THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

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.

Location: Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
Geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 45 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 22,966 sq km
land: 22,806 sq km
water: 160 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundaries: total: 542 km
border countries: Guatemala 266 km; Mexico 276 km
Coastline: 386 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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: highest point: Doyle's Delight 1,124 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
mean elevation: 173 m
Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower
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.)
Irrigated land: 35 sq km (2012)
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
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

Population: total: 421,960 (2025 est.)
male: 208,844
female: 213,116
Nationality: noun: Belizean(s)
adjective: Belizean
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.)
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)
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.)
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)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 49.4 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 40.8 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 8.6 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 11.6 (2025 est.)
Median age: total: 27.2 years (2025 est.)
male: 26.4 years
female: 27.2 years
Population growth rate: 1.47% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 17.44 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 4.87 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (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
Urbanization: urban population: 46.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 23,000 BELMOPAN (capital) (2018)
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
65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 67 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 11.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 12.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.3 years (2024 est.)
male: 72.6 years
female: 76.1 years
Total fertility rate: 2.02 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.99 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 98.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 98% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 1.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 1.6% of population (2022 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.)
Physician density: 1.09 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density: 1 beds/1,000 population (2018 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 99.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 95.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 97.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 4.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 2.7% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 24.1% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 5.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 3.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.68 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.)
Tobacco use: total: 8.3% (2025 est.)
male: 14.8% (2025 est.)
female: 1.8% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 4.6% (2015/16)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 6.3% (2016)
women married by age 18: 33.5% (2016)
men married by age 18: 22.2% (2016)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 4.6% of GDP (2024 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 18.9% national budget (2024 est.)
Literacy: total population: 87.9% (2022 est.)
male: 87.9% (2022 est.)
female: 87.9% (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 12 years (2023 est.)
male: 12 years (2023 est.)
female: 12 years (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
Climate: tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
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.)
Urbanization: urban population: 46.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2020-25 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.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 101,400 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.4% (2022 est.)
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.)
Total renewable water resources: 21.734 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Belize
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"
Government type: parliamentary democracy (National Assembly) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Capital: name: Belmopan
geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 46 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
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
Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo
Legal system: English common law
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
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: 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)
cabinet: governor general appoints Cabinet from among members of the National Assembly, on the advice of the prime minister
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
Legislative branch: legislature name: National Assembly
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name: House of Representatives
number of seats: 32 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 3/12/2025
parties elected and seats per party: People's United Party (PUP) (26); United Democratic Party (UDP) (5)
percentage of women in chamber: 12.5%
expected date of next election: March 2030
Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name: Senate
number of seats: 13 (all appointed)
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 5/9/2025
percentage of women in chamber: 35.7%
expected date of next election: May 2030
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
Political parties: Belize People’s Front or BPFBelize 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 PUPUnited Democratic Party or UDPVision Inspired by the People or VIP
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lynn Raymond YOUNG (since 7 July 2021)
chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008-2826
telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
email address and website: reception.usa@mfa.gov.bzhttps://www.belizeembassyusa.mfa.gov.bz/
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Katharine BEAMER (since 23 August 2025)
embassy: 4 Floral Park Road, Belmopan, Cayo
mailing address: 3050 Belmopan Place, Washington DC 20521-3050
telephone: (501) 822-4011
FAX: (501) 822-4012
email address and website: ACSBelize@state.govhttps://bz.usembassy.gov/
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
Independence: 21 September 1981 (from the UK)
National holiday: Battle of St. George's Caye Day (National Day), 10 September (1798); Independence Day, 21 September (1981)
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 armsmeaning: 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
National symbol(s): Baird's tapir (a large forest-dwelling mammal), keel-billed toucan, black orchid
National color(s): red, blue
National anthem(s): title: "God Save the King"
lyrics/music: unknown
history: royal anthem, as a Commonwealth country
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System

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
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $5.538 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $5.12 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $5.062 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 8.2% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 1.1% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 9.7% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $13,300 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $12,500 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $12,600 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $3.516 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 3.3% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 4.4% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 6.3% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 8.1% (2023 est.)
industry: 14.3% (2023 est.)
services: 62.4% (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 62.9% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 15.7% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 20.6% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: -2.3% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 55.3% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -51.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural products: sugarcane, maize, bananas, sorghum, soybeans, chicken, rice, oranges, fruits, plantains (2023)
Industries: garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil
Industrial production growth rate: 4.8% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 190,000 (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 7% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 8.3% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 8.8% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 16.3% (2024 est.)
male: 10.6% (2024 est.)
female: 25.6% (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: lowest 10%: 2.2% (2018 est.)
highest 10%: 30% (2018 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2024: 4.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 4.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget: revenues: $554.405 million (2017 est.)
expenditures: $506.316 million (2017 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2017: 99% of GDP (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 21.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: -$51.762 million (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$19.761 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$235.566 million (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $1.64 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $1.536 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $1.369 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: USA 22%, UK 14%, Spain 9%, Guatemala 7%, Portugal 5% (2023)
Exports - commodities: raw sugar, bananas, fish, shellfish, refined petroleum (2023)
Imports: Imports 2024: $1.724 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $1.573 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $1.574 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: USA 37%, China 17%, Guatemala 10%, Mexico 8%, Costa Rica 6% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, orthopedic appliances, ships, garments, tobacco (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $498.087 million (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $473.729 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $482.146 million (2022 est.)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $1.235 billion (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 2 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 2 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 2 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 2 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 2 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 98.6% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 98.4%
electrification - rural areas: 97.1%
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 220,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 595.389 million kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 283.8 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 140.519 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 12% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 2.4% 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.)
Coal: imports: 32 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 800 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 6.7 million barrels (2021 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 30.752 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

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.)
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.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 39,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2022 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: V3
Airports: 27 (2025)
Heliports: 5 (2025)
Merchant marine: total: 774 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 49, general cargo 410, oil tanker 64, other 251
Ports: total ports: 2 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 1
very small: 0
size unknown: 1
ports with oil terminals: 1
key ports: Belize City, Big Creek

Military and security forces: Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Air Wing; Belize Coast Guard (BCG) (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 1% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 0.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)
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 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 - 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 Guatemalathe 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)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 2,287 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 8 (2024 est.)
Illicit drugs: USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025)

Belize