Updated
Overview
Canada has 3.5 times the population of Belgium: 41.65 million people against 11.94 million (2025).
Canada's economy is 3.2 times the size of Belgium's, at $2.32T versus $725.47B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Canada | Belgium | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $2.32T | $725.47B | 2025 | $2.24T / $664.56B |
| GDP per capita | $55,698 | Higher: $60,750 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 1.7% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.1% | 2.5% | 2025 | 2.4% / 3.1% |
| Unemployment | 6.9% | Lower: 5.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 83 | 81 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $4,121 | Higher: $7,044 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $2,106 | Higher: $2,387 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $5.81 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 41.65 million | 11.94 million | 2025 | 39.19 million / 11.96 million |
| Population growth | 0.9% | 0.7% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 40.6 yrs | 41.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.33 | 1.39 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 82.1 yrs | Higher: 82.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 83% | 88% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 94% | Higher: 96% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 9,984,670 km² | 30,528 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 4.2/km² | 391.2/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 533 Mt | Lower: 85 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 13.4 t | Lower: 7.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $29.35B | $8.56B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.3% | 1.3% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 72,000 | 24,000 | 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
Canada is growing faster: 1.7% annual GDP growth versus 1.0%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.1% in Canada and 2.5% in Belgium.
Average monthly earnings favour Belgium: $7,044 against $4,121 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 40.6 (Canada) and 41.9 (Belgium).
Geography
By land area, Canada is 327 times the size of Belgium: 9,984,670 km² versus 30,528 km².
Belgium is far more densely settled: 391 people per km² against 4.
Military
Canada spends 3.4 times as much on defence as Belgium: $29.35B versus $8.56B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Canada fields the larger armed forces: 72,000 personnel against 24,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Canada bigger than Belgium?
- Canada is larger by land area. Canada covers 9,984,670 km² while Belgium covers 30,528 km², so Canada is 327 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Canada or Belgium?
- Canada has the larger population: 41.65 million versus 11.94 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Canada richer than Belgium?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Belgium is richer: $60,750 against $55,698. Total GDP tells a different story: $2.32T for Canada versus $725.47B for Belgium.
- Who spends more on their military, Canada or Belgium?
- Canada spends more: $29.35B versus $8.56B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).