world
factbook
Belize
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 involved in an ongoing border dispute. Both nations have voted to send the dispute for final resolution to the International Court of Justice. 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.

geography

location

Central America and the Caribbean
17.15° N, 88. 45° W
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico

area

22,966 sq km
land
22,806 sq km
water
160 sq km

land boundaries

542 km

coastline

386 km

climate

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

terrain

flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

elevation

173 m
lowest point
Caribbean Sea
0 m
highest point
Doyle's Delight
1,124 m

natural resources

  • arable land potential
  • timber
  • fish
  • hydropower

land use

arable land
3.3 %
permanent crops
1.4 %
permanent pasture
2.2 %
forest
60.6 %
other
32.5 %

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

people

population

  • 399,598
  • 176
    global rank

nationality

  • Belizean(s)
    noun
  • Belizean
    adjective

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 %

languages

  • English
    official
  • Spanish
  • Creole
  • Maya
  • German
  • Garifuna
  • other
  • unknown
  • none
    cannot speak

religions

Roman Catholic
40.1 %
Protestant
31.5 %
Jehovah's Witness
1.7 %
other
10.5 %
unspecified
0.6 %
none
15.5 %

birth rate

  • 22
    per 1,000 population
  • 66
    global rank

death rate

  • 4.1
    per 1,000 population
  • 212
    global rank

urban population

46 %

major urban areas

  • Belmopan
    pop. 23,000

life expectancy

  • 75.3
    total population
  • 117
    global rank
73.7
male
77
female

adult obesity rate

  • 24.1%
    percent of adults
  • 60
    global rank

government

government type

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

capital

Belmopan
17.15 N, 88.46 W

independence

national holidays

  • Battle of St. George's Caye Day
    10 September
  • Independence Day
    21 September

legal system

English common law

age of suffrage

18

flag description

royal blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland of 50 mahogany leaves; the colors are those of the two main political parties: blue for the PUP and red for the UDP; various elements of the coat of arms - the figures, the tools, the mahogany tree, and the garland of leaves - recall the logging industry that led to British settlement of Belize

national colors

  • red
  • blue

national anthem

Land of the Free

economy

overview

Tourism is the number one foreign exchange earner in this small economy, followed by exports of sugar, bananas, citrus, marine products, and crude oil. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to GDP growth averaging nearly 4% in 1999-2007, but GPD growth has averaged only 2.1% from 2007-2016, with 2.5% growth estimated for 2017. Belize’s dependence on energy imports makes it susceptible to energy price shocks. Although Belize has the third highest per capita income in Central America, the average income figure masks a huge income disparity between rich and poor, and a key government objective remains reducing poverty and inequality with the help of international donors. High unemployment, a growing trade deficit and heavy foreign debt burden continue to be major concerns. Belize faces continued pressure from rising sovereign debt, and a growing trade imbalance.

GDP

3,218,000,000 USD
2017

agriculture products

  • bananas
  • cacao
  • citrus
  • sugar
  • fish
  • cultured shrimp
  • lumber

poverty level

41%
2013

budget

  • 553,500,000
    revenue (USD)
  • 572,000,000
    expenditures (USD)

communications

telephones

    fixed lines

  • 20,869
    total subscriptions
  • 176
    global rank

    mobile cellular

  • 327,629
    total subscriptions
  • 179
    global rank

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

.bz
country code

    users

  • 181,660
    total
  • 47.08
    % of population
  • 176
    global rank

energy

electricity access

92.2%
2016

transportation

air transport

    national system

  • 2
    registered air carriers
  • 935,603
    annual passenger traffic

    airports

  • 47
    total
  • 6
    paved

roadways

3,281 km
total length

waterways

825 km
total length

military

expenditures

expenditures here

service age

18