Belgium vs Netherlands
Belgium vs Netherlands: Forest area
Forest area in 2024: 22% in Belgium and 11% in Netherlands, by FAO estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in Belgium, by 11 percentage points, or 2.01 times that in Netherlands.
% of land · FAO
What the numbers say
- Belgium has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2000.
- In 2024, Belgium ranked 127 and Netherlands ranked 165 of 209 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of land · FAO
| Year | Belgium | Netherlands | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 22 | 11 | – |
| 2023 | 22 | 10.9 | 31.1 |
| 2022 | 22 | 10.9 | 31.1 |
| 2021 | 22 | 10.9 | 31.2 |
| 2020 | 22 | 10.9 | 31.2 |
| 2019 | 22.1 | 10.9 | 31.2 |
| 2018 | 22.2 | 10.9 | 31.3 |
| 2017 | 22.5 | 10.9 | 31.3 |
| 2016 | 22.6 | 10.9 | 31.3 |
| 2015 | 22.7 | 10.8 | 31.4 |
| 2014 | 22.7 | 10.9 | 31.4 |
| 2013 | 22.7 | 10.9 | 31.4 |
| 2012 | 22.7 | 11 | 31.5 |
| 2011 | 22.7 | 11 | 31.9 |
| 2010 | 22.7 | 11.1 | 32 |
| 2009 | 22.7 | 11 | 32 |
| 2008 | 22.6 | 11 | 32 |
| 2007 | 22.5 | 10.9 | 32.1 |
| 2006 | 22.5 | 10.9 | 32.1 |
| 2005 | 22.4 | 10.9 | 32.1 |
| 2004 | 22.3 | 10.8 | 32.2 |
| 2003 | 22.2 | 10.8 | 32.3 |
| 2002 | 22.2 | 10.7 | 32.3 |
| 2001 | 22.1 | 10.7 | 32.3 |
| 2000 | 22 | 10.7 | 32.4 |
| 1999 | – | 10.6 | 32.5 |
| 1998 | – | 10.6 | 32.5 |
| 1997 | – | 10.5 | 32.6 |
| 1996 | – | 10.5 | 32.7 |
| 1995 | – | 10.4 | 32.7 |
| 1994 | – | 10.4 | 32.8 |
| 1993 | – | 10.4 | 32.8 |
| 1992 | – | 10.3 | 33 |
| 1991 | – | 10.3 | – |
| 1990 | – | 10.2 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of land under trees at least 5 metres tall, natural or planted, leaving out orchards and city parks.
- Source: FAO, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 209 countries with a value in 2024, 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 Netherlands
Health
- Life expectancyBelgium: 82.1 years in 2023Netherlands: 82.2 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBelgium: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024Netherlands: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBelgium: 3.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023Netherlands: 3.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterBelgium: 99.7% in 2022Netherlands: 100% in 2022
- DepressionBelgium: 4.11% in 2017Netherlands: 4.03% in 2017
- Suicide rateBelgium: 14.3 per 100,000 people in 2017Netherlands: 9.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBelgium: 11.7 million people in 2023Netherlands: 18.1 million people in 2023
- Population growthBelgium: 0.25% a year in 2023Netherlands: 0.81% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBelgium: 1.38 births per woman in 2023Netherlands: 1.43 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBelgium: 87.7% in 2025Netherlands: 95.9% in 2025
- Median ageBelgium: 41.4 years in 2023Netherlands: 41.4 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBelgium: 20.2% in 2023Netherlands: 20.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateBelgium: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023Netherlands: 8 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBelgium: 2.01% of GDP in 2025Netherlands: 2.2% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsBelgium: $13.6B in 2025Netherlands: $27B in 2025
- Military spending per personBelgium: $1,237 in 2025Netherlands: $1,582 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBelgium: 3.7% of government spending in 2025Netherlands: 4.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelBelgium: 24,000 people in 2020Netherlands: 41,000 people in 2020
- National powerBelgium: 0.22% of world capability in 2022Netherlands: 0.38% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBelgium: 0.47% of the labour force in 2020Netherlands: 0.42% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBelgium: 430 million TIV in 2025Netherlands: 824 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsBelgium: 86 million TIV in 2025Netherlands: 601 million TIV in 2025