Netherlands vs Belgium
Side-by-side economic and demographic comparison · 2026 data · Source: IMF & World Bank
The Netherlands and Belgium are neighboring Benelux economies with deep trade integration. The Netherlands' economy is roughly twice Belgium's, with a higher GDP per capita driven by Europe's largest port (Rotterdam), a favorable business tax environment, and agricultural exports (world's second-largest agricultural exporter after the US, remarkably, from a tiny landmass). Belgium hosts the EU and NATO headquarters, giving it an outsized institutional role. Both are highly open, trade-dependent economies with similar living standards and welfare state models.
Netherlands has a GDP of $1.41T compared to Belgium's $761.17B, making it 1.9x larger. Netherlands's population is 18.0M vs Belgium's 11.9M. Across 12 key indicators, Netherlands leads in 9 categories. All data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators.
| Indicator |  Netherlands |  Belgium |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $1.41T✓ | $761.17B |
| GDP per Capita | $77,881✓ | $63,896 |
| GDP Growth (%) | 1.2%✓ | 1.0% |
| GDP per Capita (PPP) | $86,134✓ | $77,705 |
| Population | 18.0M✓ | 11.9M |
| Life Expectancy | 81.9 years | 82.4 years✓ |
| Inflation (%) | 2.4% | 1.3%✓ |
| Unemployment (%) | 4.0%✓ | 6.2% |
| Govt Debt (% GDP) | 45.2%✓ | 110.6% |
| Fertility Rate | 1.4 | 1.5✓ |
| Gini Index | 25.7✓ | 26.8 |
| CO₂ per Capita (t) | 6.6✓ | 7.3 |
Summary
Netherlands has a GDP of $1.41T compared to Belgium's $761.17B, making the former economy 1.9x larger. In terms of population, Netherlands has 18.0M people while Belgium has 11.9M. Across the 12 indicators compared, Netherlands leads in 9 and Belgium leads in 3.
NetherlandsBelgium