Belgium

Country in Europe

In brief

Secondary school enrolment: 143% (2023). World rank 2 of 176 (1 = best); in Europe, 2 of 45. Access to safe drinking water: 100% (2024). World rank 1 of 206 (1 = best); in Europe, 1 of 47. Access to clean cooking fuels: 100% (2024). World rank 1 of 192 (1 = best); in Europe, 1 of 43. From 2014 to 2024: infant deaths per 1,000 births 3.4 → 3.1 and deaths under age 5 per 1,000 births 4.1 → 3.7. Better than all its neighbours (France, Germany, Luxembourg, and Netherlands): secondary school enrolment and access to basic sanitation. Worse than all its neighbours (France, Germany, Luxembourg, and Netherlands): out-of-pocket health spending.

Education

Adult literacy: No data
Primary school enrolment: 102% 2023
Secondary school enrolment: 143% 2023
Higher education enrolment: 82.2% 2023
Public spending on education, share of GDP: 6.3% 2022

Healthcare

Health spending, share of GDP: 10.8% 2023
Health spending per person: $5,931 2023
Out-of-pocket health spending, share of total: 21.5% 2023
Doctors per 1,000 people: 3.6 2022
Nurses and midwives per 1,000 people: 12.9 2021
Hospital beds per 1,000 people: 5.4 2023
Children vaccinated against measles: 96% 2024

Public health

Infant deaths per 1,000 births: 3.1 2024
Deaths under age 5 per 1,000 births: 3.7 2024
Maternal deaths per 100,000 births: 4 2023
HIV prevalence, ages 15–49: 0.2% 2024
Diabetes prevalence, ages 20–79: 5.9% 2024
Overweight adults: 51.1% 2022
Adults who use tobacco: 23.5% 2024

Living conditions

Access to safe drinking water: 100% 2024
Access to basic sanitation: 99.5% 2024
Access to clean cooking fuels: 100% 2024