Belgium vs United States
Belgium vs United States: Learning-adjusted schooling
Learning-adjusted schooling in 2020: 11.2 years in Belgium and 10.6 years in United States, by World Bank estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Belgium, by 0.6 years, or 1.06 times that in United States.
years · World Bank
What the numbers say
- Belgium has been higher since 2018.
- In 2020, Belgium ranked 20 and United States ranked 34 of 174 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
years · World Bank
| Year | Belgium | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 11.2 | 10.6 |
| 2018 | 11.2 | 10.8 |
| 2017 | 11.1 | 11.1 |
| 2010 | 11.2 | 10.4 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The years of school a child can expect by 18, cut to what students actually learn: the World Bank’s learning-adjusted years of school.
- Source: World Bank Human Capital Index, via Our World in Data.
- Ranks count the 174 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Belgium vs United States
Health
- Life expectancyBelgium: 82.1 years in 2023United States: 79.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBelgium: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024United States: 0.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBelgium: 3.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023United States: 5.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterBelgium: 99.7% in 2022United States: 97.5% in 2022
- DepressionBelgium: 4.11% in 2017United States: 4.84% in 2017
- Suicide rateBelgium: 14.3 per 100,000 people in 2017United States: 12.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBelgium: 11.7 million people in 2023United States: 344 million people in 2023
- Population growthBelgium: 0.25% a year in 2023United States: 0.58% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBelgium: 1.38 births per woman in 2023United States: 1.62 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBelgium: 87.7% in 2025United States: 80.2% in 2025
- Median ageBelgium: 41.4 years in 2023United States: 38 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBelgium: 20.2% in 2023United States: 17.4% in 2023
- Net migration rateBelgium: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023United States: 3.9 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBelgium: 2.01% of GDP in 2025United States: 3.12% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsBelgium: $13.6B in 2025United States: $929B in 2025
- Military spending per personBelgium: $1,237 in 2025United States: $2,755 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBelgium: 3.7% of government spending in 2025United States: 8.3% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelBelgium: 24,000 people in 2020United States: 1.4 million people in 2020
- National powerBelgium: 0.22% of world capability in 2022United States: 12.36% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBelgium: 0.47% of the labour force in 2020United States: 0.84% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBelgium: 430 million TIV in 2025United States: 745 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsBelgium: 86 million TIV in 2025United States: 14 billion TIV in 2025