Updated
Overview
Belgium has 13% more people than Sweden: 11.94 million against 10.60 million (2025).
Their economies are close in size: $725.47B for Belgium and $669.00B for Sweden.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Belgium | Sweden | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $725.47B | $669.00B | 2025 | $664.56B / $610.12B |
| GDP per capita | $60,750 | Higher: $63,133 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.0% | Higher: 1.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 2.5% | Lower: 0.7% | 2025 | 3.1% / 2.8% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 5.9% | 8.7% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 81 | 87 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $7,044 | $4,783 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $2,387 | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | — | $7.16 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 11.94 million | 10.60 million | 2025 | 11.96 million / 10.64 million |
| Population growth | 0.7% | 0.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 41.9 yrs | 40.3 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.39 | 1.44 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 82.3 yrs | Higher: 84.1 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 88% | 89% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 96% | 96% | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 30,528 km² | 450,295 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 391.2/km² | 23.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 85 Mt | Lower: 38 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 7.3 t | Lower: 3.6 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $8.56B | $12.04B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.3% | 2.0% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 24,000 | 15,000 | 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
Sweden is growing faster: 1.5% annual GDP growth versus 1.0%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.5% in Belgium and 0.7% in Sweden.
Average monthly earnings favour Belgium: $7,044 against $4,783 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 41.9 (Belgium) and 40.3 (Sweden).
Life expectancy is 1.8 years longer in Sweden (84.1 vs 82.3).
Geography
By land area, Belgium is only about 1/15 the size of Sweden: 30,528 km² versus 450,295 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 24.
Military
Sweden spends about 40% more on defence than Belgium: $12.04B versus $8.56B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Belgium fields the larger armed forces: 24,000 personnel against 15,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Belgium bigger than Sweden?
- Sweden is larger by land area. Belgium covers 30,528 km² while Sweden covers 450,295 km², so Sweden is 15 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Belgium or Sweden?
- Belgium has the larger population: 11.94 million versus 10.60 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Belgium richer than Sweden?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Sweden is richer: $63,133 against $60,750. Total GDP tells a different story: $725.47B for Belgium versus $669.00B for Sweden.
- Who spends more on their military, Belgium or Sweden?
- Sweden spends more: $12.04B versus $8.56B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).