Loading…
Photo: Gf uip · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 02 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Belgium: Economy & Innovation
What does an economy do for the people inside it?
Belgium is placed 9th of 176 countries on economy & innovation in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: GDP per Capita (PPP) 63,488 (2025); Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit 74.77 (2025).
Economy & Innovation
9th
of 176 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 63,488GDP per Capita (PPP), 2025GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP)
- 74.77Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit, 2025Firms with a bank loan or line of credit (%)
- 0.971Economic Complexity Index, 2024ECI score (standardised, roughly −3 to +3)
- 98.24Account Ownership at a Financial Institution, 2024Adults with an account (% of population aged 15+)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Belgium on economy & innovation — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
GDP per Capita (PPP)
World Bank Group
Why it is a key: Output per person: the standard measure of an economy's size set against the population it has to support.
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
63,488
GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP)
Higher is better
Belgium: 63,488. Across the 185 countries in this edition, values run from 1,067 (Burundi) to 139,593 (Singapore); the world median is 17,265.
- World median
- 17,265
- Best in Western Europe
- 127,421 Luxembourg
- Land neighbours
- Germany 62,824 · France 55,125 · Luxembourg 127,421 · Netherlands 71,378
Each grey tick is one of 185 countries in the 2025 edition.
Key 2 of 4
Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit
World Bank Group
Why it is a key: Whether businesses can borrow from the formal financial system — the firm-level counterpart to adults holding a bank account.
Latest reading per country, 2016–2025 · Belgium’s is from 2025 · CC BY 4.0
74.77
Firms with a bank loan or line of credit (%)
Higher is better
Belgium: 74.77. Across the 179 countries at their latest reading, values run from 2.113 (Pakistan) to 88.52 (Israel); the world median is 35.95.
- World median
- 35.95
- Best in Western Europe
- 77.41 Germany
- Land neighbours
- Germany 77.41 · France 76.45 · Luxembourg 48.65 · Netherlands 55.14
Each grey tick is one of 179 countries at its latest reading, 2016–2025.
Key 3 of 4
Economic Complexity Index
Growth Lab at Harvard University
Why it is a key: What an economy knows how to make, read from the diversity and rarity of what it exports.
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC0 1.0
0.971
ECI score (standardised, roughly −3 to +3)
Higher is better
Ranked 25th of 145 by Growth Lab at Harvard University
Belgium: 0.971. Across the 145 countries in this edition, values run from -3.53 (Chad) to 1.729 (Japan); the world median is 0.131.
- World median
- 0.131
- Best in Western Europe
- 1.584 Switzerland
- Land neighbours
- Germany 1.356 · France 1.087 · Netherlands 0.948
Each grey tick is one of 145 countries in the 2024 edition.
Key 4 of 4
Account Ownership at a Financial Institution
World Bank Group
Why it is a key: Whether ordinary adults are inside the financial system at all, which output per person does not reveal.
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
98.24
Adults with an account (% of population aged 15+)
Higher is better
Belgium: 98.24. Across the 139 countries in this edition, values run from 14.83 (Niger) to 99.85 (Iceland); the world median is 72.83.
- World median
- 72.83
- Best in Western Europe
- 99.51 Austria
- Land neighbours
- Germany 98.3 · France 99.19 · Netherlands 99.17
Each grey tick is one of 139 countries in the 2024 edition.
02Over time
Which way Belgium is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
GDP per Capita (PPP)
GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP) · higher is better
BelgiumWorld median
Belgium rose from 50,456 in 2000 to 63,488 in 2025; the world median went from 10,589 to 17,265.
Every year’s figures
Year Belgium World median 2025 63,488 17,265 2024 63,311 18,108 2023 63,042 17,686 2022 62,603 16,933 2021 60,669 16,260 2020 57,334 15,631 2019 60,480 16,761 2018 59,358 16,349 2017 58,529 16,129 2016 57,901 15,512 2015 57,509 14,857 2014 57,003 14,475 2013 56,263 14,681 2012 56,357 14,631 2011 56,585 13,916 2010 56,240 14,101 2009 55,259 13,655 2008 56,788 14,030 2007 56,983 13,755 2006 55,368 12,983 2005 54,347 12,023 2004 53,407 11,608 2003 51,789 11,183 2002 51,472 11,144 2001 50,835 10,907 2000 50,456 10,589 Economic Complexity Index
ECI score (standardised, roughly −3 to +3) · higher is better
BelgiumWorld median
Belgium fell from 1.184 in 2000 to 0.971 in 2024; the world median went from 0.016 to 0.131.
Every year’s figures
Year Belgium World median 2024 0.971 0.1310 2023 1.075 0.0710 2022 1.057 0.0580 2021 1.091 0.0010 2020 1.126 0.0470 2019 1.154 0.0300 2018 1.168 -0.0150 2017 1.159 0.0080 2016 1.198 -0.0660 2015 1.177 -0.0600 2014 1.164 -0.0190 2013 1.206 0.0140 2012 1.149 0.0060 2011 1.184 -0.0140 2010 1.180 -0.0020 2009 1.124 0.0990 2008 1.097 0.0700 2007 1.105 -0.0080 2006 1.087 0.0740 2005 1.082 0.0510 2004 1.124 0.0505 2003 1.171 0.0450 2002 1.188 0.0100 2001 1.194 0.0470 2000 1.184 0.0160 Account Ownership at a Financial Institution
Adults with an account (% of population aged 15+) · higher is better
BelgiumWorld median
Belgium rose from 96.31 in 2011 to 98.24 in 2024; the world median went from 37.03 to 72.83.
Every year’s figures
Year Belgium World median 2024 98.2 73 2021 99.0 74 2017 98.6 59 2014 98.1 52 2011 96.3 37
03In context
Belgium beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 176 countries on economy & innovation, never a place within the region.
1st176thNot placed · 48 countries with too few key statisticsNo data
Belgium and the countries it borders
The standing is each country’s place among all 176 placed on the topic; the other columns are the publishers’ own values, read at the edition the standing used.
| Country | Standing | GDP per Capita (PPP)GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP) | Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of CreditFirms with a bank loan or line of credit (%) | Economic Complexity IndexECI score (standardised, roughly −3 to +3) | Account Ownership at a Financial InstitutionAdults with an account (% of population aged 15+) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Germany | 3rd | 62,824 | 77.41 | 1.356 | 98.3 |
 France | 7th | 55,125 | 76.45 | 1.087 | 99.19 |
 Netherlands | 8th | 71,378 | 55.14 | 0.948 | 99.17 |
| Belgium | 9th | 63,488 | 74.77 | 0.971 | 98.24 |
 Luxembourg | 12th | 127,421 | 48.65 | — | — |
“—” means the publisher gives no reading for that country in that edition. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed.
Across Western Europe
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 176.
Placed either side on economy & innovation
The countries immediately above and below Belgium in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Belgium is ahead of the world, and behind
34 more statistics filed under economy & innovation, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median16
Statistics on which Belgium does better than the middle country measured.
Logistics Performance IndexWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 2.942.9▼ Worsened since 2014
Belgium: 4 · world median 2.9 · LPI score (1–5). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.9 to 4.3; higher is better.
Ranked 7th of 139 by World Bank Group.
Researchers per Million InhabitantsUIS · 2024 · world median 701.955,990701.95No earlier reading
Belgium: 5,990 · world median 701.95 · Researchers per million inhabitants (full-time equivalent). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.446 to 18,130; higher is better.
Position 11th of 145 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Liner Shipping Connectivity IndexUNCTAD · 2026 · world median 56.21342.0856.21No real change since 2016
Belgium: 342.08 · world median 56.21 · LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 4.13 to 1,319; higher is better.
Ranked 13th of 175 by UNCTAD.
Research and Development SpendingUIS · 2023 · world median 0.8143.2720.814▲ Improved since 2013
Belgium: 3.272 · world median 0.814 · Gross domestic expenditure on R&D (% of GDP). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.006 to 6.346; higher is better.
Position 7th of 84 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Digitally-Deliverable Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 25.4260.6525.42No real change since 2014
Belgium: 60.65 · world median 25.42 · Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.377 to 87.15; higher is better.
Position 17th of 170 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Regulatory QualityWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median -0.0931.211-0.093▲ Improved since 2015
Belgium: 1.211 · world median -0.093 · Regulatory Quality (−2.5 to 2.5). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -2.106 to 2.113; higher is better.
Position 22nd of 209 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Palma RatioWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 1.3320.9451.332No real change since 2013
Belgium: 0.945 · world median 1.332 · Palma ratio (income share of the richest 10% ÷ share of the poorest 40%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.771 to 4.193; lower is better.
Position 54th of 60 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Gini IndexWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 33.7226.8233.72No real change since 2013
Belgium: 26.82 · world median 33.72 · Gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 23 to 54.58; lower is better.
Position 53rd of 60 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Income Share Held by Richest 10%World Bank Group · 2023 · world median 26.1822.2126.18▼ Worsened since 2013
Belgium: 22.21 · world median 26.18 · Share of national income or consumption held by the richest tenth (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 18.79 to 43.08; lower is better.
Position 53rd of 60 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Global Innovation IndexWorld Intellectual Property Organization · 2025 · world median 28.5248.4628.52▲ Improved since 2022
Belgium: 48.46 · world median 28.52 · GII score (0–100). World Intellectual Property Organization, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 11.94 to 65.96; higher is better.
Ranked 21st of 139 by World Intellectual Property Organization.
Government AI Readiness IndexOxford Insights · 2025 · world median 40.1965.1740.19No real change since 2020
Belgium: 65.17 · world median 40.19 · AI readiness score (0–100). Oxford Insights, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 12.12 to 88.36; higher is better.
Ranked 30th of 195 by Oxford Insights.
World Energy Trilemma IndexWorld Energy Council · 2023 · world median 63.877.163.8No earlier reading
Belgium: 77.1 · world median 63.8 · Trilemma score (0–100). World Energy Council, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 27.7 to 83.2; higher is better.
Ranked 16th of 99 by World Energy Council.
Income Share Held by Lowest 20%World Bank Group · 2023 · world median 7.129.157.12▲ Improved since 2013
Belgium: 9.15 · world median 7.12 · Share of national income held by the poorest fifth (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 3.24 to 11.07; higher is better.
Position 10th of 60 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
ICT Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 7.47414.997.474▲ Improved since 2014
Belgium: 14.99 · world median 7.474 · ICT services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 56.25; higher is better.
Position 29th of 118 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Adjusted Net SavingsWorld Bank Group · 2021 · world median 8.38912.088.389▲ Improved since 2011
Belgium: 12.08 · world median 8.389 · Adjusted net savings, including particulate emission damage (% of GNI). World Bank Group, 2021 edition, data for 2021.
Published values in that edition run from -81.62 to 32.18; higher is better.
Position 42nd of 118 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
ICT Goods ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 0.9751.940.975▼ Worsened since 2014
Belgium: 1.94 · world median 0.975 · ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 61.45; higher is better.
Position 49th of 119 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Behind the world median4
Statistics on which Belgium does worse than the middle country measured.
Livestock Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 107.06102.29107.06▲ Improved since 2012
Belgium: 102.29 · world median 107.06 · Livestock production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 35.52 to 190.08; higher is better.
Position 123rd of 194 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Food Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 106.08100106.08▼ Worsened since 2012
Belgium: 100 · world median 106.08 · Food production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 71.08 to 177.49; higher is better.
Position 143rd of 195 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Crop Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 106.2395.86106.23▼ Worsened since 2012
Belgium: 95.86 · world median 106.23 · Crop production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 53.79 to 189.93; higher is better.
Position 148th of 195 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
GDP GrowthWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 3.3960.9833.396▼ Worsened since 2015
Belgium: 0.983 · world median 3.396 · GDP growth (annual %). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -5.847 to 19.34; higher is better.
Position 161st of 186 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
No better end14
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Trade (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 79.68152.9279.68No real change since 2015
Belgium: 152.92 · world median 79.68 · Exports plus imports (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.382 to 396.65.
Position 14th of 138 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
General Government ConsumptionWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 16.2123.9516.21Moved since 2015
Belgium: 23.95 · world median 16.21 · General government final consumption expenditure (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 5.445 to 38.94.
Position 14th of 132 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Imports of Goods and Services (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 41.7277.4741.72No real change since 2015
Belgium: 77.47 · world median 41.72 · Imports of goods and services (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.279 to 196.89.
Position 15th of 138 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Exports of Goods and Services (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 36.3475.4536.34Moved since 2015
Belgium: 75.45 · world median 36.34 · Exports of goods and services (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.103 to 199.76.
Position 16th of 138 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Container Port TrafficUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 1,827,78812,395,0471,827,788Moved since 2014
Belgium: 12,395,047 · world median 1,827,788 · Container port traffic (TEU, twenty-foot equivalent units). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 17,263 to 299,703,800.
Position 17th of 103 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Gross Capital Formation (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 22.9325.7522.93Moved since 2015
Belgium: 25.75 · world median 22.93 · Gross capital formation (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.679 to 45.27.
Position 44th of 131 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Gross Savings (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2024 · world median 22.0624.2322.06No real change since 2014
Belgium: 24.23 · world median 22.06 · Gross savings (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from -21.13 to 47.82.
Position 60th of 146 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Manufacturing Value Added (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 11.2611.1711.26Moved since 2015
Belgium: 11.17 · world median 11.26 · Manufacturing value added (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.481 to 43.97.
Position 68th of 132 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Industry Value Added including Construction (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 24.6518.6124.65Moved since 2015
Belgium: 18.61 · world median 24.65 · Industry, including construction, value added (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.228 to 75.09.
Position 120th of 158 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Household ConsumptionWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 62.0452.3262.04No real change since 2015
Belgium: 52.32 · world median 62.04 · Household and NPISH final consumption expenditure (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 25.21 to 133.34.
Position 102nd of 131 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tariff Rate, Applied, Weighted Mean, All ProductsWorld Bank Group · 2022 · world median 3.661.333.66Moved since 2012
Belgium: 1.33 · world median 3.66 · Applied tariff rate, trade-weighted mean (%). World Bank Group, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 29.52.
Total Natural Resources Rents (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2021 · world median 1.7080.0451.708No real change since 2011
Belgium: 0.045 · world median 1.708 · Natural resources rents (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2021 edition, data for 2021.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 61.03.
Position 158th of 180 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 6.5720.736.572Moved since 2015
Belgium: 0.73 · world median 6.572 · Agriculture, forestry and fishing value added (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.025 to 47.59.
Position 148th of 158 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Foreign Direct Investment InflowsUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 1.968-3.7361.968Moved since 2015
Belgium: -3.736 · world median 1.968 · FDI inflows (% of GDP). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -32.97 to 2,221.
No current reading for Belgium
Business Ready: Operational Efficiency, Business Ready: Public Services, Business Ready: Regulatory Framework, Debt Service on External Debt, External Debt Stocks (% of GNI) and GNI per Capita (PPP) (last 2024). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
05Country Index 2026
Economy & Innovation among Belgium’s 15 topics
Economy & Innovation is Belgium’s 3rd best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first; each marker sits at the position divided by that topic’s field, so fields of different sizes compare fairly.
- Gender & Equality6th of 1834/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital7th of 1963/3 keys
- Economy & Innovation9th of 1764/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality10th of 1592/2 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 18th of 1983/3 keys
- Mobility & Trade16th of 1473/3 keys
- Health & Wellbeing23rd of 2004/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties25th of 1983/3 keys
- Governance & Institutions28th of 1944/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture28th of 1754/4 keys
- Energy38th of 1933/3 keys
- Peace & Securityjoint 46th of 1774/4 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 54th of 1824/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience59th of 1923/3 keys
- Environment & Sustainability169th of 1813/3 keys
No standing on Education & Knowledge: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on economy & innovation
The three countries placed highest of 176, and the leaders Belgium can most readily be measured against.
1
AustriaWestern Europe
1st of 176 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: chensiyuan · CC BY-SA 4.0, greyscale
2
JapanEastern Asia
2nd of 176 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: JurriaanH · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3GermanyWestern Europe
3rd of 176 · 4 of 4 keys
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Europe
Austria1st4/4 keysThis page
Belgium9th4/4 keys
Positions out of 176 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Belgium and economy & innovation
On economy & innovation
China Leads Global High-Technology Exports
The world’s ten largest high-technology exporters as a treemap, with the rest of the world beside them. Each country’s figure is its own most recent year, between 2022 and 2024.
On economy & innovation
India vs Pakistan 2025: Comparison of Hunger Index, Happiness, HDI, Rule of Law, Literacy & GDP
India and Pakistan on six published measures: hunger, happiness, human development, rule of law, literacy and GDP per capita. India is the better placed on five of them; Pakistan on one.
On economy & innovation
Countries in Asia with the highest average salaries 2024
Thirteen Asian countries by gross average monthly wage, each carrying its WORLD rank rather than an Asian one — so the numbers skip, from 11th place to 45th.
08Questions
Belgium on economy & innovation: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Belgium rank on economy & innovation?
Belgium is placed 9th of 176 countries on Economy & Innovation in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (GDP per Capita (PPP), Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit, Economic Complexity Index and Account Ownership at a Financial Institution). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest GDP per Capita (PPP) figure for Belgium?
63,488 in 2025 (gDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 17,265.
What is the latest Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit figure for Belgium?
74.77 in 2025 (firms with a bank loan or line of credit (%)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 35.95.
How does Belgium compare with Germany on economy & innovation?
Germany is placed 3rd of 176, and Belgium 9th. GDP per Capita (PPP): Germany 62,824, Belgium 63,488; Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit: Germany 77.41, Belgium 74.77; Economic Complexity Index: Germany 1.356, Belgium 0.971; Account Ownership at a Financial Institution: Germany 98.3, Belgium 98.24.
How have Belgium’s economy & innovation figures changed?
GDP per Capita (PPP) rose from 50,456 in 2000 to 63,488 in 2025; Economic Complexity Index fell from 1.184 in 2000 to 0.971 in 2024; Account Ownership at a Financial Institution rose from 96.31 in 2011 to 98.24 in 2024.
Which economy & innovation statistics are missing for Belgium?
No current reading is published for Belgium on Business Ready: Operational Efficiency, Business Ready: Public Services, Business Ready: Regulatory Framework, Debt Service on External Debt, External Debt Stocks (% of GNI) and GNI per Capita (PPP). They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Keep reading
Explore further
Belgium, topic by topic
- Governance & Institutions28th of 194
- Work & Labour=54th of 182
- Health & Wellbeing23rd of 200
- Development & Human Capital7th of 196
- Environment & Sustainability169th of 181
- Gender & Equality6th of 183
- Democracy & Civil Liberties25th of 198
- Peace & Security=46th of 177
- Risk & Resilience59th of 192
- Mobility & Trade16th of 147
- Food & Agriculture28th of 175
- Poverty & Inequality10th of 159
- Energy38th of 193
- Digital & Technology=18th of 198
- The full Belgium profile
Nearby, on economy & innovation
The key statistics, for every country
10Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
The total size of an economy is deliberately left out: a very large economy spread over a very large population is not doing more for each person. Growth rates, trade shares and the structure of output (how much is farming, industry or services) are published here as context, because they describe an economy's shape rather than how well it serves people. Jobs and wages have their own topic, Work & Labour.
How the Economy & Innovation standing is decided, step by step
A standing is a place in a list, not a mark out of anything. This one is part of the Country Index 2026, and it is worked out like this.
- A few key indicators decide it; the rest are context. 4 indicators on this topic are keys and 40 are charted alongside them without a vote. That split is the point: if every statistic voted, importing five more of one kind would quietly change what the topic is about.
- Each key is read at one edition. ⚠ The keys behind this standing do not all describe the same year — they run from 2024 to 2025, because publishers release on their own schedules. Read the standing as “how this country places now”, not as a snapshot of one year.
- Every country’s published value is turned into a place within that one key’s own field, and then expressed as a share of that field — how far down this key’s list the country sits, rather than how many countries are above it. Keys where a higher published number is worse (terrorism, hunger, disaster risk) are turned round first, so the good end is always the same end.
- Dividing by the field first is the whole reason this works. A place carries the size of its list inside it: 22nd of 44 and 108th of 215 are the same showing, and averaging the numbers 22 and 108 says loudly that they are not. Fields on this site run from about 44 countries to about 215, so averaging raw places would reward a country for happening to be measured in small ones. Dividing each place by its own field removes the size and leaves only the showing.
- The shares are averaged, plainly. One key, one vote — no key is weighted above another, because any weighting would be this site’s opinion presented as a measurement. Countries are then put in order by that average, and the average itself is never published. It is our arithmetic with nothing anchoring it, so printing it would invite it to be read as a measurement somebody made. The position it produces, the band, and the keys it was built from are all published instead — every one of them checkable against the tables on this page.
- A country needs 2 of this topic’s 4 keys — half, rounded up, and never fewer than 2. A standing built from one reading, printed beside one built from four, is two different things sharing a column heading. 176 countries clear the bar here.
- A key has to earn its vote every edition. It must measure at least 120 countries (below that it starts measuring who was surveyed rather than the world), it must not have more than 10% of its field tied at either end, and it must not repeat another key in the same topic — Spearman correlation above 0.92 counts as repeating. A topic needs at least 2 surviving keys to place anyone at all; this one has 4.
- A standing is relative, and the grouping is ours. It says where a country places against the others measured alongside it, so it moves when they move. The publishers listed on this page did not agree to be read together, and each measures its subject its own way: the underlying numbers are theirs, the ordering on top is this site’s — the same method as the rest of the Country Index, applied to one subject instead of all of them.
The key statistics and their licences
- GDP per Capita (PPP) — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Economic Complexity Index — Growth Lab at Harvard University, CC0 1.0
- Account Ownership at a Financial Institution — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
The other 34 statistics on this page come from 7 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Belgium’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Belgium (banner) — Gf uip, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Austria — chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Japan — JurriaanH, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Germany — dronepicr, CC BY 2.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Belgium: Economy & Innovation — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/belgium/economy