Did you know?
| indicator | value | unit |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 11.5 | mil. |
| Visitors per year | 6.2 | mil. |
| Renewable energy | 5.1 | % |
How’s Life?
Belgium performs well in many dimensions of well-being relative to other countries in the Better Life Index. Belgium outperforms the average in income, education, housing, health, civic engagement and life satisfaction. It underperforms average in social connections. These assessments are based on available selected data.
Money, while it cannot buy happiness, is an important means to achieving higher living standards. In Belgium, the average household net-adjusted disposable income per capita is USD 34 884 a year, more than the OECD average of USD 30 490 a year.
In terms of employment, about 65% of people aged 15 to 64 in Belgium have a paid job, below the OECD employment average of 66%. Some 68% of men are in paid work, compared with 61% of women. In Belgium, 4% of employees work very long hours in paid work, below the OECD average of 10%, with 6% of men working very long hours in paid work compared with 3% of women.
Good education and skills are important requisites for finding a job. In Belgium, 80% of adults aged 25-64 have completed upper secondary education, higher than the OECD average of 79%. However, completion varies between men and women, as 78% of men have successfully completed high school compared with 81% of women. In terms of the quality of the education system, the average student scored 500 in reading literacy, maths and science in the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). This score is higher than the OECD average of 488. On average in Belgium, girls outperformed boys by 2 points, well below the average OECD gap of 5 points.
In terms of health, life expectancy at birth in Belgium is around 82 years, one year higher than the OECD average of 81 years. Life expectancy for women is 84 years, compared with 80 for men. The level of atmospheric PM2.5 – tiny air pollutant particles small enough to enter and cause damage to the lungs – is 12.8 micrograms per cubic meter, below the OECD average of 14 micrograms per cubic meter. In Belgium, 79% of people say they are satisfied with the quality of their water, lower than the OECD average of 84%.
Concerning the public sphere, there is a moderate sense of community and high levels of civic participation in Belgium, where 90% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in time of need, less than the OECD average of 91%. Voter turnout, a measure of citizens' participation in the political process, was 88% during recent elections, higher than the OECD average of 69%, and reflecting the practice of compulsory voting in Belgium.
When asked to rate their general satisfaction with life on a scale from 0 to 10, Belgians gave it a 6.8 grade on average, slightly higher than the OECD average of 6.7.
For more information on estimates and years of reference, see FAQ section and BLI database.
Topics
OECD in Action
OECD Economic Surveys: Belgium
OECD’s periodic surveys of the Belgian economy. Each edition surveys the major challenges faced by the country, evaluates the short-term outlook, and makes specific policy recommendations. Special chapters take a more detailed look at specific challenges. Extensive statistical information is included in charts and graphs.
Read this report