Belgium vs South Africa
Belgium vs South Africa: Depression
Depression in 2017: 4.11% in Belgium and 3.75% in South Africa, by IHME estimates. In 2017 the value was higher in Belgium, by 0.36 percentage points, or 1.1 times that in South Africa.
% of people · IHME
What the numbers say
- Belgium has been higher since 1998, when it overtook South Africa.
- The world as a whole: 3.44% in 2017.
Every year
% of people · IHME
| Year | Belgium | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 4.11 | 3.75 | 3.44 |
| 2016 | 4.11 | 3.73 | 3.44 |
| 2015 | 4.11 | 3.72 | 3.44 |
| 2014 | 4.11 | 3.71 | 3.44 |
| 2013 | 4.11 | 3.7 | 3.44 |
| 2012 | 4.11 | 3.7 | 3.44 |
| 2011 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.44 |
| 2010 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.44 |
| 2009 | 4.09 | 3.71 | 3.45 |
| 2008 | 4.07 | 3.73 | 3.48 |
| 2007 | 4.03 | 3.75 | 3.5 |
| 2006 | 4 | 3.76 | 3.52 |
| 2005 | 3.97 | 3.77 | 3.53 |
| 2004 | 3.94 | 3.76 | 3.53 |
| 2003 | 3.9 | 3.75 | 3.53 |
| 2002 | 3.86 | 3.73 | 3.53 |
| 2001 | 3.82 | 3.71 | 3.53 |
| 2000 | 3.79 | 3.7 | 3.53 |
| 1999 | 3.75 | 3.69 | 3.54 |
| 1998 | 3.72 | 3.7 | 3.54 |
| 1997 | 3.68 | 3.7 | 3.54 |
| 1996 | 3.65 | 3.71 | 3.55 |
| 1995 | 3.64 | 3.71 | 3.55 |
| 1994 | 3.63 | 3.72 | 3.55 |
| 1993 | 3.63 | 3.73 | 3.55 |
| 1992 | 3.63 | 3.74 | 3.55 |
| 1991 | 3.63 | 3.75 | 3.55 |
| 1990 | 3.63 | 3.76 | 3.54 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of people living with a depressive disorder, as the Global Burden of Disease study estimates it.
- Source: IHME, Global Burden of Disease, via Our World in Data.
- Ranks count the 195 countries with a value in 2017, 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 South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyBelgium: 82.1 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBelgium: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBelgium: 3.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Suicide rateBelgium: 14.3 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBelgium: 11.7 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthBelgium: 0.25% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBelgium: 1.38 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBelgium: 87.7% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageBelgium: 41.4 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBelgium: 20.2% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateBelgium: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBelgium: 2.01% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsBelgium: $13.6B in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personBelgium: $1,237 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBelgium: 3.7% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelBelgium: 24,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerBelgium: 0.22% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBelgium: 0.47% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBelgium: 430 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsBelgium: 86 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025