| Population | 405,633 (July 2021 est.) |
| 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.) note: percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one ethnic origin |
| Languages | English 62.9% (official), Spanish 56.6%, Creole 44.6%, Maya 10.5%, German 3.2%, Garifuna 2.9%, other 1.8%, unknown 0.3%, none 0.2% (cannot speak); note - shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census (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, Mormon, Muslim, Rastafarian, Salvation Army), unspecified 0.6%, none 15.5% (2010 est.) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 32.57% (male 66,454/female 63,700) 15-24 years: 19% (male 39,238/female 36,683) 25-54 years: 37.72% (male 73,440/female 77,300) 55-64 years: 6.18% (male 12,235/female 12,444) 65 years and over: 4.53% (male 8,781/female 9,323) (2020 est.) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 52 youth dependency ratio: 44.4 elderly dependency ratio: 7.6 potential support ratio: 13.1 (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 23.9 years male: 23 years female: 24.8 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 1.67% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 21.62 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 3.99 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -0.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 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: 46.2% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 23,000 BELMOPAN (capital) (2018) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 36 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 11.4 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 75.56 years male: 73.96 years female: 77.24 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 2.66 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| Contraceptive prevalence rate | 51.4% (2015/16) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 98.6% of population total: 99.2% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 1.4% of population total: 0.8% of population (2017 est.) |
| Health expenditures | 5.7% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 1.12 physicians/1,000 population (2017) |
| Hospital bed density | 1 beds/1,000 population (2017) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 98.8% of population rural: 95.3% of population total: 96.9% of population unimproved: urban: 1.2% of population rural: 4.7% of population total: 3.1% of population (2017 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 1.2% (2020 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 3,800 (2020 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | <200 (2020 est.) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 24.1% (2016) |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 4.6% (2015/16) |
| Education expenditures | 7.6% of GDP (2018) |
| Demographic profile | Migration continues to transform Belize's population. About 16% of Belizeans live abroad, while immigrants constitute approximately 15% of Belize's population. Belizeans seeking job and educational opportunities have preferred to emigrate to the United States rather than former colonizer Great Britain because of the United States' closer proximity and stronger trade ties with Belize. Belizeans also emigrate to Canada, Mexico, and English-speaking Caribbean countries. The emigration of a large share of Creoles (Afro-Belizeans) and the influx of Central American immigrants, mainly Guatemalans, Salvadorans, and Hondurans, has changed Belize's ethnic composition. Mestizos have become the largest ethnic group, and Belize now has more native Spanish speakers than English or Creole speakers, despite English being the official language. In addition, Central American immigrants are establishing new communities in rural areas, which contrasts with the urbanization trend seen in neighboring countries. Recently, Chinese, European, and North American immigrants have become more frequent. Immigration accounts for an increasing share of Belize's population growth rate, which is steadily falling due to fertility decline. Belize's declining birth rate and its increased life expectancy are creating an aging population. As the elderly population grows and nuclear families replace extended households, Belize's government will be challenged to balance a rising demand for pensions, social services, and healthcare for its senior citizens with the need to reduce poverty and social inequality and to improve sanitation. |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2019) |
Source: CIA World Factbook
This page was last updated on September 18, 2021
