Belize

Region: Central America and Caribbean

Official language: English

Population: 415,789 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Belizean(s) (noun), Belizean (adjective)

Land area: 22,806 sq km (8,805 sq miles)

Water area: 160 sq km (62 sq miles)

Capital: Belmopan

National anthem: "Land of the Free," by Samuel Alfred Haynes/Selwyn Walford Young

National holiday: Independence Day, September 21, (1981)

Population growth: 1.47% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC –6

Flag: The flag of Belize is blue with narrow bands of red across its top and bottom. In the flag’s center is a white circle on which a coat of arms is featured. A garland of green mahogany leaves surrounds the coat of arms. The colors blue and red represent the country’s two major political parties: the PUP and the UDP.

Motto: “Sub Umbra Florero” (Under the Shade I Flourish)

Independence: September 21, 1981 (from the UK)

Government type: parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal system: English common law

Belize is the second-smallest country in Central America. Bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the east, Mexico to the north, and Guatemala to the west and south, the country is an independent member of the British Commonwealth. Before 1973 it was known as British Honduras. Belize gained independence in 1981.

Composed primarily of subtropical mountainous jungle and swampland, Belize is relatively undeveloped. The people of Belize are called Belizeans.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

People and Culture

Population: There are several main ethnic groups in Belize, although demographic estimates often vary due to frequent migration and overlapping identities. According to the 2010 census, approximately 52.9 percent of the population of Belize identified as mestizo, or of mixed European and American Indian ancestry. Mestizos in Belize are primarily of Spanish and Mayan descent. Most mestizos live in the north, near the Mexican or northern Guatemalan border, and speak Spanish as their primary language. Many are fluent in English and Creole as well.

About 25.9 percent of the 2010 population identified as Creole, or of mixed African heritage. Belizean Creoles live mainly in urban or coastal areas. An estimated 11.3 percent of the population identified as Maya, a group who live mainly in the interior of the country. The Garifuna, a group of mixed African and Caribbean descent once called Black Caribs, constituted 6.1 percent of the population. About 3.9 percent of the 2010 population was of East Indian descent, 1.2 percent identified as White, and 1 percent identified as Asian.

The official language of Belize is English. However, Spanish is also prevalent, spoken by more than half of Belizeans and has been used more widely since independence. Nearly half of Belizeans speak a Creole dialect, and about one-tenth speak a Mayan language. Less common languages include German and Garifuna.

The majority of the population is Christian, with 40.1 identifying as Roman Catholic according to 2010 estimates. Various Protestant denominations accounted for 31.5 percent. An estimated 10.5 percent identified as another faith, including Baha'i, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Rastafarian. About 15.5 percent claimed no religion.

Belize is the least densely populated country in Central America, with only a handful of sizable towns. The largest city in the country is Belize City, formerly the capital of British Honduras. The modern capital of Belize is Belmopan, estimated at 23,00 residents according to 2018 estimates.

Indigenous People: Belize was a center of Maya civilization between 300 BCE and 1000 CE. The earliest known Maya ruins in Belize have been dated to as early as 2500 BCE, although some research has suggested that estimate may be about one thousand years too early. The peak of ancient Maya culture occurred between 250 and 900 CE.

While the Maya people maintain a presence in Belize, the nation's Indigenous identity has been complicated for centuries by the colonial influences of the Spanish and British. The first Europeans in the area were Spanish explorers, who arrived during the sixteenth century. Their efforts to convert the native Maya to Christianity were unsuccessful, and Spain failed to settle the region. In the mid-seventeenth century, Great Britain had more success exploiting the area's logging resources. British Honduras became an official colony of the Crown in 1862. The British used the country primarily for sugarcane harvesting, an industry fueled by the labor of enslaved people. People of African and Afro-Caribbean descent mixed with both Indigenous groups and Europeans, creating the diverse array of ethnic groups in the country today.

There are differing explanations of the origin of the country's name. Some believe that the name comes from the Spanish pronunciation of "Wallace," after Scottish buccaneer Peter Wallace, who allegedly began a settlement near the Belize River in the seventeenth century. More likely potential sources are the Mayan words belix (muddy water) or belikin ("road to the east" or "land facing the sea").

Education: Schooling in Belize is free and compulsory for children ages five to fourteen. Primary school consists of eight years of education, and secondary school, three to four years. Most schools are private, generally religious institutions, or government aided but not government run.

Although only a small portion of the population receives higher education, Belize has a variety of postsecondary schools. These include the national University of Belize, established in 2000, and a branch of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Open Campus. There are also several technical and vocational schools, including the Institute for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ITVET), run by the Employment Training & Education Services (ETES) department of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

Health Care: Medical care in Belize has improved in the twenty-first century, due in part to increased government funding for child care and hospitals. There have also been improvements in sanitation and water supply, and the government established a social security program during the 1980s. However, there is a shortage of doctors, particularly in the rural areas, and a lack of high-level medical facilities for serious health issues. The country's main public hospital is Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, in Belize City; it is part of a Ministry of Health network that includes a handful of other public hospitals, with at least one in the capital city of each district. While Belize is home to several medical schools, the vast majority of doctors are trained abroad.

In 2024, the infant mortality rate was estimated at 11.3 deaths for every 1,000 live births, and life expectancy at birth was an estimated 72.6 years for males and 76.1 years for females. Belize ranked 118 out of 193 countries and territories on the 2022 United Nations Human Development Index (HDI), which measures quality-of-life indicators.

Food: A main staple of Belizean food is rice and beans, which is often the base for a variety of fish, poultry, or game dishes. There is a subtle but significant difference between "rice and beans" and "beans and rice"; rice and beans are cooked together, whereas in the latter, the beans are cooked separately and are spooned onto the rice in their own gravy.

Belize's cuisine is heavily influenced by Latin American flavors and ingredients. Other staples of the local diet include plantains and cassava, and many soups are derived from coconut milk.

For breakfast, Belizeans often eat johnnycakes, which are round, flattened biscuits. Street vendors offer an assortment of local fare, such as tacos, meat pies, conch fritters, and corn and chicken tamales. Lunch is the main meal of the day, and schools and offices often close at noon so that people can go home to eat.

In addition to the more conventional meats and fish included in Belizean dishes, meats such as iguana and gibnut are also popular. The gibnut, a type of paca, or tailless relative of the guinea pig, is one of Belize's national dishes. The hicatee, or Central American river turtle, is another characteristic Belizean dish. However, overharvesting for its meat, eggs, and shells has driven the hicatee to near extinction.

Arts & Entertainment: Unlike many other countries with a mix of diverse ethnic groups, there is little to no history of animosity between the different peoples of Belize. Instead, the various cultures have combined to form a vibrant local arts and entertainment culture.

Belize's multicultural nature has also created an interesting amalgam of North American, Latin, and Caribbean music. "Punta rock" mixes reggae and soca with hip-hop and salsa. "Brukdown" is a sort of street percussion that uses bottles, cans, garbage bins, and other objects as instruments.

Though Belize is still considered a mostly rural, developing country, it does have a few established cultural institutions. The Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts, part of the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH), is located in Belize City and promotes the arts across the country. The NICH also operates the Museum of Belize, which in turn oversees a number of community and cultural learning centers, called Houses of Culture, throughout the country.

Holidays: In addition to the traditional Christian holidays, Belizeans celebrate Independence Day (September 21), National Heroes and Benefactors' Day (March), Labour Day (May 1), Sovereign's Day (May 24), Battle of St. George's Caye Day (September 10), Pan American Day (October 12), Garifuna Settlement Day (November 19), and Boxing Day (December 26).

Environment and Geography

Topography: The northern section of Belize is mostly limestone lowlands and swamp. The topography in the south is almost the exact opposite, composed mainly of mountain ranges. The Maya Mountains range, which stretches from Belize into Guatemala, is home to the country's highest point, Victoria Peak (1,120 meters/3,675 feet).

In the north, the Río Hondo and the Río Nuevo (New River) flow into Chetumal Bay and drain the northern lowlands. The Río Hondo also forms the country's northern border with Mexico. The Belize River flows through the center of the country and connects with the Caribbean Sea just north of Belize City.

There are several coral reefs, called cays, off the coast of Belize. The Belize Barrier Reef is the longest in the Western Hemisphere.

Natural Resources: Based on 2018 estimates, only about 6.9 percent of Belize's land is used for agriculture. Approximately 60 percent of the country is forested, and these trees are among Belize's chief natural resources. Pines and deciduous trees such as oak are found in the northern part of the country, while the south is dominated by tropical hardwoods such as cedar, rosewood, and mahogany, the latter of which is Belize's national tree.

Belize's other natural resources include hydropower and fish from nearby Gulf of Guinea.

Plants & Animals: In addition to the numerous deciduous and hardwood trees, there are also mangrove trees located near the coastline and pine trees, palmettos, and savannah grassland in the south coastal plain.

Animals commonly found in Belize include deer, crocodiles, manatees, pumas, and jaguars. The tapir, also known as the mountain cow, is the national animal of Belize. It is not actually a cow, but is related to the rhinoceros and the horse. Weighing up to 270 kilograms (600 pounds), it is the largest land mammal in Central America.

The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, opened in 1986, has one of the world's most concentrated populations of jaguars. It covers 1,024 square kilometers (395 square miles) of land near Victoria Peak.

Climate: Belize's hot and humid climate is subtropical. The rainy season lasts from May to November, and the dry season from February to May. Rainfall varies greatly, averaging around 1,295 millimeters in the north (51 inches) and 4,445 millimeters (175 inches) in the south. These totals are also affected by autumn trade winds from the north, which bring drier air.

Hurricanes strike Belize regularly between June and November. The country is also prone to coastal flooding in south.

Economy

As a small, little-developed nation, Belize has long struggled economically. During the early twenty-first century there was significant economic growth due to fiscal reform, but this growth began to slow around 2007. One of the hindrances to Belize's economic stability is its trade deficit and large amount of foreign debt. The government has been trying to reduce poverty with the help of international donors. After the setback of the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the country experienced a strong economic rebound. Belize's gross domestic product (GDP, purchasing power parity) was estimated at US$5.257 billion, or $12,800 per capita.

Industry: Industry made up an estimated 13.2 percent of Belize's overall economy in 2023. Sawmills and furniture factories associated with the country's timber industry are one notable sector. Other industries include clothing production, food processing, construction, and oil extraction.

Belize is also a known center for narcotics-related money laundering and a transshipment point for the international cocaine trade.

Agriculture: The main cash crops of Belize include bananas, citrus fruits, sugarcane, papayas, and soybeans. The agricultural and forestry sector accounted for an estimated 9 percent of the GDP in 2023.

Timber exports have decreased in importance since the 1960s, but several sawmills still operate in Belize. The wood is often used for utility poles and for making furniture. Belize also exports a significant amount of seafood to the United States and other trading partners.

Tourism: In the 1980s, service industries, fueled by the tourist trade, raced past agriculture as the most important sector of Belize's economy. By the 2020s travel and tourism were responsible, both directly and indirectly, for over a quarter of all employment in the country and over one-third of the GDP. These figures decreased dramatically in 2020 due to travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the industry quickly began to recover.

Many tourists visit Belize for its scuba diving and fishing. The country's large barrier reef is a particular attraction. There has also been an increase in ecotourism in the central region of the country.

Government

Belize has a parliamentary democracy and is part of the British Commonwealth. Its head of state is the English monarch, who is represented in the country by a governor-general. However, this role is primarily ceremonial.

The head of the executive branch is the prime minister, who is usually a member of the majority legislative party and is appointed by the governor-general.

The legislative branch is the National Assembly, which consists of a twelve-member Senate and a thirty-one-member House of Representatives. The members of the Senate are appointed by the governor-general, on the advice of several government groups. The members of the House of Representatives are elected by popular vote to five-year terms. The Supreme Court of Judicature is the highest court of Belize's judicial branch.

There is universal suffrage for citizens eighteen and older. Military service is voluntary, but the government has a conscription policy in place should the number of military volunteers ever dip too low. However, military volunteers often exceed the number of available openings.

Since gaining its independence, Belize has been involved in a border dispute with Guatemala, which still lays claim to the southern half of Belize. The dispute has its origins in the initial dispute between the Spanish and British over control of the region. Spain allowed the British to settle the land in the sixteenth century. A century later, after a war between the two colonial powers, the British took control of the region and declared it a colony.

Belize's move toward independence began in the 1950s, but it was delayed because of Guatemala's claim to the territory. When Belize declared its independence in 1981, Guatemala refused to recognize it as a country. Consequently, British troops remained in Belize to protect its border. Guatemala finally recognized the sovereign country in 1991. In 1994, Great Britain removed its troops, though border protection remains the country's single largest military concern.

On 11 November 2020, the People's United Party (PUP), led by Johnny Briceño, defeated the United Democratic Party (UDP) for the first time since 2003, having won 26 seats out of 31 to form a government.

Interesting Facts

• The gibnut is often called the "royal rat" by locals because of British objections to the dish being served to Queen Elizabeth II during a visit.
• The Belize Barrier Reef is the second-largest barrier reef in the world.
• Belize's national motto, "Sub Umbra Florero" ("Under the Shade I Flourish"), refers to the national tree, the mahogany tree.
• Double Head Cabbage, Baking Pot, More Tomorrow, and Never Delay are some of the unusual names of places in Belize.

Bibliography

"Belize." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 2 Jan. 2025, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/belize/. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.

Policy, Planning, Research, & Evaluation Unit. Abstract of Education Statistics 2018/19. Ministry of Education, Sports, Youth & Culture, Government of Belize, www.moe.gov.bz/resources/education-statistics/#38-education-statistics-at-a-glance. Accessed 24 Aug. 2020.

"Human Development Insights." Human Development Reports, 13 Mar. 2024, United Nations Development Programme, hdr.undp.org/data-center/country-insights#/ranks. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.