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Belize vs. Guatemala

Demographics

BelizeGuatemala
Population405,633 (July 2021 est.)17,422,821 (July 2021 est.)
Age structure0-14 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.)
0-14 years: 33.68% (male 2,944,145/female 2,833,432)

15-24 years: 19.76% (male 1,705,730/female 1,683,546)

25-54 years: 36.45% (male 3,065,933/female 3,186,816)

55-64 years: 5.41% (male 431,417/female 496,743)

65 years and over: 4.7% (male 363,460/female 442,066) (2020 est.)
Median agetotal: 23.9 years

male: 23 years

female: 24.8 years (2020 est.)
total: 23.2 years

male: 22.6 years

female: 23.8 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate1.67% (2021 est.)1.62% (2021 est.)
Birth rate21.62 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)22.79 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate3.99 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)4.94 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate-0.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)-1.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sex ratioat 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.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Infant mortality ratetotal: 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.)
total: 26.81 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 30.23 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 23.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birthtotal population: 75.56 years

male: 73.96 years

female: 77.24 years (2021 est.)
total population: 72.63 years

male: 70.59 years

female: 74.77 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate2.66 children born/woman (2021 est.)2.67 children born/woman (2021 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate1.2% (2020 est.)0.2% (2020 est.)
Nationalitynoun: Belizean(s)

adjective: Belizean
noun: Guatemalan(s)

adjective: Guatemalan
Ethnic groupsMestizo 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
Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) 56%, Maya 41.7%, Xinca (Indigenous, non-Maya) 1.8%, African descent 0.2%, Garifuna (mixed West and Central African, Island Carib, and Arawak) 0.1%, foreign 0.2% (2018 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS3,800 (2020 est.)33,000 (2020 est.)
ReligionsRoman 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.)Roman Catholic 41.7%, Evangelical 38.8%, other 2.7%, atheist 0.1%, none 13.8%, unspecified 2.9% (2018 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths<200 (2020 est.)1,200 <1,000 (2020 est.)
LanguagesEnglish 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)
Spanish (official) 69.9%, Maya languages 29.7% (Q'eqchi' 8.3%, K'iche 7.8%, Mam 4.4%, Kaqchikel 3%, Q'anjob'al 1.2%, Poqomchi' 1%, other 4%), other 0.4% (includes Xinca and Garifuna); note - the 2003 Law of National Languages officially recognized 23 indigenous languages, including 21 Maya languages, Xinca, and Garifuna (2018 est.)

major-language sample(s):
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 13 years (2019)
total: 11 years

male: 11 years

female: 11 years (2015)
Education expenditures7.6% of GDP (2018)3.2% of GDP (2019)
Urbanizationurban population: 46.2% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
urban population: 52.2% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 2.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Drinking water sourceimproved: 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.)
improved: urban: 97.9% of population

rural: 92.2% of population

total: 95.2% of population

unimproved: urban: 2.1% of population

rural: 7.8% of population

total: 4.8% of population (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility accessimproved: 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.)
improved: urban: 91.4% of population

rural: 61.7% of population

total: 76.7% of population

unimproved: urban: 8.6% of population

rural: 38.3% of population

total: 23.3% of population (2017 est.)
Major cities - population23,000 BELMOPAN (capital) (2018)2.983 million GUATEMALA CITY (capital) (2021)
Maternal mortality rate36 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)95 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight4.6% (2015/16)12.4% (2014/15)
Health expenditures5.7% (2018)5.7% (2018)
Physicians density1.12 physicians/1,000 population (2017)0.36 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density1 beds/1,000 population (2017)0.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate24.1% (2016)21.2% (2016)
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.

Guatemala is a predominantly poor country that struggles in several areas of health and development, including infant, child, and maternal mortality, malnutrition, literacy, and contraceptive awareness and use. The country's large indigenous population is disproportionately affected. Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America and has the highest fertility rate in Latin America. It also has the highest population growth rate in Latin America, which is likely to continue because of its large reproductive-age population and high birth rate. Almost half of Guatemala's population is under age 19, making it the youngest population in Latin America. Guatemala's total fertility rate has slowly declined during the last few decades due in part to limited government-funded health programs. However, the birth rate is still more close to three children per woman and is markedly higher among its rural and indigenous populations.

Guatemalans have a history of emigrating legally and illegally to Mexico, the United States, and Canada because of a lack of economic opportunity, political instability, and natural disasters. Emigration, primarily to the United States, escalated during the 1960 to 1996 civil war and accelerated after a peace agreement was signed. Thousands of Guatemalans who fled to Mexico returned after the war, but labor migration to southern Mexico continues.

Contraceptive prevalence rate51.4% (2015/16)60.6% (2014/15)
Dependency ratiostotal dependency ratio: 52

youth dependency ratio: 44.4

elderly dependency ratio: 7.6

potential support ratio: 13.1 (2020 est.)
total dependency ratio: 62.3

youth dependency ratio: 54.1

elderly dependency ratio: 8.2

potential support ratio: 12.2 (2020 est.)

Source: CIA Factbook