2020 Edition

Background

Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1862. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992, and the two countries are still involved in an ongoing border dispute. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include the country's heavy foreign debt burden, high crime rates, high unemployment combined with a majority youth population, growing involvement in the Mexican and South American drug trade, and one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in Central America.

Area

land

22,806 sq km

total

22,966 sq km

water

160 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Climate

tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)

Coastline

386 km

Elevation

highest point

Doyle's Delight 1,124 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

mean elevation

173 m

Geographic coordinates

17 15 N, 88 45 W

Geography - note

only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean

Irrigated land

35 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Guatemala 266 km; Mexico 276 km

total

542 km

Land use

agricultural land

8% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 4.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 2.2% (2023 est.)

forest

58.3% (2023 est.)

other

33.7% (2023 est.)

Location

Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south

Natural hazards

frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south)

Natural resources

arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

Population distribution

approximately 25% to 30% of the population lives in the former capital, Belize City; over half of the overall population is rural; population density is slightly higher in the north and east

Terrain

flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Age structure

0-14 years

27.7% (male 58,529/female 56,811)

15-64 years

66.7% (male 135,903/female 141,503)

65 years and over

5.5% (2024 est.) (male 11,463/female 11,580)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

3.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

5.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.68 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

17.44 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

22.2% (2016)

women married by age 15

6.3% (2016)

women married by age 18

33.5% (2016)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

4.6% (2015/16)

Death rate

4.87 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

8.6 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

11.6 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

49.4 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

40.8 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 98% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 98.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.1% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

4.6% of GDP (2024 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

18.9% national budget (2024 est.)

Ethnic groups

Mestizo 52.9%, Creole 25.9%, Maya 11.3%, Garifuna 6.1%, East Indian 3.9%, Mennonite 3.6%, White 1.2%, Asian 1%, other 1.2%, unknown 0.3% (2010 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.99 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

5% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

11.5% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

1 beds/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

10.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male

12.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

11.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

English 62.9% (official), Spanish 56.6%, Creole 44.6%, Maya 10.5%, German 3.2%, Garifuna 2.9%, other 1.8%, unknown 0.5% (2010 est.)

major-language sample(s)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English) La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.1 years

male

72.6 years

total population

74.3 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

87.9% (2022 est.)

male

87.9% (2022 est.)

total population

87.9% (2022 est.)

Major urban areas - population

23,000 BELMOPAN (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

67 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

27.2 years

male

26.4 years

total

27.2 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Belizean

noun

Belizean(s)

Net migration rate

2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

24.1% (2016)

Physician density

1.09 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

female

213,116

male

208,844

total

421,960 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

1.47% (2025 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 40.1%, Protestant 31.5% (includes Pentecostal 8.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.4%, Anglican 4.7%, Mennonite 3.7%, Baptist 3.6%, Methodist 2.9%, Nazarene 2.8%), Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, other 10.5% (includes Baha'i, Buddhist, Hindu, Church of Jesus Christ, Muslim, Rastafarian, Salvation Army), unspecified 0.6%, none 15.5% (2010 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 95.7% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 97.3% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 99.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 4.3% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 2.7% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

12 years (2023 est.)

male

12 years (2023 est.)

total

12 years (2023 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.99 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

1.8% (2025 est.)

male

14.8% (2025 est.)

total

8.3% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.02 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.3% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

46.6% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo

Capital

etymology

the name is formed from two words: "Belize," the name of the longest river in the country, and "Mopan," one of the rivers in the area that empties into the Belize River

geographic coordinates

17 15 N, 88 46 W

name

Belmopan

time difference

UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposed and adopted by two-thirds majority vote of the National Assembly House of Representatives except for amendments relating to rights and freedoms, changes to the Assembly, and to elections and judiciary matters, which require at least three-quarters majority vote of the House; both types of amendments require assent of the governor general

history

previous 1954, 1963 (pre-independence); latest signed and entered into force 21 September 1981

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Belize

etymology

traditionally believed to be derived from the Spanish pronunciation of the last name of Scottish explorer Peter Wallace, who settled in the area in 1638; alternatively, may be named for the Belize River, whose name possibly derives from the Maya word "belix," meaning "muddy-watered"

former

British Honduras

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Katharine BEAMER (since 23 August 2025)

email address and website

ACSBelize@state.gov https://bz.usembassy.gov/

embassy

4 Floral Park Road, Belmopan, Cayo

FAX

(501) 822-4012

mailing address

3050 Belmopan Place, Washington DC 20521-3050

telephone

(501) 822-4011

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008-2826

chief of mission

Ambassador Lynn Raymond YOUNG (since 7 July 2021)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

email address and website

reception.usa@mfa.gov.bz https://www.belizeembassyusa.mfa.gov.bz/

FAX

[1] (202) 332-6888

telephone

[1] (202) 332-9636

Executive branch

cabinet

governor general appoints Cabinet from among members of the National Assembly, on the advice of the prime minister

chief of state

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General Froyla TZALAM (since 27 May 2021)

election/appointment process

the monarchy is hereditary; governor-general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor-general; prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

head of government

Prime Minister John BRICEÑO (since 12 November 2020)

Flag

description: royal blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges; the coat of arms is on a large white disk at the center and shows a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany tree, with the motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom; a green garland of 50 mahogany leaves rings the coat of arms meaning: the figures, the mahogany tree, and the garland refer to the logging industry that led the British to settle Belize; blue and red are the colors of the two main political parties

Government type

parliamentary democracy (National Assembly) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Independence

21 September 1981 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court of Judicature (consists of the Court of Appeal with the court president and 3 justices, and the Supreme Court with the chief justice and 10 justices); the Caribbean Court of Justice is the final court of appeal

judge selection and term of office

Court of Appeal president and justices appointed by the governor-general upon advice of the prime minister after consultation with the National Assembly opposition leader; justices' tenures vary by terms of appointment; Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the governor-general upon the advice of the prime minister and the National Assembly opposition leader; other judges appointed by the governor-general upon the advice of the Judicial and Legal Services Section of the Public Services Commission and with the concurrence of the prime minister after consultation with the National Assembly opposition leader; judges can be appointed beyond age 65 but must retire by age 75

subordinate courts

Magistrates' Courts; Family Court

Legal system

English common law

Legislative branch

legislative structure

bicameral

legislature name

National Assembly

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

House of Representatives

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

March 2030

most recent election date

3/12/2025

number of seats

32 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

People's United Party (PUP) (26); United Democratic Party (UDP) (5)

percentage of women in chamber

12.5%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

Senate

expected date of next election

May 2030

most recent election date

5/9/2025

number of seats

13 (all appointed)

percentage of women in chamber

35.7%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

National anthem(s)

history

royal anthem, as a Commonwealth country

lyrics/music

unknown

title

"God Save the King"

National color(s)

red, blue

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System

total World Heritage Sites

1 (natural)

National holiday

Battle of St. George's Caye Day (National Day), 10 September (1798); Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

National symbol(s)

Baird's tapir (a large forest-dwelling mammal), keel-billed toucan, black orchid

Political parties

Belize People’s Front or BPF Belize Progressive Party or BPP (formed in 2015 from a merger of the People's National Party, elements of the Vision Inspired by the People, and other smaller political groups) People's United Party or PUP United Democratic Party or UDP Vision Inspired by the People or VIP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

sugarcane, maize, bananas, sorghum, soybeans, chicken, rice, oranges, fruits, plantains (2023)

Budget

expenditures

$506.316 million (2017 est.)

revenues

$554.405 million (2017 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

-$235.566 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$19.761 million (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

-$51.762 million (2024 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$1.235 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview

tourism- and agriculture-driven economy; strong post-pandemic rebound; innovative and ecological bond restructuring that significantly lowered public debt and expanded marine protections; central bank offering USD-denominated treasury notes; high mobility across borders

Exchange rates

Currency

Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

2 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

2 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

2 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

2 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

2 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$1.369 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$1.536 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$1.64 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

raw sugar, bananas, fish, shellfish, refined petroleum (2023)

Exports - partners

USA 22%, UK 14%, Spain 9%, Guatemala 7%, Portugal 5% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

55.3% (2023 est.)

government consumption

15.7% (2023 est.)

household consumption

62.9% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-51.2% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

20.6% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

-2.3% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

8.1% (2023 est.)

industry

14.3% (2023 est.)

services

62.4% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.516 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

39.9 (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

30% (2018 est.)

lowest 10%

2.2% (2018 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$1.574 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$1.573 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$1.724 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, orthopedic appliances, ships, garments, tobacco (2023)

Imports - partners

USA 37%, China 17%, Guatemala 10%, Mexico 8%, Costa Rica 6% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

4.8% (2024 est.)

Industries

garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

6.3% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

4.4% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

3.3% (2024 est.)

Labor force

190,000 (2024 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2017

99% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$5.062 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$5.12 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$5.538 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

9.7% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

1.1% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

8.2% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$12,600 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$12,500 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$13,300 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

4.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

4.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$482.146 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$473.729 million (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$498.087 million (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

21.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

8.8% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

8.3% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

7% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

25.6% (2024 est.)

male

10.6% (2024 est.)

total

16.3% (2024 est.)

Coal

imports

32 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

595.389 million kWh (2023 est.)

imports

283.8 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

220,000 kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

140.519 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

97.1%

electrification - total population

98.6% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

98.4%

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

32.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

12% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

52.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

2.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

30.752 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

6.7 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

800 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

10 (2022 est.)

total

39,000 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

8 privately owned TV stations; multi-channel cable TV provides access to foreign stations; about 25 radio stations broadcasting on roughly 50 different frequencies; state-run radio was privatized in 1998 (2019)

Internet country code

.bz

Internet users

percent of population

72% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

4 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

17,800 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

67 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

271,000 (2022 est.)

Airports

27 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

V3

Heliports

5 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 49, general cargo 410, oil tanker 64, other 251

total

774 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Belize City, Big Creek

large

0

medium

0

ports with oil terminals

1

size unknown

1

small

1

total ports

2 (2024)

very small

0

Military - note

the Belize Defense Force (BDF) is responsible for external security but also provides some support to civilian authorities; it has limited powers of arrest within land and shoreline areas, while the Coast Guard has arrest powers and jurisdiction within coastal and maritime areas; the BDF traces its history back to the Prince Regent Royal Honduras Militia, a volunteer force established in 1817; the BDF was established in 1978 from the disbanded Police Special Force and the Belize Volunteer Guard to assist the resident British forces with the defense of Belize against Guatemala the British Army has maintained a presence in Belize since its independence; the presence consists of a small training support unit that provides jungle training to troops from the UK and international partners (2025)

Military and security forces

Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Air Wing; Belize Coast Guard (BCG) (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 1,500 BDF personnel (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military has a small inventory consisting mostly of UK- and US-origin equipment (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

0.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

1% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-23 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient, but conscription has never been implemented; initial service obligation is 12 years (2025)

Illicit drugs

USG identification

major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

8 (2024 est.)

refugees

2,287 (2024 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

3 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

662,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

662,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; inability to properly dispose of solid waste

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Particulate matter emissions

10.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

21.734 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

68.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

21.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

11.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

101,400 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

10.4% (2022 est.)