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Browse additional economic indicators and data sets, selected by Global Finance editors, to learn more about Belgium economic outlook, debt to GDP ratio, international trade performance and population trends. Rankings of Belgium best banks and safest banks are also available.
Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg call on old and new strengths to jump-start growth.
USD 33.30 billion (2020)
World Bank, last updated 12/16/2021
USD 581.85 billion (2021 estimate)
IMF - World Economic Outlook, October 2021
Intl$ 550.5 billion (2018, estimate)
2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020* | 2021* |
1.6% | 1.8% | 1.8% | –6.3% | 5.6%* |
*Estimate
USD 50,412.71 (2021 estimate)
IMF - World Economic Outlook, October 2021
USD 55,919.13 (2021 estimate)
IMF - World Economic Outlook, October 2021
0.45% (2021 estimate)
IMF - World Economic Outlook, October 2021
(2016 estimate)
3.2% (2019)
OECD, retrieved January 2022
2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021* |
7.1% | 6.0% | 5.4% | 5.6%* | 6.3%* |
2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020* | 2021* |
102% | 99.8% | 98.1% | 114.1% | 113.4% |
*Estimate
2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020* | 2021* |
1.4% | 1.0% | -0.2% | -7.7% | -5.6% |
*Estimate
Standard & Poor's: AA
Moody's: Aa3
Standard & Poor's / Moody's (January 2022)
USD 321.1 billion (2018) World Bank / Market capitalization
KBC Group, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Ageas, UCB, Solvay, Umicore, Sofina, Colruyt, Proximus
Forbes Global 2000 (2021)
-1.3 % (2018 estimate)
87.9% (2018)
2.40% (2018)
2.10% (2018)
Chemicals, machinery and equipment, finished diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs
Raw materials, machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products
Germany 16.6%, France 14.9%, Netherlands 12%, UK 8.4%, Italy 4.9%, US 4.8% (2017)
Netherlands 17.3%, Germany 13.8%, France 9.5%, US 7.1%, UK 4.9%, Ireland 4.2%, China 4.1% (2017)
2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
USD 50,987 million | USD -5,763 million | USD 4,873 million |
2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
USD 20,974 million | USD 24,201 million | USD 6,910 million |
2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
USD 5,590 million | USD 101,060 million | USD -8,771 million | USD 410 million |
Anheuser-Busch Inbev, Oriental Brewery Co Ltd, Korea, Republic of, USD 5.8 billion
(for a monthly update on M&A; click here )
Solvay SA, Cytec Industries Inc, United States, USD 5.5 billion
(for a monthly update on M&A; click here )
Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm.
Overall ranking:
46 out of 190 countries
Subcategories:
Starting a Business: 48 out of 190 countries
Dealing with Construction Permits: 45 out of 190 countries
Getting Electricity: 108 out of 190 countries
Registering Property: 139 out of 190 countries
Getting Credit: 67 out of 190 countries
Protecting Minority Investors: 45 out of 190 countries
Paying Taxes: 63 out of 190 countries
Trading across Borders: 1 out of 190 countries
Enforcing Contracts: 56 out of 190 countries
Resolving Insolvency: 9 out of 190 countries
World Bank - Doing Business 2019
22 out of 141 countries
World Economic Forum - The Global Competitiveness Index 2019
Ranking: 48 / Score: 67.3 (Moderately free)
(100=totally free 0=totally repressed)
Federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant and other Christian 2.5%, Muslim 5%, Jewish 0.4%, Buddhist 0.3%, atheist 9.2%, none 32.6% (2009 est.)
1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2015* | 2020* |
9.95 million | 10.24 million | 10.84 million | 11.24 million | 11.52 million |
*Estimate
1960 | 1980 | 2000 | 2018 |
92.5% | 95.4% | 97.1% | 98% |
0.2% (last available estimate, 2015)
27.7 (last available estimate, 2015)
(0=perfect equality, 100=absolute inequality)
Free
Political Rights: 1
Civil Liberties: 1 (2019)
(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free)
Fixed: 35.8% Mobile: 103.4% (2018)
(fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)