Belgium vs Lithuania development indicators, 2024

Demography and Health

Belgium has a crude birth rate of 9.4 per 1,000 people, higher than Lithuania's 7.2, placing Belgium at 32nd worldwide while Lithuania ranks 74th. Interestingly, Belgium's crude death rate is 9.4 per 1,000 people, whereas Lithuania's is significantly higher at 12.9, reflecting a 23rd place rank globally compared to Belgium's 64th. Life expectancy at birth is also in Belgium's favor, with 82.4 years compared to Lithuania's 77 years. Both countries have a similar undernourishment prevalence rate of 2.5%. In terms of child mortality, Belgium's under-5 mortality rate stands at 3.6 per 1,000 live births, slightly worse than Lithuania's 3.4. Regarding mental health, Belgium has a lower suicide mortality rate at 18.4 per 100,000 population compared to Lithuania's 22.1.

Economy

Belgium boasts a GDP per capita of $55,955, which is a stark contrast to Lithuania's $29,386, leading to ranks of 21st and 63rd respectively. When adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP), Belgium's GDP per capita remains significantly higher at $72,126 versus Lithuania's $54,414. Belgium's economic structure is largely dependent on exports, which make up 79.2% of its GDP, compared to Lithuania's 74.1%. However, on the inflation front, Belgium is dealing with a higher consumer price inflation rate of 3.1%, in contrast to Lithuania's low rate of 0.7% in 2024. Notably, Belgium's high-tech exports total $50.6 billion, significantly overshadowing Lithuania's $3.7 billion.

Trade and Investment

Both nations have a high percentage of goods and services traded relative to GDP, with Belgium at 79.2% and Lithuania at 74.1%. Import activity is similarly high, with Belgium also at 79.2% while Lithuania stands at 68.9%. On foreign direct investment, Belgium is experiencing net outflows at -5.4% of GDP, a worrying statistic compared to Lithuania, which is seeing net inflows at 4.2%, positioning it at 34th globally. Furthermore, Belgium has a current account balance of -0.9% versus Lithuania's healthier 2.5% of GDP, indicating better external trade stability for Lithuania.

Governance and Institutions

In terms of governance, Belgium and Lithuania show some differences. Belgium has a control of corruption score of 1.3, ranked 27th, while Lithuania is slightly lower at 0.8, ranked 35th. In government effectiveness, Belgium ranks 40th with a score of 1.0, while Lithuania is marginally better at 1.1, ranking 38th. Political stability leans more favorably for Lithuania with a score of 0.7, placing it 30th versus Belgium's lower score of 0.4, ranked 69th. Both nations have produced similar results for regulatory quality and rule of law, scoring 1.2 and 1.3 respectively.

Infrastructure and Technology

Belgium outperforms Lithuania in terms of logistics performance and infrastructure quality, ranked 5th with a score of 4.1 compared to Lithuania's 16th place and score of 3.5. The penetration of technology in society is also more advanced in Belgium, with 94.6% of the population using the internet versus Lithuania's 88.5%. Furthermore, Belgium’s research and development investment, at 3.4% of GDP, is far greater than Lithuania's 1.1%, highlighting a strong commitment to innovation and technological advancement.

Environment and Sustainability

On environmental fronts, Lithuania is performing remarkably well with a renewable energy consumption rate of 33.2%, ranking 8th internationally, in stark contrast to Belgium's 11.7% at 26th rank. Both nations face their own challenges with greenhouse gas emissions, where Belgium emits 9 tons per capita compared to Lithuania's 7.2 tons. Water stress is another critical issue, where Belgium’s ratio of freshwater withdrawal is substantially high at 51.9%, ranking 2nd globally, showing a concern for water resource management, while Lithuania’s water stress stands at a much healthier 1.8% at 25th position. Overall, while both countries show strengths and weaknesses, they approach economic, health, and environmental challenges distinctly, underscoring their unique paths toward development.