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Austria vs Czechia
Belgium vs Switzerland
Side-by-side comparison of Belgium and Switzerland from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Belgium
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 196 years
Switzerland
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 735 years
In short
Switzerland scores 80.6 in the NationsTree Index (4th in the world) and Belgium scores 77.9 (9th), a gap of 2.7 points. Their trees are 20 m and 21 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Belgium has 31% more people than Switzerland. Switzerland has 35% more land area than Belgium. Belgium and Switzerland have economies of similar size (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Belgium 11.9 million and Switzerland 9.1 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $102,513 in Switzerland and $74,676 in Belgium (2025, international dollars). People in Switzerland live on average 2.1 years longer (84.4 vs 82.3 years).
Of 36 indicators reported by both countries, Belgium ranks higher in the world on 8 and Switzerland on 28. Belgium is clearly stronger in military. Switzerland is clearly stronger in economy, main industries and institutions & safety.
As a nation, Switzerland is the older of the two (statehood since 1291, 735 years), compared with Belgium (since 1830). Over the last five years Switzerland improved faster (direction score 48 vs 47 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Belgium and Switzerland.
Belgium
107.9%
175th of 189
Switzerlandbetter
40.1%
59th of 189
Government budget balanceEconomy
Belgium
-5.2%
152nd of 192
Switzerlandbetter
0.2%
35th of 192
Income inequality (Gini)Society & health
Belgiumbetter
26.8
9th of 108
Switzerland
33.5
47th of 108
Political stabilityInstitutions & safety
Belgium
68.6
101st of 207
Switzerlandbetter
85.2
33rd of 207
Renewable freshwater per personNatural resources
Belgium
1,027
125th of 183
Switzerlandbetter
4,603
67th of 183
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Switzerland overtook Belgium in GDP (PPP) in 2025, the latest year with data.
Switzerland overtook Belgium in the NationsTree Index in 2011 and has stayed ahead since.
Switzerland has been ahead of Belgium in GDP per person (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Belgium has been ahead of Switzerland in population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
BelgiumSwitzerland All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Belgium | Switzerland |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 30,689137th/216 · 2024 | 41,291133rd/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 30,494136th/216 · 2024 | 39,510132nd/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 11.9 m81st/217 · 2025 | 9.1 m98th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.70%121st/217 · 2025 | 0.96%103rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 388.929th/216 · 2024 | 227.962nd/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 87.7%42nd/217 · 2025 | 85.7%45th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 15.7%170th/217 · 2025 | 14.9%182nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 21.0%28th/217 · 2025 | 20.4%34th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $725.47 bn22nd/210 · 2025 | $1.04 trn20th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $891.76 bn37th/199 · 2025 | $932.10 bn35th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $758.16 bn38th/199 · 2025 | $779.51 bn35th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $60,75022nd/210 · 2025 | $114,7696th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $74,67624th/199 · 2025 | $102,5138th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $59,50021st/201 · 2025 | $110,3302nd/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 1.0%176th/210 · 2025 | 1.3%164th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 2.5%78th/180 · 2025 | 0.2%17th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 5.9%107th/187 · 2025 | 4.9%83rd/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 22.3%7th/55 · 2024 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 107.9%175th/189 · 2025 | 40.1%59th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -5.2%152nd/192 · 2025 | 0.2%35th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 0.7%176th/197 · 2025 | 0.6%178th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 18.6%134th/200 · 2025 | 25.0%86th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 11.2%87th/192 · 2025 | 18.9%26th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 71.2%31st/200 · 2025 | 71.7%27th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $547.36 bn19th/182 · 2025 | $814.50 bn14th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $562.00 bn18th/182 · 2025 | $721.18 bn15th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 75.5%22nd/183 · 2025 | 78.1%21st/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 77.5%24th/183 · 2025 | 69.1%37th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 152.9%20th/183 · 2025 | 147.2%23rd/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 10.2%48th/170 · 2025 | 1.0%118th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 69.4%43rd/171 · 2025 | 59.5%56th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 13.8%94th/171 · 2025 | 2.2%153rd/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 4.1%71st/171 · 2025 | 1.8%111th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 19.8%33rd/168 · 2024 | 29.6%15th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -1.9%99th/191 · 2025 | 5.6%33rd/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | -4.0%194th/196 · 2025 | 0.0%178th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.0%164th/209 · 2021 | 0.0%174th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.03%91st/197 · 2021 | 0.00%115th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%97th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.01%148th/209 · 2021 | 0.01%155th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 28.3%33rd/206 · 2024 | 10.1%104th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 1,027125th/183 · 2022 | 4,60367th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 2.6 m57th/194 · 2020 | 11.8 m21st/194 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $7.45 bn25th/175 · 2020 | $9.99 bn20th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 1.8%135th/168 · 2020 | 2.1%127th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 5.9 m27th/107 · 2020 | 19.8 m13th/107 · 2019 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 82.331st/217 · 2024 | 84.45th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 3.726th/196 · 2024 | 3.930th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 3.5743rd/174 · 2022 | 4.4818th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 5.423rd/145 · 2023 | 4.429th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 97%29th/193 · 2024 | 96%48th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 88.9%51st/153 · 2023 | 98.2%18th/153 · 2024 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 143.0%2nd/173 · 2023 | 101.4%56th/173 · 2024 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 33.1%27th/217 · 2025 | 31.6%34th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 10.8%19th/193 · 2023 | 11.7%11th/193 · 2023 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 82.1%22nd/150 · 2023 | 73.5%44th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.95110th/193 · 2023 | 0.9702nd/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 26.89th/108 · 2023 | 33.547th/108 · 2023 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.1%10th/108 · 2023 | 0.1%10th/108 · 2023 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 99.5%25th/150 · 2024 | 96.7%45th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 94.9%25th/144 · 2024 | 99.7%7th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 95.8%20th/186 · 2024 | 97.3%15th/186 · 2025 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 104134th/210 · 2024 | 12960th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 44.217th/208 · 2024 | 47.010th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 4.109th/164 · 2022 | 4.402nd/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 3,61237th/82 · 2021 | 4,12230th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 11.4 m46th/161 · 2023 | 27.7 m30th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 7.31173rd/203 · 2024 | 3.75127th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 11.7%136th/212 · 2021 | 27.7%86th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 8.435th/200 · 2023 | 8.333rd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 22.0%128th/214 · 2024 | 32.0%108th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 4,07721st/149 · 2024 | 2,48345th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 79.325th/205 · 2025 | 92.64th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 75.623rd/207 · 2025 | 88.13rd/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 79.527th/207 · 2025 | 87.35th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 68.6101st/207 · 2025 | 85.233rd/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 76.322nd/205 · 2025 | 84.54th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 83.912th/205 · 2025 | 85.910th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 1.144th/145 · 2021 | 0.616th/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $14.53 bn28th/156 · 2025 | $7.59 bn37th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 2.0%64th/156 · 2025 | 0.8%132nd/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 3.7%119th/154 · 2025 | 2.4%136th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 24,00096th/170 · 2020 | 20,000106th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.47%120th/168 · 2020 | 0.40%130th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 430.0 m25th/163 · 2025 | 33.0 m73rd/163 · 2023 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 86.0 m27th/65 · 2025 | 129.0 m21st/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 3.27%7th/110 · 2023 | 3.22%9th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 64740th/137 · 2024 | 1,19127th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 16,81628th/197 · 2023 | 22,80423rd/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Belgium or Switzerland?
Belgium has the larger population: 11.9 m (2025) compared with 9.1 m for Switzerland (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Belgium or Switzerland?
Switzerland is larger: 41,291 km² (2024) compared with 30,689 km² for Belgium (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Belgium or Switzerland?
Switzerland has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $932.10 bn intl. (2025) compared with $891.76 bn intl. for Belgium (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Belgium or Switzerland?
Switzerland has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $102,513 intl. (2025) compared with $74,676 intl. for Belgium (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Belgium or Switzerland?
Switzerland has the higher life expectancy at birth: 84.4 years (2024) compared with 82.3 years for Belgium (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Belgium or Switzerland?
Belgium spends more on the military: $14.53 bn (2025) compared with $7.59 bn for Switzerland (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Belgium or Switzerland?
Switzerland: 80.6 points (4th in the world); Belgium: 77.9 points (9th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Ireland
Kazakhstan
Netherlands
Romania
SwedenSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Belgium vs Switzerland — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/belgium-vs-switzerland. Data as of 26 October 2026.