Belgium vs Ireland: Human Development Index
Belgium
0.951
in 2023
Ireland
0.949
in 2023
Belgium rank
10th
Ireland rank
11th
Human Development Index over time
- Belgium
- Ireland
How they compare
Belgium currently reports 0.951 against 0.949 in Ireland, a difference of 0.002.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 34 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Belgium ahead.
Belgium ranks 10th and Ireland ranks 11th of 192 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Belgium averaged higher in 3 and Ireland in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Belgium | Ireland | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.8641 | 0.8103 | 0.0538 | Belgium |
| 2000s | 0.9082 | 0.8956 | 0.0126 | Belgium |
| 2010s | 0.9318 | 0.927 | 0.0048 | Belgium |
| 2020s | 0.9457 | 0.9475 | 0.0018 | Ireland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher human development index, Belgium or Ireland?
- Belgium, at 0.951 against 0.949 in Ireland as of 2023.
- What is the difference in human development index between Belgium and Ireland?
- 0.002, with Belgium ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Belgium and Ireland?
- 34 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2023.
- How do Belgium and Ireland rank globally for human development index?
- Belgium ranks 10th and Ireland ranks 11th of 192 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Human Development Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a summary measure of key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, a good education, and a decent standard of living. Higher values indicate higher human development.