Rank in the Economic Complexity Index in Belgium
Belgium: Rank in the Economic Complexity Index was 16 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Rank in the Economic Complexity Index in Belgium, 1964–2016
Source: Observatory of Economic Complexity and Atlas of Economic Complexity (2016) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2016, rank in the economic complexity index in Belgium stood at 16.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 33.3% on the previous year and down 15.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rank in the economic complexity index in Belgium peaked at 24 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 10, in 1964.
That places Belgium 103rd out of 121 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 53 years of available data.
Rank in the Economic Complexity Index in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 10 | — |
| 1965 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 11 | +10.0% |
| 1983 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 12 | +9.1% |
| 1985 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 13 | +8.3% |
| 2000 | 15 | +15.4% |
| 2001 | 16 | +6.7% |
| 2002 | 16 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 15 | -6.2% |
| 2004 | 16 | +6.7% |
| 2005 | 18 | +12.5% |
| 2006 | 19 | +5.6% |
| 2007 | 18 | -5.3% |
| 2008 | 19 | +5.6% |
| 2009 | 20 | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 19 | -5.0% |
| 2011 | 20 | +5.3% |
| 2012 | 21 | +5.0% |
| 2013 | 22 | +4.8% |
| 2014 | 24 | +9.1% |
| 2015 | 24 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 16 | -33.3% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 16 is below the median for high income countries, which is 23, 70% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 16 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 27, 59% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 6 |
| 1970s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.4 | 10 | 12 | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.1 | 12 | 13 | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.2 | 15 | 20 | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.86 | 16 | 24 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More economy & growth data for Belgium
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.04 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.25 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps -19.31 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0266 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -1,617 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -28.79 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 30.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0397 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -2,411 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 33.22 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rank in the economic complexity index in Belgium?
- Rank in the economic complexity index in Belgium was 16 in 2016, according to Observatory of Economic Complexity and Atlas of Economic Complexity (2016) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest rank in the economic complexity index recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 24 in 2014.
- What is the lowest rank in the economic complexity index recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 10 in 1964.
- How does Belgium rank for rank in the economic complexity index?
- Belgium ranks 103rd out of 121 countries with data for 2016.
- Is rank in the economic complexity index rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Observatory of Economic Complexity and Atlas of Economic Complexity (2016) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Rank in the Economic Complexity Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The Economic Complexity Index (ECI) takes data on exports, and reduces a country’s economic system into two dimensions: (i) The number or ‘diversification’ of products in the export basket, and (ii) the quality, or ‘ubiquity’ of products in the export basket. This map ranks countries by ECI scores. The highest rank is 1 and corresponds to the country with the most complex economy in that year.