Belize

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

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)

.bz

percent of population: 72% (2023 est.)

total subscriptions: 17,800 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions: 271,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 67 (2022 est.)

sugarcane, maize, bananas, sorghum, soybeans, chicken, rice, oranges, fruits, plantains (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

revenues: $554.405 million (2017 est.) expenditures: $506.316 million (2017 est.) 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

-$51.762 million (2024 est.) -$19.761 million (2023 est.) -$235.566 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$1.235 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

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

Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar - 2 (2024 est.) 2 (2023 est.) 2 (2022 est.) 2 (2021 est.) 2 (2020 est.)

$1.64 billion (2024 est.) $1.536 billion (2023 est.) $1.369 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

raw sugar, bananas, fish, shellfish, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

USA 22%, UK 14%, Spain 9%, Guatemala 7%, Portugal 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

$3.516 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

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.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture: 8.1% (2023 est.) industry: 14.3% (2023 est.) services: 62.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

39.9 (2018 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

lowest 10%: 2.2% (2018 est.) highest 10%: 30% (2018 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$1.724 billion (2024 est.) $1.573 billion (2023 est.) $1.574 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, orthopedic appliances, ships, garments, tobacco (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

USA 37%, China 17%, Guatemala 10%, Mexico 8%, Costa Rica 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

4.8% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil

3.3% (2024 est.) 4.4% (2023 est.) 6.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

190,000 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

99% of GDP (2017 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP

$5.538 billion (2024 est.) $5.12 billion (2023 est.) $5.062 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

8.2% (2024 est.) 1.1% (2023 est.) 9.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

$13,300 (2024 est.) $12,500 (2023 est.) $12,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

4.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 4.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 5% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

$498.087 million (2024 est.) $473.729 million (2023 est.) $482.146 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

21.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

7% (2024 est.) 8.3% (2023 est.) 8.8% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

total: 16.3% (2024 est.) male: 10.6% (2024 est.) female: 25.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

imports: 32 metric tons (2023 est.)

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.)

electrification - total population: 98.6% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 98.4% electrification - rural areas: 97.1%

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.)

30.752 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

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.)

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.)

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

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

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

agricultural land: 8% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2.2% (2023 est.) forest: 58.3% (2023 est.) other: 33.7% (2023 est.)

10.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

21.734 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal: 11.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 21.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 68.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

urban population: 46.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 101,400 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.4% (2022 est.)

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

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

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

386 km

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

17 15 N, 88 45 W

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

35 sq km (2012)

total: 542 km border countries (2): Guatemala 266 km; Mexico 276 km

agricultural land: 8% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 2.2% (2023 est.) forest: 58.3% (2023 est.) other: 33.7% (2023 est.)

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

Central America and the Caribbean

territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south exclusive economic zone: 200 nm 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

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

arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

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

flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

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

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

citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

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

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"

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charg 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.gov https://bz.usembassy.gov/

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.bz https://www.belizeembassyusa.mfa.gov.bz/ consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

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 BRICE O (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

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 note: Belize has the only national flag that depicts humans; the flags of two British overseas territories, Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands, also depict humans

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

21 September 1981 (from the UK)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

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

English common law

legislature name: National Assembly legislative structure: bicameral

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

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

title: "Land of the Free" lyrics/music: Samuel Alfred HAYNES/Selwyn Walford YOUNG history: adopted 1981 _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: royal anthem, as a Commonwealth country

red, blue

total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System

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

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

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

18 years of age; universal

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.

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)

Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Air Wing; Belize Coast Guard (BCG) (2025) note: the Ministry of National Defense and Border Security is responsible for oversight of the BDF and the Coast Guard, while the Ministry of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries has responsibility for the Belize Police Department (BPD) and prisons

approximately 1,500 BDF personnel (2025)

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

1% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

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)

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)

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.)

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

women married by age 15: 6.3% (2016) women married by age 18: 33.5% (2016) men married by age 18: 22.2% (2016)

4.6% (2015/16)

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

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.)

urban: 98.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.) urban: 1.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 2% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)

4.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 18.9% national budget (2024 est.)

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.) note: percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one ethnic origin

0.99 (2025 est.)

5% of GDP (2021) 11.5% of national budget (2022 est.)

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

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

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 informaci n b sica. (Spanish) note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

total population: 74.3 years (2024 est.) male: 72.6 years female: 76.1 years

total population: 87.9% (2022 est.) male: 87.9% (2022 est.) female: 87.9% (2022 est.)

23,000 BELMOPAN (capital) (2018)

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

total: 27.2 years (2025 est.) male: 26.4 years female: 27.2 years

noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean

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

24.1% (2016)

1.09 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

total: 421,960 (2025 est.) male: 208,844 female: 213,116

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

1.47% (2025 est.)

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.)

urban: 99.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 95.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 97.3% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 4.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 2.7% of population (2022 est.)

total: 12 years (2023 est.) male: 12 years (2023 est.) female: 12 years (2023 est.)

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.)

total: 8.3% (2025 est.) male: 14.8% (2025 est.) female: 1.8% (2025 est.)

2.02 children born/woman (2025 est.)

urban population: 46.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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

refugees: 2,287 (2024 est.) IDPs: 8 (2024 est.)

27 (2025)

V3

5 (2025)

total: 774 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 49, general cargo 410, oil tanker 64, other 251

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