Belgium is a compact and diverse market, located at the crossroads of Europe.  It is composed of the francophone Wallonia region to the south, the Dutch speaking Flanders region in the north, and the bilingual capital region of Brussels, in addition to a small community of German speakers. With a population of 11.69 million people in a territory comparable in size to the state of Maryland, it is densely populated. It enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in Europe, with a relatively balanced income distribution, resulting in widely distributed purchasing power among its residents. 

Belgium’s GDP was nearly $624.25 billion in 2023 with real GDP growth of 0.7 percent according to the IMF. Its bilateral trade with the United States totaled over $74.2 billion in 2021. Distinguished by its major port (Antwerp-Bruges is the second largest port in Europe) and first-class logistical infrastructure, a significant portion of bilateral trade either originates in, or is destined for, other countries in Europe. According to the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency, the U.S. ranked as Belgium’s fourth principal non-European Union (EU) export destination in 2022, with Belgium exporting $37.28 billion of goods and services to the United States. The U.S. ranked as Belgium’s fifth-largest supplier of goods and services, with Belgium importing $37.01 billion of goods and services from the United States. In 2022, total stock of foreign direct investment (FDI) from Belgium to the United States was over $$67.1 billion, and U.S. FDI in Belgium was over $61.4 billion. Top U.S. industries for Belgian FDI were Software & IT Services, Plastics, Food & Beverage, Chemicals, Industrial Equipment, and Business Services.

Often referred to as “the capital of Europe,” the Belgian capital of Brussels is home to the headquarters of the EU and of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as well as hundreds of international institutions, associations, and multinational corporations.

Political & Economic Environment:  State Department’s website for background on the country’s political environment.