Belgium vs Czechia development indicators, 2024

Demography and Health

Belgium and Czechia display notable differences in demographic indicators and health outcomes. Belgium’s birth rate stands at 9.4 per 1,000 people while Czechia has a lower birth rate of 8.4, placing Belgium higher in rank at 32 compared to Czechia at 53. In terms of death rates, Belgium records 9.4 deaths per 1,000, slightly better than Czechia's 10.4, with rankings of 64 and 45 respectively. Life expectancy at birth is higher in Belgium at 82.4 years compared to Czechia’s 79.9 years, demonstrating a more advanced healthcare system in Belgium, which is supported by health expenditure per capita (PPP) of $5,555 versus Czechia's $3,913. Mortality rates for children under 5 years old indicate that Belgium's figure is 3.6 per 1,000 live births compared to Czechia's lower rate of 2.6. Interestingly, both countries exhibit the same prevalence of undernourishment at 2.5%, ranking joint third.

Economy

When analyzing economic metrics, Belgium exhibits a robust GDP per capita of $55,955, significantly higher than Czechia's $31,707, placing Belgium 21st and Czechia 57th globally. In terms of purchasing power parity (PPP), Belgium also leads with $72,126 as opposed to Czechia's $56,806 (16th and 46th respectively). Belgium's GDP is heavily influenced by a high exportation rate, accounting for 79.2% of GDP in 2024, compared to Czechia’s lower 69.2%. Import levels also reflect this trend as Belgium again leads with 79.2% against Czechia’s 62.7%. However, Belgium faces a net foreign direct investment outflow of -5.4% of GDP, ranking 95th, while Czechia enjoys inflows of 3.8%, suggesting a more favorable investment environment.

Trade and Investment

Belgium's trade dynamics show a significant reliance on exports and imports, each constituting 79.2% of GDP. This high trade integration emphasizes its status as a commercial hub in Europe. Conversely, Czechia's import share is lower at 62.7%, indicating a more self-reliant economic structure relative to Belgium. The foreign direct investment landscape is starkly different; Belgium's negative net inflow underscores investment challenges, ranking 95th, whereas Czechia's positive inflow of 3.8% secures it a 46th rank, illustrating a stronger appeal for investors.

Governance and Institutions

Belgium and Czechia both face governance challenges but vary in certain areas. In terms of political stability and absence of violence, Czechia scores notably higher at 1 compared to Belgium's 0.4, ranking 5th and 69th respectively. This suggests a more stable political environment in Czechia. Regulatory quality is fairly close with Belgium at 1.2 and Czechia slightly better at 1.3, placing them at 41st and 31st rank respectively. Belgium shows room for improvement in areas such as corruption control, where it scores 1.3 to Czechia's 0.8, indicating stronger corruption controls in Belgium despite its lower ranking of 27.

Infrastructure and Technology

Infrastructure quality is another differentiating factor, where Belgium outshines Czechia. Belgium holds a logistics performance index score of 4.1, the 5th highest globally, compared to Czechia's lower score of 3.0 which ranks 24th. This indicates Belgium's superior transportation and trade-related infrastructure. Furthermore, internet usage in Belgium stands at a high 94.6%, showing advanced technological adoption, whereas Czechia lags behind with 86%, reflecting a gap in digital accessibility and penetration.

Environment and Sustainability

On the sustainability front, both countries approach energy consumption and environmental impact differently. Belgium's renewable energy consumption is at 11.7%, lower than Czechia's 17.2%, although Belgium ranks higher in clean energy adoption globally at 26th compared to Czechia's 19th. However, Belgium struggles with higher per capita greenhouse gas emissions, reported at 9 tons of CO2 equivalent in 2023 compared to Czechia's 10.5 tons. Water stress levels indicate Belgium's higher consumption rate relative to available resources at 51.9%, placing it second globally, as opposed to Czechia's figure of 20.5%, ranking 13th, indicating better overall water resource management.