Belgium vs France
Belgium vs France: Life expectancy
Life expectancy in 2023: 82.1 years in Belgium and 83.3 years in France, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in France, by 1.2 years, or 1.01 times that in Belgium.
years · UN
What the numbers say
- France has been higher since 1960, when it overtook Belgium.
- In 2023, Belgium ranked 32 and France ranked 15 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts Belgium at 91.4 years and France at 92.1 years in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 73.2 years in 2023.
Every year
years · UN
| Year | Belgium | France | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 82.1 | 83.3 | 73.2 |
| 2022 | 81.2 | 82.5 | 72.6 |
| 2021 | 81.7 | 82.3 | 70.9 |
| 2020 | 80.8 | 82.2 | 71.9 |
| 2019 | 81.8 | 82.7 | 72.6 |
| 2018 | 81.5 | 82.6 | 72.4 |
| 2017 | 81.4 | 82.4 | 72.1 |
| 2016 | 81.3 | 82.4 | 71.9 |
| 2015 | 80.9 | 82.2 | 71.6 |
| 2014 | 81.1 | 82.4 | 71.4 |
| 2013 | 80.5 | 82 | 71.1 |
| 2012 | 80.3 | 81.7 | 70.8 |
| 2011 | 80.4 | 81.8 | 70.4 |
| 2010 | 80 | 81.4 | 70.1 |
| 2009 | 79.9 | 81.2 | 69.7 |
| 2008 | 79.6 | 81 | 69.3 |
| 2007 | 79.5 | 81 | 69 |
| 2006 | 79.4 | 80.7 | 68.6 |
| 2005 | 79.1 | 80.3 | 68.1 |
| 2004 | 79 | 80.3 | 67.7 |
| 2003 | 78.3 | 79.4 | 67.4 |
| 2002 | 78.2 | 79.4 | 67.1 |
| 2001 | 78.1 | 79.2 | 66.8 |
| 2000 | 77.8 | 79 | 66.4 |
| 1999 | 77.7 | 78.8 | 66 |
| 1998 | 77.5 | 78.6 | 65.7 |
| 1997 | 77.4 | 78.4 | 65.5 |
| 1996 | 77.2 | 78.1 | 65.2 |
| 1995 | 76.8 | 77.9 | 64.9 |
| 1994 | 76.7 | 77.8 | 64.3 |
| 1993 | 76.4 | 77.4 | 64.4 |
| 1992 | 76.4 | 77.3 | 64.3 |
| 1991 | 76.2 | 77 | 64.1 |
| 1990 | 76.1 | 76.8 | 64 |
| 1989 | 75.7 | 76.5 | 63.8 |
| 1988 | 75.6 | 76.4 | 63.4 |
| 1987 | 75.3 | 76.2 | 63.2 |
| 1986 | 74.7 | 75.6 | 62.7 |
| 1985 | 74.5 | 75.3 | 62.2 |
| 1984 | 74.4 | 75.2 | 61.9 |
| 1983 | 73.9 | 74.7 | 61.5 |
| 1982 | 73.9 | 74.8 | 61.3 |
| 1981 | 73.7 | 74.4 | 60.9 |
| 1980 | 73.2 | 74.2 | 60.5 |
| 1979 | 73.2 | 74.1 | 60.2 |
| 1978 | 72.7 | 73.8 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 72.8 | 73.7 | 59.2 |
| 1976 | 72.1 | 73.1 | 58.6 |
| 1975 | 72 | 72.9 | 58.3 |
| 1974 | 72 | 72.8 | 58.1 |
| 1973 | 71.6 | 72.5 | 57.7 |
| 1972 | 71.4 | 72.3 | 57.2 |
| 1971 | 71.1 | 72.1 | 56 |
| 1970 | 70.9 | 72.1 | 56.3 |
| 1969 | 70.7 | 71.2 | 56 |
| 1968 | 70.6 | 71.5 | 55.6 |
| 1967 | 70.9 | 71.5 | 55.1 |
| 1966 | 70.6 | 71.5 | 54.6 |
| 1965 | 70.6 | 71.1 | 54 |
| 1964 | 70.7 | 71.3 | 54.3 |
| 1963 | 70 | 70.3 | 53.7 |
| 1962 | 70.2 | 70.5 | 53.2 |
| 1961 | 70.5 | 71 | 50.4 |
| 1960 | 69.6 | 70.4 | 47.8 |
| 1959 | 70.3 | 70.2 | 49.6 |
| 1958 | 69.9 | 70.1 | 51.6 |
| 1957 | 69.2 | 68.9 | 51.1 |
| 1956 | 68.8 | 68.5 | 50.7 |
| 1955 | 68.6 | 68.4 | 50.2 |
| 1954 | 68.6 | 68.2 | 49.7 |
| 1953 | 68.4 | 67.3 | 48.8 |
| 1952 | 68 | 67.4 | 48.2 |
| 1951 | 66.8 | 66.1 | 47.1 |
| 1950 | 66.3 | 66.4 | 46.4 |
| 1949 | 65.4 | 64.9 | – |
| 1948 | 64.9 | 65.8 | – |
| 1947 | 63.4 | 64 | – |
| 1946 | 61.9 | 62.4 | – |
| 1945 | 58.3 | 54.9 | – |
| 1944 | 56.9 | 47.2 | – |
| 1943 | 60.3 | 53.3 | – |
| 1942 | 59.1 | 57.4 | – |
| 1941 | 58.7 | 57.4 | – |
| 1940 | 56 | 49.6 | – |
| 1939 | 60.1 | 59.6 | – |
| 1938 | 60.1 | 58.9 | – |
| 1937 | 60 | 59.1 | – |
| 1936 | 59.9 | 58.8 | – |
| 1935 | 59.9 | 58.3 | – |
| 1934 | 60.3 | 58.3 | – |
| 1933 | 58.7 | 57.7 | – |
| 1932 | 58.5 | 57.2 | – |
| 1931 | 58.4 | 56.9 | – |
| 1930 | 57.1 | 56.8 | – |
| 1929 | 55 | 54.2 | – |
| 1928 | 57.5 | 55.4 | – |
| 1927 | 57.1 | 55.7 | – |
| 1926 | 56.9 | 54 | – |
| 1925 | 57.1 | 54.4 | – |
| 1924 | 57.4 | 55.2 | – |
| 1923 | 56.7 | 54.6 | – |
| 1922 | 55.2 | 54.9 | – |
| 1921 | 54.7 | 52.7 | – |
| 1920 | 54 | 51.8 | – |
| 1919 | 49.3 | 47.1 | – |
| 1918 | – | 34.8 | – |
| 1917 | – | 43 | – |
| 1916 | – | 39.8 | – |
| 1915 | – | 36.6 | – |
| 1914 | – | 38.2 | – |
| 1913 | 52.5 | 51.4 | – |
| 1912 | 52.3 | 51.6 | – |
| 1911 | 49.3 | 48.2 | – |
| 1910 | 51.3 | 51.4 | – |
| 1909 | 50.7 | 50 | – |
| 1908 | 49.7 | 49.3 | – |
| 1907 | 51.1 | 48.3 | – |
| 1906 | 49.7 | 47.7 | – |
| 1905 | 50 | 48.4 | – |
| 1904 | 49.3 | 48.1 | – |
| 1903 | 49.2 | 48.4 | – |
| 1902 | 49.1 | 48 | – |
| 1901 | 49.4 | 47 | – |
| 1900 | 46.7 | 45.1 | – |
| 1899 | 46.5 | 45.2 | – |
| 1898 | 48.1 | 46 | – |
| 1897 | 48.8 | 47.9 | – |
| 1896 | 48.1 | 47.5 | – |
| 1895 | 45.5 | 45.3 | – |
| 1894 | 46.6 | 45.5 | – |
| 1893 | 44.4 | 43.6 | – |
| 1892 | 43.2 | 43.6 | – |
| 1891 | 44 | 44.1 | – |
| 1890 | 44.1 | 43.4 | – |
| 1889 | 45.1 | 45.5 | – |
| 1888 | 44.9 | 44.2 | – |
| 1887 | 46.1 | 43.7 | – |
| 1886 | 43.4 | 43.2 | – |
| 1885 | 45.5 | 43.9 | – |
| 1884 | 44.2 | 42.5 | – |
| 1883 | 44.9 | 43.3 | – |
| 1882 | 45.6 | 43.1 | – |
| 1881 | 44.4 | 43.5 | – |
| 1880 | 42.5 | 42.8 | – |
| 1879 | 43.8 | 44 | – |
| 1878 | 44.2 | 43.4 | – |
| 1877 | 44.5 | 44.3 | – |
| 1876 | 43.7 | 43.6 | – |
| 1875 | 42.2 | 43.2 | – |
| 1874 | 44.7 | 44.3 | – |
| 1873 | 43.5 | 41.9 | – |
| 1872 | 40 | 42.5 | – |
| 1871 | 34.4 | 29.7 | – |
| 1870 | 40.9 | 36.5 | – |
| 1869 | 42.6 | 41.1 | – |
| 1868 | 42.6 | 40.3 | – |
| 1867 | 43.1 | 42.4 | – |
| 1866 | 32.5 | 41.8 | – |
| 1865 | 37.7 | 40.2 | – |
| 1864 | 39.8 | 42.1 | – |
| 1863 | 41.3 | 41.8 | – |
| 1862 | 43.1 | 42.7 | – |
| 1861 | 41.3 | 40.6 | – |
| 1860 | 45.1 | 43.4 | – |
| 1859 | 39 | 35.3 | – |
| 1858 | 40.2 | 39.7 | – |
| 1857 | 40.5 | 39.6 | – |
| 1856 | 40.9 | 40.2 | – |
| 1855 | 37.5 | 37.6 | – |
| 1854 | 39.8 | 36.2 | – |
| 1853 | 41.4 | 42.6 | – |
| 1852 | 41.8 | 41.4 | – |
| 1851 | 41.9 | 41.8 | – |
| 1850 | 42.3 | 43.3 | – |
| 1849 | 34.5 | 36 | – |
| 1848 | 38.1 | 40.3 | – |
| 1847 | 35.1 | 40.5 | – |
| 1846 | 37.9 | 40.7 | – |
| 1845 | 41.1 | 43.6 | – |
| 1844 | 41.9 | 42.3 | – |
| 1843 | 40.4 | 40.8 | – |
| 1842 | 38.7 | 40 | – |
| 1841 | 40.3 | 40.7 | – |
| 1840 | – | 40.4 | – |
| 1839 | – | 41 | – |
| 1838 | – | 39.4 | – |
| 1837 | – | 39.4 | – |
| 1836 | – | 42 | – |
| 1835 | – | 39.5 | – |
| 1834 | – | 35.1 | – |
| 1833 | – | 38.9 | – |
| 1832 | – | 35.9 | – |
| 1831 | – | 39.7 | – |
| 1830 | – | 39.6 | – |
| 1829 | – | 39.4 | – |
| 1828 | – | 37.6 | – |
| 1827 | – | 39.4 | – |
| 1826 | – | 37.8 | – |
| 1825 | – | 38.6 | – |
| 1824 | – | 39.2 | – |
| 1823 | – | 40 | – |
| 1822 | – | 38.4 | – |
| 1821 | – | 39.9 | – |
| 1820 | – | 39.3 | – |
| 1819 | – | 37.3 | – |
| 1818 | – | 38.6 | – |
| 1817 | – | 39.2 | – |
| 1816 | – | 40.1 | – |
- 12.3Estimates, Our World in Data
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | Belgium | France | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 82.381.4–83.2 | 83.582.6–84.4 | 73.3 |
| 2025 | 82.481.1–83.7 | 83.682.4–84.9 | 73.5 |
| 2026 | 82.681–84.1 | 83.782.3–85.3 | 73.8 |
| 2027 | 82.781–84.5 | 83.882.2–85.6 | 73.9 |
| 2028 | 82.980.9–84.9 | 8482.1–85.8 | 74.1 |
| 2029 | 83.180.8–85.1 | 84.182.1–86.1 | 74.2 |
| 2030 | 83.280.8–85.4 | 84.282–86.5 | 74.4 |
| 2031 | 83.480.8–85.7 | 84.382–86.7 | 74.5 |
| 2032 | 83.580.7–85.9 | 84.482.1–87 | 74.7 |
| 2033 | 83.780.9–86.3 | 84.681.9–87.3 | 74.8 |
| 2034 | 83.880.9–86.5 | 84.782–87.6 | 75 |
| 2035 | 83.980.9–86.6 | 84.882–87.8 | 75.1 |
| 2036 | 84.181–86.9 | 84.982.1–88.1 | 75.3 |
| 2037 | 84.281.1–87.2 | 85.182.1–88.4 | 75.4 |
| 2038 | 84.381.1–87.5 | 85.282–88.7 | 75.5 |
| 2039 | 84.581.1–87.7 | 85.382.1–88.9 | 75.7 |
| 2040 | 84.681.1–88 | 85.482.3–89.1 | 75.8 |
| 2041 | 84.781.2–88.2 | 85.582.3–89.4 | 75.9 |
| 2042 | 84.981.2–88.5 | 85.782.3–89.6 | 76.1 |
| 2043 | 8581.4–88.7 | 85.882.3–89.8 | 76.2 |
| 2044 | 85.181.4–89 | 85.982.3–90 | 76.3 |
| 2045 | 85.381.4–89.2 | 8682.3–90.1 | 76.5 |
| 2046 | 85.481.3–89.4 | 86.182.4–90.2 | 76.6 |
| 2047 | 85.581.4–89.7 | 86.282.5–90.4 | 76.7 |
| 2048 | 85.681.4–89.9 | 86.482.6–90.9 | 76.8 |
| 2049 | 85.781.5–90.2 | 86.582.6–90.9 | 76.9 |
| 2050 | 85.981.6–90.2 | 86.682.5–91 | 77 |
| 2051 | 8681.7–90.3 | 86.782.7–91.4 | 77.1 |
| 2052 | 86.181.8–90.6 | 86.882.6–91.6 | 77.2 |
| 2053 | 86.281.8–90.8 | 86.982.7–91.7 | 77.3 |
| 2054 | 86.381.8–91 | 87.182.7–92.1 | 77.4 |
| 2055 | 86.581.8–91.1 | 87.282.7–92.2 | 77.6 |
| 2056 | 86.682–91.4 | 87.382.7–92.5 | 77.7 |
| 2057 | 86.782–91.7 | 87.482.7–92.7 | 77.8 |
| 2058 | 86.882.1–91.9 | 87.582.9–92.9 | 77.9 |
| 2059 | 86.982.1–92.2 | 87.683–93.2 | 78 |
| 2060 | 87.182.3–92.4 | 87.783.1–93.4 | 78.1 |
| 2061 | 87.282.5–92.6 | 87.983–93.6 | 78.2 |
| 2062 | 87.382.5–92.9 | 8882.9–93.6 | 78.3 |
| 2063 | 87.482.6–92.9 | 88.183.1–93.7 | 78.4 |
| 2064 | 87.582.7–93 | 88.283.1–94.1 | 78.5 |
| 2065 | 87.682.7–93.2 | 88.383.2–94.2 | 78.6 |
| 2066 | 87.782.7–93.5 | 88.483.2–94.3 | 78.7 |
| 2067 | 87.882.7–93.6 | 88.583.2–94.4 | 78.8 |
| 2068 | 87.982.9–93.7 | 88.783.1–94.6 | 78.9 |
| 2069 | 88.182.8–93.9 | 88.883.1–95 | 79 |
| 2070 | 88.283–94.1 | 88.983.2–95.1 | 79.1 |
| 2071 | 88.383–94.1 | 8983.4–95.3 | 79.2 |
| 2072 | 88.483.1–94.4 | 89.183.3–95.6 | 79.3 |
| 2073 | 88.583.2–94.4 | 89.283.5–95.8 | 79.4 |
| 2074 | 88.683.2–94.5 | 89.383.5–95.8 | 79.4 |
| 2075 | 88.783.1–94.8 | 89.483.6–96 | 79.5 |
| 2076 | 88.883.2–94.9 | 89.583.5–96.1 | 79.6 |
| 2077 | 88.983.3–95.1 | 89.783.7–96.3 | 79.7 |
| 2078 | 8983.1–95.3 | 89.883.7–96.3 | 79.8 |
| 2079 | 89.283.3–95.5 | 89.983.7–96.5 | 79.9 |
| 2080 | 89.383.4–95.7 | 9083.7–96.7 | 80 |
| 2081 | 89.483.4–95.9 | 90.183.8–97.1 | 80.1 |
| 2082 | 89.583.5–96 | 90.283.9–97.1 | 80.2 |
| 2083 | 89.683.4–96.2 | 90.383.8–97.3 | 80.3 |
| 2084 | 89.783.5–96.4 | 90.483.9–97.7 | 80.3 |
| 2085 | 89.883.4–96.5 | 90.583.9–97.7 | 80.4 |
| 2086 | 89.983.4–96.8 | 90.684–98 | 80.5 |
| 2087 | 9083.3–96.9 | 90.784–97.9 | 80.6 |
| 2088 | 90.183.4–97.1 | 90.884.1–97.9 | 80.7 |
| 2089 | 90.383.3–97 | 90.984.1–98.2 | 80.8 |
| 2090 | 90.483.4–97.3 | 91.184.1–98.3 | 80.9 |
| 2091 | 90.583.4–97.5 | 91.284.1–98.6 | 81 |
| 2092 | 90.683.6–97.8 | 91.384.2–98.6 | 81 |
| 2093 | 90.783.5–97.9 | 91.484.3–98.8 | 81.1 |
| 2094 | 90.883.4–97.9 | 91.584.4–98.8 | 81.2 |
| 2095 | 90.983.7–98.2 | 91.684.5–99 | 81.3 |
| 2096 | 9183.6–98.1 | 91.784.6–99.2 | 81.4 |
| 2097 | 91.183.9–98.5 | 91.884.5–99.5 | 81.5 |
| 2098 | 91.283.9–98.7 | 91.984.5–99.6 | 81.6 |
| 2099 | 91.384–98.9 | 9284.7–99.8 | 81.7 |
| 2100 | 91.484–98.9 | 92.184.8–99.9 | 81.7 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How long a newborn would live on average if the year’s death rates held all its life.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- Before 1950: Our World in Data, long-run life expectancy.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Belgium vs France
Health
- Child mortalityBelgium: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024France: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBelgium: 3.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023France: 3.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterBelgium: 99.7% in 2022France: 99.7% in 2022
- DepressionBelgium: 4.11% in 2017France: 4.25% in 2017
- Suicide rateBelgium: 14.3 per 100,000 people in 2017France: 12.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBelgium: 11.7 million people in 2023France: 66.4 million people in 2023
- Population growthBelgium: 0.25% a year in 2023France: 0.17% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBelgium: 1.38 births per woman in 2023France: 1.64 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBelgium: 87.7% in 2025France: 78.8% in 2025
- Median ageBelgium: 41.4 years in 2023France: 41.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBelgium: 20.2% in 2023France: 21.8% in 2023
- Net migration rateBelgium: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023France: 1.4 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBelgium: 2.01% of GDP in 2025France: 2.03% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsBelgium: $13.6B in 2025France: $64.5B in 2025
- Military spending per personBelgium: $1,237 in 2025France: $1,021 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBelgium: 3.7% of government spending in 2025France: 3.5% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelBelgium: 24,000 people in 2020France: 304,000 people in 2020
- National powerBelgium: 0.22% of world capability in 2022France: 1.09% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBelgium: 0.47% of the labour force in 2020France: 1% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBelgium: 430 million TIV in 2025France: 236 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsBelgium: 86 million TIV in 2025France: 3.37 billion TIV in 2025