.47B | $317.04B | 2025 | $664.56B / $299.84B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $60,750 | $56,149 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 1.0% | 0.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 2.5% | Lower: 0.3% | 2025 | 3.1% / 1.6% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 5.9% | 9.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 81 | 85 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $7,044 | $5,760 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $2,387 | — | 2025 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 11.94 million | 5.65 million | 2025 | 11.96 million / 5.55 million |
| Population growth | 0.7% | 0.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 41.9 yrs | 43.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.39 | 1.30 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 82.3 yrs | Higher: 82.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 88% | 75% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 96% | 94% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 30,528 km² | 338,424 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 391.2/km² | 16.7/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 85 Mt | Lower: 30 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 7.3 t | Lower: 5.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $8.56B | $6.99B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.3% | 2.3% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 24,000 | 22,000 | 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
Belgium is growing faster: 1.0% annual GDP growth versus 0.2%.
Belgium runs the hotter price environment: 2.5% inflation versus 0.3%.
Average monthly earnings favour Belgium: $7,044 against $5,760 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 41.9 (Belgium) and 43.2 (Finland).
Belgium is considerably more urbanized: 88% of people live in cities, against 75%.
Geography
By land area, Belgium is only about 1/11 the size of Finland: 30,528 km² versus 338,424 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 17.
Military
Belgium spends 23% more on defence than Finland: $8.56B versus $6.99B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Finland carries the heavier military burden: 2.3% of GDP versus 1.3%.
Belgium fields the larger armed forces: 24,000 personnel against 22,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Belgium bigger than Finland?
- Finland is larger by land area. Belgium covers 30,528 km² while Finland covers 338,424 km², so Finland is 11 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Belgium or Finland?
- Belgium has the larger population: 11.94 million versus 5.65 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Belgium richer than Finland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Belgium is richer: $60,750 against $56,149. Total GDP tells the same story: $725.47B for Belgium versus $317.04B for Finland.
- Who spends more on their military, Belgium or Finland?
- Belgium spends more: $8.56B versus $6.99B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).