Belgium

Belgium is a technologically advanced country of over 10 million people in northern Europe. Belgian citizens enjoy a high standard of living, with a per capita Gross [Page 146]Domestic Product (GDP) of $36,900, and low inequality Gini index of 28, 120th among 134 countries reporting. Belgium is a secular country, although historically the Roman Catholic Church has been influential in Belgian society, and today about 75 percent of Belgians identify themselves as Roman Catholic.

The World Economic Forum rated Belgium relatively high in gender equality in 2009. On a scale of 0 (inequality) to 1 (perfect equality), Belgium got an overall score of 0.717, 33rd among the 134 countries rated. Belgium ranked highly on political empowerment (0.243, 29th) but lower on health and survival (0.979, ...