Belgium and Chile
Belgium and Chile combine investment, astronomical research and human ties associated with exile. The state visit reported in 2025 added memoranda on hydrogen and infrastructure to a relationship in which Chilean companies operate in Belgium and Belgian centers collaborate with Chilean scientific institutions.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, goods trade between Belgium and Chile totalled 667.9 million current USD.
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, pharmaceutical products stands out in shipments from Belgium to Chile, at 92.8 million USD in 2025.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 667.91 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Belgium to Chile | 519.12 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Chile to Belgium | 148.79 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: Belgium to Chile | 0.136 % | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Export share: Chile to Belgium | ||
| Investment stock: Belgium in Chile | ||
| Investment stock: Chile in Belgium |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter BEL. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Goods: Belgium to Chile
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter BEL. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Goods: Chile to Belgium
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter BEL. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Export share: Belgium to Chile
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Exports to the partner / worldwide exports by the same reporter; same year and coverage.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | Belgium | Chile |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 725.47 billion USD2025 · WB | 357.37 billion USD2025 · World Bank |
| GDP per capita | 60,750.27 USD2025 · WB | 17,994.59 USD2025 · World Bank |
| GDP growth | 0.98 %2025 · WB | 2.46 %2025 · World Bank |
| Policy interest rate | ||
| Inflation · annual average | 2.47 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 4.21 %Annual average · 2025 · World Bank |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 4.1 %Year-on-year · 2026-08 · INE Chile | |
| Unemployment | 5.91 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 8.97 %ILO est.2025 · World Bank |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -5.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -2.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 106.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 41.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -1.93 %2025 · WB | -1.22 %2025 · World Bank |
| Population | 11,941,781World Bank est.2025 · WB | 19,859,9212025 · World Bank |
| Area | 30,689 km²2023 · WB | 757,245 km²2023 · World Bank |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDBelgium: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Chile: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personBelgium: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Chile: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)Belgium: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Chile: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Belgium: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Chile: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedChile: 2026-08 · Headline CPI; change from the same month of the previous year · INE Chile · Twelve-month headline CPI change; not the 0.6% monthly change or the 3.6% cumulative change in the year.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionBelgium: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Chile: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)Belgium: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.Chile: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)Belgium: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.Chile: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPBelgium: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Chile: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleBelgium: 2025 · World Bank · WB est. · The World Bank indicates a population extrapolation; this is not a 2025 census count.Chile: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceBelgium: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Chile: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
Belgium to Chile
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical products | 92.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 71.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 14 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 12.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 1.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 0.22 M USD2025 · Source |
| Metal ores | 0.00119 M USD2025 · Source |
Chile to Belgium
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Metal ores | 31.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 0.886 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 0.755 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 0.299 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 0.282 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 0.0344 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 0.000798 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 0.000792 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Billions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | Belgium to Chile | Chile to Belgium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 758.9 | 530 | 228.9 |
| 2022 | 1,071 | 622.8 | 448.3 |
| 2023 | 985 | 508.7 | 476.3 |
| 2024 | 888.2 | 545.4 | 342.8 |
| 2025 | 667.9 | 519.1 | 148.8 |
Connections between people
Belgium's consular presence in Valparaíso dates back to 1832. In science, the University of Liège develops astronomical projects such as SPECULOOS in Atacama. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from Belgium living in Chile | ||
| Residents from Chile living in Belgium | ||
| Study and training: Belgium in Chile | ||
| Study and training: Chile in Belgium | ||
| Academic stays: Belgium in Chile | ||
| Academic stays: Chile in Belgium | ||
| Travel: Belgium to Chile | ||
| Travel: Chile to Belgium |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
Bilateral context
Belgium's consular presence in Valparaíso dates back to 1832. The subsequent relationship includes Belgian company investments in Chile and Chilean operations in Belgium, such as SQM in Antwerp, Molymet in Ghent and Sigdo Koppers' acquisition of Magotteaux. [1]
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for Belgium is 725.5 billion USD (2025), compared with 357.4 for Chile (2025). The reference populations are 11.94 and 19.86 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of Belgium was 2.03 times that of Chile in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [5] [6] [7] [8]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Cooperation and bilateral issues
The 2025 state visit brought the monarchs together with Gabriel Boric and parliamentary officials; twenty-two executives and ten academics participated. Four memoranda were signed, including one between the Belgian Hydrogen Council and H2Chile and another by Fluxys on infrastructure for hydrogen, ammonia and CO₂: they are development frameworks, not completed plants. In science, the University of Liège develops astronomical projects such as SPECULOOS in Atacama. The human dimension includes refuge offered by the embassy to 106 Chileans in 1973 and the reception of around five thousand people in Belgium. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (Belgium and Chile) totalled 667.9 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 519.1 million; those in the opposite direction, 148.8 million. The difference between the two flows was 370.3 million, in favour of Belgium. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]
The partner's share of exports
Sales from Belgium to the partner represented 0.136% of its worldwide goods exports in 2025. The share compares the same reporter, year and coverage. It measures export concentration, not the percentage of GDP dependent on this relationship. A partner may be important in a specific sector even if its share of total goods trade is small. [2]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 758.9 million USD in 2021 and 667.9 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was -12 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2022, at 1,071 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [3]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, pharmaceutical products stands out in shipments from Belgium to Chile, at 92.8 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, metal ores stands out in shipments from Chile to Belgium, at 31.8 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [4]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations — BEL-CHL
diplomatie.belgium.be · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Trade series 2021–2025
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade
2026-10-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-08 · Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record.