France is 21 times bigger by total area compared to Belgium: 248,573 sq mi vs 11,849 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of France is 208,090 sq mi vs 11,774 sq mi for Belgium — a 17.7 times difference in territory size.
- Belgium ranks 137/197 by total surface area vs 42/197 for France.
- Belgium occupies 0.02% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.36% for France.
- 44.4% of Belgium's area is agricultural land vs 52.5% in France.
- Belgium has 0.03% of the world's agricultural land area — France has 0.59%.
- 22.6% of Belgium is covered by forests, compared to 32.5% in France.
- 0.02% of the world's forests are in Belgium, and 0.43% are in France.
Total size and land area comparison
Belgium
|
France
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
11,849 sq mi |
248,573 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1 | 21 |
| Total area rank | 137/197 | 42/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.006% | 0.13% |
| Land area |
11,774 sq mi |
208,090 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1 | 17.7 |
| Land area rank | 136/197 | 48/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.02% | 0.36% |
| Population | 11,858,610 | 68,551,653 |
| Population density | 1,011 ppl/mi² | 330 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Belgium
|
France
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
2,661 sq mi |
67,580 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 22.6% | 32.5% |
| Forest area rank | 133/196 | 37/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.02% | 0.43% |
Agricultural land area
|
5,225 sq mi |
109,256 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 44.4% | 52.5% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 133/194 | 41/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.03% | 0.59% |
|
Arable land
|
3,333 sq mi |
65,248 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 28.3% | 31.4% |
| Arable land area rank | 112/191 | 18/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
89.6 sq mi |
3,967 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 0.76% | 1.91% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 145/192 | 36/192 |
|
Water area
|
74.9 sq mi |
40,483 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 0.63% | 16.3% |
| Water area rank | 129/197 | 8/197 |
| Roads length |
73,579 mi |
654,437 mi |
| Land borders length |
806 mi |
2,458 mi |
| Coastline length |
41.3 mi |
3,016 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 38.3% | 49.8% |
Belgium vs France size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/belgium/france | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Belgium and France but is not accurate for size comparison because it's a 2d map with Mercator projection that distorts territories near the poles. The farther a country is from the equator, the more magnified it appears. More about country size projections.
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2023–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2025, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
Total agricultural land encompasses all areas used for agriculture: territories under permanent and temporary crops and pastures. It includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vineyards, but excludes sites utilized for timber production.
Arable land encompasses fields utilized for temporary crop production, pastures, market or kitchen gardens, and temporarily fallowed land. Land abandoned due to shifting cultivation practices is not included.
Permanent cropland refers to farmland for the long-term cultivation of crops, such as coffee, cocoa, and rubber, which do not require replanting after each harvest. This category encompasses land with permanent crops like flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vines, but does not include land under trees for timber production.
Inland areas under water, such as large rivers, lakes, and some coastal waterways.
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.