Overview of Belgium
The Kingdom of Belgium is located in Western Europe, bordering the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to the south and southwest, and facing England across the Strait of Dover to the northwest. Belgium has a coastline of 66.5 kilometers, a land area of 30688 square kilometers, and a territorial sea and exclusive economic zone of 3454 square kilometers. The country is divided into 10 provinces and 581 municipalities, with Brussels as the capital.
The population of Belgium is approximately 11.764 million (as of January 2024), and the official languages are Dutch, French, and German. About 80% of the residents believe in Catholicism, and about 20% believe in Christianity or other religions. Brussels is the headquarters of the European Union and NATO, and is known as the "capital of Europe".
Belgium is a highly developed capitalist country with a highly dependent economy on foreign trade. 80% of its raw materials are imported, and over 50% of its industrial products are exported. Belgium is one of the top ten commodity importing and exporting countries in the world, with approximately two-thirds of the country's GDP coming from exports. Belgium has well-developed infrastructure such as ports, canals, railways, and highways. It is one of the founding members of the European Union and NATO, as well as a member of international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
Belgium is a small country with a land area of approximately 30000 square kilometers and a population of around 11.7 million. Nevertheless, Belgium's per capita GDP is as high as $54000, ranking 16th globally and even surpassing European economic powers such as Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy. In 2024, Belgium's budget deficit is 27.5 billion euros, accounting for 4.6% of its gross domestic product (GDP). The National Bank of Belgium predicts that the Belgian economy will achieve stable growth of 0.2% in the third quarter of 2024.
High per capita GDP: Belgium's per capita GDP ranks 16th globally, indicating its high level of economic development.
Budget deficit: In 2024, Belgium's budget deficit is 27.5 billion euros, accounting for 4.6% of GDP.
Economic growth: The National Bank of Belgium expects an economic growth rate of 0.2% in the third quarter of 2024.
Diamond industry: Antwerp is a famous "diamond city" with an annual diamond trading volume of tens of billions of dollars, and is an important booster for Belgium's economic development.
These characteristics together constitute Belgium's unique economic landscape, making it one of the important economies in Europe and even globally.
