Updated
Overview
Germany has 7.0 times the population of Belgium: 83.49 million people against 11.94 million (2025).
Germany's economy is 7.0 times the size of Belgium's, at $5.05T versus $725.47B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Germany | Belgium | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $5.05T | $725.47B | 2025 | $4.66T / $664.56B |
| GDP per capita | $60,496 | Higher: $60,750 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 0.2% | Higher: 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.2% | 2.5% | 2025 | 2.3% / 3.1% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 3.7% | 5.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 80 | 81 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $4,647 | Higher: $7,044 | 2022 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $2,442 | $2,387 | 2025 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 83.49 million | 11.94 million | 2025 | 84.01 million / 11.96 million |
| Population growth | 0.0% | 0.7% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 45.5 yrs | 41.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.46 | 1.39 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 80.8 yrs | Higher: 82.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 82% | 88% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 93% | Higher: 96% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 357,114 km² | 30,528 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 233.8/km² | 391.2/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 572 Mt | Lower: 85 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 6.8 t | 7.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $88.46B | $8.56B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.9% | 1.3% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 183,000 | 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
Belgium is growing faster: 1.0% annual GDP growth versus 0.2%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.2% in Germany and 2.5% in Belgium.
Average monthly earnings favour Belgium: $7,044 against $4,647 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Belgium is the younger society: median age 41.9 versus 45.5 years.
Life expectancy is 1.5 years longer in Belgium (82.3 vs 80.8).
Geography
By land area, Germany is 12 times the size of Belgium: 357,114 km² versus 30,528 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Military
Germany spends 10 times as much on defence as Belgium: $88.46B versus $8.56B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Germany fields the larger armed forces: 183,000 personnel against 24,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Germany bigger than Belgium?
- Germany is larger by land area. Germany covers 357,114 km² while Belgium covers 30,528 km², so Germany is 12 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Germany or Belgium?
- Germany has the larger population: 83.49 million versus 11.94 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Germany richer than Belgium?
- They are effectively level on GDP per capita: $60,496 for Germany against $60,750 for Belgium, a gap too small to call. Total GDP tells a different story: $5.05T for Germany versus $725.47B for Belgium.
- Who spends more on their military, Germany or Belgium?
- Germany spends more: $88.46B versus $8.56B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).