Belgium economy compared to OECD countries

1. www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/belgium.htm
2015 OECD ECONOMIC SURVEY
OF BELGIUM
CHARTBOOK: BASIC STATISTICS
This chartbook compares Belgium to other OECD countries
OECD
OECD Economics

2. INCOME: Belgium’s GDP per capita is above the
OECD average
Belgium
• GDP per capita: USD 41 923
OECD average
• GDP per capita: USD 37 022
2

3. POPULATION DEMOGRAPHICS: Belgium has more
elderly people and less youth than the OECD
average
Belgium
• 17.8% are over 65 years old
• 17.1% are under 15 years old
OECD average
• 15.6% are over 65 years old
• 18.2% are under 15 years old
3

4. LENGTH OF LIFE: Life expectancy in Belgium is
close to the OECD average
Belgium (2012)
• Life expectancy: 80.5 years-old
OECD average (2012)
• Life expectancy: 80.2 years-old
4

5. HEALTH CARE: Belgium spends more on health
care than the OECD average
Belgium (2012)
• 10.9% of GDP
OECD average (2012)
• 9.2% of GDP
5

6. WOMEN IN GOVERNMENT: In Belgium, women
represent a higher share of Parliament than in
most OECD countries
Belgium
• 42% of women in Parliament
OECD average
• 27% of women in Parliament
6

7. EDUCATION: Belgium spends more than the
OECD average on education (as % of GDP)
Belgium
• 4.4% of GDP
OECD average
• 3.9% of GDP
7

8. EDUCATION: the PISA scores for Belgium are
above the OECD average
Belgium
• Reading: 509
• Mathematics: 515
• Science: 505
OECD average
• Reading: 496
• Mathematics: 494
• Science: 501 8

9. R&D: Belgium spends slightly less than the
OECD average on research and development
(as % of GDP)
Belgium (2012)
• 2.2% of GDP
OECD average (2012)
• 2.4% of GDP
9

10. PENSIONS: Belgium spends more than the OECD
average on pensions (as % of GDP)
Belgium (2011)
• 10.4% of GDP
OECD average (2011)
• 8.7% of GDP
10

11. DEBT: Belgium’s general government net
financial debt is higher than the OECD average
(as % of GDP)
Belgium
• 90.0% of GDP
OECD average
• 69.6% of GDP
11

12. HOURS WORKED: those holding a job in Belgium
work less hours per year than the OECD average
Belgium
• 1 570 hours per year
OECD average
• 1 771 hours per year
12

13. EMPLOYMENT: Belgium’s employment rate for
women is close to the OECD average. The rate
for men is lower than the OECD average.
Belgium
• Women: 57.2%
• Men: 66.4%
OECD average
• Women: 57.4%
• Men: 73.1%
13

14. UNEMPLOYMENT: Belgium has a slightly higher
unemployment rate than the OECD average
Belgium
• 8.4%
OECD average
• 7.8%
14

15. YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT: Belgium has a higher
youth unemployment rate than the OECD
average
Belgium
• 23.7%
OECD average
• 16.1%
15

16. ENVIRONMENT: Belgium’s CO2 emissions per
capita from fossil fuel combustion are slightly
lower than the OECD average
Belgium
• 9.4 tonnes of CO2
OECD average
• 9.7 tonnes of CO2
16

17. INEQUALITY: Belgium has lower income
inequality than the OECD average
(as measured by the Gini index)
Belgium (2010)
• 0.26
OECD average (2010)
• 0.31
17

18. List of country abbreviations
JPN Japan
KOR Korea
LUX Luxembourg
MEX Mexico
NLD Netherlands
NZL New Zealand
NOR Norway
POL Poland
PRT Portugal
SVK Slovak Republic
SVN Slovenia
ESP Spain
SWE Sweden
CHE Switzerland
TUR Turkey
GBR United Kingdom
USA United States
OECD OECD average
AUS Australia
AUT Austria
BEL Belgium
CAN Canada
CHL Chile
CZE Czech Republic
DNK Denmark
EST Estonia
FIN Finland
FRA France
DEU Germany
GRC Greece
HUN Hungary
ISL Iceland
IRL Ireland
ISR Israel
ITA Italy
JPN Japan
18

19. More Information…
www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/economic-survey-belgium.htm
OECD
OECD Economics
Disclaimers:
The statistical data for Israel are supplied by and under the responsibility of the relevant Israeli authorities. The use of such data by the OECD is without
prejudice to the status of the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem and Israeli settlements in the West Bank under the terms of international law.
This document and any map included herein are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers
and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area.
1919