Belize
Belize⌘K
Overview
- 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.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 22,806 sq km
- Water
- 160 sq km
- Total
- 22,966 sq 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
Land Use
- Other
- 33.7% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 58.3% (2023 est.)
- 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.)
- Location
- Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
- Coastline
- 386 km
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Caribbean Sea 0 m
- Highest point
- Doyle's Delight 1,124 m
- Mean elevation
- 173 m
- Irrigated land
- 35 sq km (2012)
- Map references
- Central America and the Caribbean
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 542 km
- Border countries
- Guatemala 266 km; Mexico 276 km
Maritime Claims
- Note
- note: from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act (1992), the purpose of this limit is to provide a framework for negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala
- Territorial sea
- 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south
- Exclusive economic zone
- 200 nm
- Natural hazards
- frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south)
- Geography note
- only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean
- Natural resources
- arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower
- Area comparative
- slightly smaller than Massachusetts
- Geographic coordinates
- 17 15 N, 88 45 W
- 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 & Society
Literacy
- Male
- 87.9% (2022 est.)
- Female
- 87.9% (2022 est.)
- Total population
- 87.9% (2022 est.)
Languages
- Note
- note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census
- 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)
- 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.)
Sex Ratio
- At birth
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 0 14 years
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 15 64 years
- 0.96 male(s)/female
- Total population
- 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
- 65 years and over
- 0.99 male(s)/female
- Birth rate
- 17.44 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 4.87 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median Age
- Male
- 26.4 years
- Total
- 27.2 years (2025 est.)
- Female
- 27.2 years
Population
- Male
- 208,844
- Total
- 421,960 (2025 est.)
- Female
- 213,116
Nationality
- Noun
- Belizean(s)
- Adjective
- Belizean
Tobacco Use
- Male
- 14.8% (2025 est.)
- Total
- 8.3% (2025 est.)
- Female
- 1.8% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 46.6% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 2.3% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
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)
- 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.)
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)
Dependency Ratios
- Total dependency ratio
- 49.4 (2025 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio
- 40.8 (2025 est.)
- Potential support ratio
- 11.6 (2025 est.)
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 8.6 (2025 est.)
- Physician density
- 1.09 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Health Expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 5% of GDP (2021)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 11.5% of national budget (2022 est.)
- Net migration rate
- 2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Hospital bed density
- 1 beds/1,000 population (2018 est.)
- Total fertility rate
- 2.02 children born/woman (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.)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Male
- 12.4 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 11.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- Female
- 10.1 deaths/1,000 live births
- Population growth rate
- 1.47% (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 0.99 (2025 est.)
- 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
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Male
- 72.6 years
- Female
- 76.1 years
- Total population
- 74.3 years (2024 est.)
- Maternal mortality ratio
- 67 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 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.)
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita
- Beer
- 3.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Wine
- 0.68 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Total
- 5.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Spirits
- 1.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Other alcohols
- 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Major urban areas population
- 23,000 BELMOPAN (capital) (2018)
- Obesity adult prevalence rate
- 24.1% (2016)
- Children under the age of 5 years underweight
- 4.6% (2015/16)
School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)
- Male
- 12 years (2023 est.)
- Total
- 12 years (2023 est.)
- Female
- 12 years (2023 est.)
Government
Civica · structure
How power is organised
ExecutiveLegislative
- 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
Capital
- Name
- Belmopan
- 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
- Time difference
- UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Geographic coordinates
- 17 15 N, 88 46 W
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
- Citizenship BY birth
- yes
- Citizenship BY descent only
- yes
- Dual citizenship recognized
- yes
- Residency requirement for naturalization
- 5 years
Constitution
- History
- previous 1954, 1963 (pre-independence); latest signed and entered into force 21 September 1981
- 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
Country Name
- Former
- British Honduras
- 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"
- Conventional long form
- none
- Conventional short form
- Belize
- Independence
- 21 September 1981 (from the UK)
- Legal system
- English common law
- Government type
- parliamentary democracy (National Assembly) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
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
- Subordinate courts
- Magistrates' Courts; Family Court
- 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
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)
- Head of government
- Prime Minister John BRICEÑO (since 12 November 2020)
- 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
- National holiday
- Battle of St. George's Caye Day (National Day), 10 September (1798); Independence Day, 21 September (1981)
- National color(s)
- red, blue
National Heritage
- Total world heritage sites
- 1 (natural)
- Selected world heritage site locales
- Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System
- 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
Legislative Branch
- Note
- Legislature name
- National Assembly
- Legislative structure
- bicameral
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- "God Save the King"
- History
- royal anthem, as a Commonwealth country
- Lyrics/music
- unknown
- National symbol(s)
- Baird's tapir (a large forest-dwelling mammal), keel-billed toucan, black orchid
- Administrative divisions
- 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo
Legislative Branch Lower Chamber
- Chamber name
- House of Representatives
- Term in office
- 5 years
- Number of seats
- 32 (all directly elected)
- Electoral system
- plurality/majority
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Most recent election date
- 3/12/2025
- Expected date of next election
- March 2030
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 12.5%
- Parties elected and seats per party
- People's United Party (PUP) (26); United Democratic Party (UDP) (5)
Legislative Branch Upper Chamber
- Chamber name
- Senate
- Term in office
- 5 years
- Number of seats
- 13 (all appointed)
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Most recent election date
- 5/9/2025
- Expected date of next election
- May 2030
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 35.7%
Diplomatic Representation in the US
- Fax
- [1] (202) 332-6888
- Chancery
- 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008-2826
- Telephone
- [1] (202) 332-9636
- 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/
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Fax
- (501) 822-4012
- Embassy
- 4 Floral Park Road, Belmopan, Cayo
- Telephone
- (501) 822-4011
- Mailing address
- 3050 Belmopan Place, Washington DC 20521-3050
- 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/
- International organisations
- 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
- International law organization participation
- has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Legislature
BELIZE · LOWER HOUSE
House of Representatives
32 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
32
Majority line
17
Largest party
People's United Party (PUP)
Parties
2
All political parties
Upper house
BELIZE · UPPER HOUSE
Senate
13 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
13
Majority line
8
Largest party
United Democratic Party
Parties
2
All political parties
Leaders
Current
Charles III
- Head of State
Johnny Briceño
- Head of Government
Economy
Budget
- Note
- note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
- Revenues
- $554.405 million (2017 est.)
- Expenditures
- $506.316 million (2017 est.)
Exports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $1.8B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
- Exports 2022
- $1.369 billion (2022 est.)
- Exports 2023
- $1.536 billion (2023 est.)
- Exports 2024
- $1.64 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $1.7B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
- Imports 2022
- $1.574 billion (2022 est.)
- Imports 2023
- $1.573 billion (2023 est.)
- Imports 2024
- $1.724 billion (2024 est.)
- Industries
- garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil
- Labor force
- 190,000 (2024 est.)
Public Debt
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 99% of GDP (2017 est.)
- Note
- note: central government debt as a % of GDP
- Public debt 2017
- 99% of GDP (2017 est.)
Remittances
- Note
- note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
- Remittances 2022
- 5% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Remittances 2023
- 4.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Remittances 2024
- 4.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
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.)
Debt External
- Note
- note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
- 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
Unemployment Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 8.9%
- Note
- note: % of labor force seeking employment
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 8.8% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 8.3% (2023 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2024
- 7% (2024 est.)
- Exports partners
- USA 22%, UK 14%, Spain 9%, Guatemala 7%, Portugal 5% (2023)
- Imports partners
- USA 37%, China 17%, Guatemala 10%, Mexico 8%, Costa Rica 6% (2023)
Real GDP Per Capita
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $14,347
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- 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.)
Real GDP Growth Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 3.5%
- Note
- note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
- 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.)
- Agricultural products
- sugarcane, maize, bananas, sorghum, soybeans, chicken, rice, oranges, fruits, plantains (2023)
- Exports commodities
- raw sugar, bananas, fish, shellfish, refined petroleum (2023)
- Imports commodities
- refined petroleum, orthopedic appliances, ships, garments, tobacco (2023)
Current Account Balance
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- -$51.7M
- Note
- note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
- 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.)
- Taxes and other revenues
- 21.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $3.516 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY End Use
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
- Household consumption
- 62.9% (2023 est.)
- Government consumption
- 15.7% (2023 est.)
- Investment in inventories
- -2.3% (2023 est.)
- Investment in fixed capital
- 20.6% (2023 est.)
- Exports of goods and services
- 55.3% (2023 est.)
- Imports of goods and services
- -51.2% (2023 est.)
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 3.3%
- Note
- note: annual % change based on 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.)
- Industrial production growth rate
- 4.8% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $5.538 billion (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- 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.)
Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)
- Male
- 10.6% (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
- Total
- 16.3% (2024 est.)
- Female
- 25.6% (2024 est.)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold
- Note
- note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
- 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.)
GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- Industry
- 14.3% (2023 est.)
- Services
- 62.4% (2023 est.)
- Agriculture
- 8.1% (2023 est.)
Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share
- Note
- note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
- Lowest 10%
- 2.2% (2018 est.)
- Highest 10%
- 30% (2018 est.)
Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income
- Note
- note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
- Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2018
- 39.9 (2018 est.)
Energy
Coal
- Imports
- 32 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- Total petroleum production
- 800 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- Crude oil estimated reserves
- 6.7 million barrels (2021 est.)
- Refined petroleum consumption
- 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
- Imports
- 283.8 million kWh (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 595.389 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 urban areas
- 98.4%
- Electrification total population
- 98.6% (2022 est.)
Energy Consumption Per Capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 30.752 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity Generation Sources
- Solar
- 2.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Fossil fuels
- 12% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Hydroelectricity
- 52.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Biomass and waste
- 32.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet Users
- Percent of population
- 72% (2023 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
Telephones Fixed Lines
- Total subscriptions
- 17,800 (2022 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 4 (2022 est.)
Telephones Mobile Cellular
- Total subscriptions
- 271,000 (2022 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 67 (2022 est.)
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- Total
- 39,000 (2022 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 10 (2022 est.)
Transport
Ports
- Large
- 0
- Small
- 1
- Medium
- 0
- Key ports
- Belize City, Big Creek
- Very small
- 0
- Total ports
- 2 (2024)
- Size unknown
- 1
- Ports with oil terminals
- 1
- Airports
- 27 (2025)
- Heliports
- 5 (2025)
Merchant Marine
- Total
- 774 (2023)
- BY type
- bulk carrier 49, general cargo 410, oil tanker 64, other 251
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- V3
Environment
- Climate
- tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
Land Use
- Other
- 33.7% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 58.3% (2023 est.)
- 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.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 46.6% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 2.3% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and Recycling
- Municipal solid waste generated annually
- 101,400 tons (2024 est.)
- Percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 10.4% (2022 est.)
- Environmental issues
- deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; inability to properly dispose of solid waste
Total Water Withdrawal
- Municipal
- 11.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Industrial
- 21.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Agricultural
- 68.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- Total emissions
- 662,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- 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.)
- Particulate matter emissions
- 10.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- Total renewable water resources
- 21.734 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
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
Military & Security
- 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 Expenditures
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 0.9%
- 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 and security forces
- Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Air Wing; Belize Coast Guard (BCG) (2025)
- 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)
- Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- the military has a small inventory consisting mostly of UK- and US-origin equipment (2025)
- Military and security service personnel strengths
- approximately 1,500 BDF personnel (2025)
Transnational Issues
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.)
Scores & Rankings
ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of
Civica Index61.0 / 100as of 2024-Q464 / 1902024-Q4
Freedom House StatusPartly Free (92/100)as of 2024-Q4—2024-Q4
Press Freedom (RSF)Partly free (50/100)as of 2024—2024
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Belize — vintage 2026-Q1: Belize factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/belize
Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata