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Topic 14 of 18 · Country Index 2026

Belgium: Poverty & Inequality

How is a country’s income shared, and how many live below a line?

Belgium is placed 10th of 159 countries on poverty & inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 2 key statistics. Readings behind it: Gini Index 26.82 (2023); Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day 0.04 (2023).

Poverty & Inequality

10th

of 159 countries placed

Placed from 2 of 2 key statistics

Country Index 2026, all topics15th of 178 →

01The evidence

The 2 key statistics that decide it

Only these place Belgium on poverty & inequality — 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.

Why these keys

  1. Key 1 of 2

    Gini Index

    World Bank Group

    Why it is a key: How evenly income or consumption is shared across a whole population — the distance between rich and poor that an average income cannot show.

    Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Belgium’s is from 2023 · CC BY 4.0

    26.82

    Gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)

    Lower is better

    Belgium: 26.82. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 23 (India) to 59.07 (Namibia); the world median is 33.72.

    World median
    33.72
    Best in Western Europe
    25.74 Netherlands
    Land neighbours
    Germany 33.66 · France 31.81 · Luxembourg 33.59 · Netherlands 25.74

    Each grey tick is one of 159 countries at its latest reading, 2013–2023.

  2. Key 2 of 2

    Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day

    World Bank Group

    Why it is a key: How far below the $3.00-a-day extreme poverty line people fall, averaged over the whole population — how many are poor and how poor they are, in one reading.

    Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Belgium’s is from 2023 · CC BY 4.0

    0.04

    Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)

    Lower is better

    Belgium: 0.04. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0 (Czechia) to 48.69 (DR Congo); the world median is 0.345.

    World median
    0.345
    Best in Western Europe
    0.03 Luxembourg and Switzerland
    Land neighbours
    Germany 0.56 · France 0.05 · Luxembourg 0.03 · Netherlands 0.04

    Each grey tick is one of 159 countries at its latest reading, 2013–2023.

03In context

Belgium beside its neighbours

A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 159 countries on poverty & inequality, never a place within the region.

Western Europe
1st159thNot placed · 65 countries with too few key statisticsNo data

The whole world on poverty & inequality

Belgium and the countries it borders

The standing is each country’s place among all 159 placed on the topic; the other columns are the publishers’ own values, read at the edition the standing used.

CountryStandingGini IndexGini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)Poverty Gap at $3.00 a DayPoverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)
Netherlands=7th25.740.04
Belgium10th26.820.04
France29th31.810.05
Luxembourg35th33.590.03
Germany=64th33.660.56

“—” means the publisher gives no reading for that country in that edition. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed.

Placed either side on poverty & inequality

The countries immediately above and below Belgium in the topic’s list.

04Context, no vote

Where Belgium is ahead of the world, and behind

11 more statistics filed under poverty & inequality, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.

Every country

Ahead of the world median10

Statistics on which Belgium does better than the middle country measured.

  • Inequality-adjusted Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.6090.891▲ Improved since 2013

    Belgium: 0.891 · world median 0.609 · IHDI (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.226 to 0.923; higher is better.

    Position 6th of 169 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Prosperity GapWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 1.7540.531▲ Improved since 2013

    Belgium: 0.531 · world median 1.754 · Average factor incomes must rise by to reach $28 a day. World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.406 to 12.06; lower is better.

    Position 58th of 60 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Coefficient of Human InequalityUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 17.056.272▲ Improved since 2013

    Belgium: 6.272 · world median 17.05 · Coefficient of Human Inequality (%). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 4.865 to 43.08; lower is better.

    Position 161st of 169 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a DayWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 7.820.26▲ Improved since 2013

    Belgium: 0.26 · world median 7.82 · Population below $8.30 a day, 2021 PPP (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.07 to 93.58; lower is better.

    Position 56th of 59 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Median Daily Income or Consumption per PersonWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 22.7662.89No real change since 2013

    Belgium: 62.89 · world median 22.76 · Median income or consumption per person, 2021 PPP dollars a day. World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 2.803 to 89.49; higher is better.

    Position 6th of 60 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Palma RatioWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 1.3320.945No 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.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Income Share Held by Richest 10%World Bank Group · 2023 · world median 26.1822.21▼ 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.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Societal Poverty RateWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 17.29.46▲ Improved since 2013

    Belgium: 9.46 · world median 17.2 · Population below the societal poverty line, 2021 PPP (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 7 to 54.36; lower is better.

    Position 53rd of 60 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a DayWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 0.930.09▲ Improved since 2013

    Belgium: 0.09 · world median 0.93 · Population below $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 54.36; lower is better.

    Position 51st of 58 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Income Share Held by Lowest 20%World Bank Group · 2023 · world median 7.129.15▲ 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.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

No better end1

These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.

  • Poverty Headcount at National Poverty LinesWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 21.812.3No earlier reading

    Belgium: 12.3 · world median 21.8 · Population below the national poverty line (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 82.3.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

No current reading for Belgium

Global Multidimensional Poverty Index and Working Poverty Rate. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.

05Country Index 2026

Poverty & Inequality among Belgium’s 15 topics

Poverty & Inequality is Belgium’s 4th 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.

On the profile
  1. Gender & Equality6th of 183
  2. Development & Human Capital7th of 196
  3. Economy & Innovation9th of 176
  4. Poverty & Inequality10th of 159
  5. Digital & Technologyjoint 18th of 198
  6. Mobility & Trade16th of 147
  7. Health & Wellbeing23rd of 200
  8. Democracy & Civil Liberties25th of 198
  9. Governance & Institutions28th of 194
  10. Food & Agriculture28th of 175
  11. Energy38th of 193
  12. Peace & Securityjoint 46th of 177
  13. Work & Labourjoint 54th of 182
  14. Risk & Resilience59th of 192
  15. Environment & Sustainability169th of 181

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 poverty & inequality

The three countries placed highest of 159, and the leaders Belgium can most readily be measured against.

All 159 countries
  1. 1

    Belarus

    Eastern Europe

    1st of 159 · 2 of 2 keys

    Photo: zedlik , cropped by Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

  2. 2

    Slovenia

    Southern Europe

    2nd of 159 · 2 of 2 keys

    Photo: Z.K. derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 3.0, greyscale

  3. 3

    Czechia

    Eastern Europe

    3rd of 159 · 2 of 2 keys

    Photo: john mcsporran from Trossachs, Scotland · CC BY 2.0, greyscale

Placed highest nearby

  1. Highest in Europe

    Belarus1st2/2 keys

  2. Highest in Western Europe

    Netherlands=7th2/2 keys

  3. This page

    Belgium10th2/2 keys

Positions out of 159 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.

07Questions

Belgium on poverty & inequality: 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 poverty & inequality?

Belgium is placed 10th of 159 countries on Poverty & Inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 2 key statistics (Gini Index and Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.

What is the latest Gini Index figure for Belgium?

26.82 in 2023 (gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 33.72.

What is the latest Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day figure for Belgium?

0.04 in 2023 (poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 0.345.

How does Belgium compare with Germany on poverty & inequality?

Germany is placed joint 64th of 159, and Belgium 10th. Gini Index: Germany 33.66, Belgium 26.82; Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day: Germany 0.56, Belgium 0.04.

How have Belgium’s poverty & inequality figures changed?

Gini Index fell from 28.14 in 2003 to 26.82 in 2023; Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day fell from 0.17 in 2003 to 0.04 in 2023.

Which poverty & inequality statistics are missing for Belgium?

No current reading is published for Belgium on Global Multidimensional Poverty Index and Working Poverty Rate. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.

08Keep reading

Explore further

Poverty & Inequality

Belgium, topic by topic

The key statistics, for every country

09Method

Method, sources and how to cite

What this topic does not measure

These figures come from household surveys, which most countries run every few years rather than every year. So the subject's standing is read from each country's most recent survey of the last decade, with the year of every reading shown, rather than from one year in which only a minority of countries were surveyed. Two readings decide it — how unequally income is shared and how deep extreme poverty runs — because the other poverty and inequality measures here largely repeat one of those two or repeat average income, which already counts under Economy and Development. Countries with no survey in the last decade have no standing here. What work pays is under Work & Labour; wealth, as opposed to income, has no global source this site is permitted to republish.

About poverty & inequality, in full

How the Poverty & Inequality 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.

  1. A few key indicators decide it; the rest are context. 2 indicators on this topic are keys and 13 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.
  2. Each key is read at one edition. All of them describe 2023.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. A country needs 2 of this topic’s 2 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. 159 countries clear the bar here.
  7. 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 2.
  8. 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

The other 11 statistics on this page come from 2 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.

Cite this page

Nations Inquiry (2026). Belgium: Poverty & Inequality — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/belgium/poverty

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