Updated
Overview
Belgium has 18% more people than Israel: 11.94 million against 10.12 million (2025).
Belgium's economy is 19% larger than Israel's, at $725.47B versus $610.78B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Belgium | Israel | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $725.47B | $610.78B | 2025 | $664.56B / $540.38B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $60,750 | $60,337 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.0% | Higher: 2.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.5% | 3.0% | 2025 | 3.1% / 3.1% |
| Unemployment | 5.9% | Lower: 3.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 81 | 101 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $7,044 | $3,383 | 2025 / 2021 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $2,387 | $1,589 | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | — | $7.67 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 11.94 million | 10.12 million | 2025 | 11.96 million / 9.40 million |
| Population growth | 0.7% | 1.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 41.9 yrs | 29.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.39 | 2.75 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 82.3 yrs | Higher: 83.2 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 88% | 92% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 96% | 88% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 30,528 km² | 20,770 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 391.2/km² | 487.4/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 85 Mt | Lower: 53 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 7.3 t | Lower: 5.6 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $8.56B | $46.51B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.3% | 8.8% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 24,000 | 178,000 | 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
Israel is growing faster: 2.9% annual GDP growth versus 1.0%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.5% in Belgium and 3.0% in Israel.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Belgium: a price level of 81 versus 101 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Belgium: $7,044 against $3,383 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Israel is the far younger society: median age 29.2 versus 41.9 years.
Geography
By land area, Belgium is 47% larger than Israel: 30,528 km² versus 20,770 km².
Military
Israel spends 5.4 times as much on defence as Belgium: $46.51B versus $8.56B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Israel carries the heavier military burden: 8.8% of GDP versus 1.3%.
Israel fields the larger armed forces: 178,000 personnel against 24,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Belgium bigger than Israel?
- Belgium is larger by land area. Belgium covers 30,528 km² while Israel covers 20,770 km², so Belgium is 47% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Belgium or Israel?
- Belgium has the larger population: 11.94 million versus 10.12 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Belgium richer than Israel?
- They are effectively level on GDP per capita: $60,750 for Belgium against $60,337 for Israel, a gap too small to call. Total GDP tells the same story: $725.47B for Belgium versus $610.78B for Israel.
- Who spends more on their military, Belgium or Israel?
- Israel spends more: $46.51B versus $8.56B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).