Belize
Veröffentlicht: 18. June 2022 - Letztes Update: 28. February 2025
Country Data Dashboard
Population
415,789
Growth: 1.47% (2024 est.)
GDP
$3.067 billion
(2023 est.)
Area
22,966 sq km
| Government type: | parliamentary democracy (National Assembly) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm |
| Capital: | Belmopan |
| 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.) |
People & Society
Ethnicity (2010 est.)
Religion (2010 est.)
Age structure
Economy
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) in Billion $
Real GDP per capita in $
Exports & Imports in billion $
Top 5 Import Partner in 2022 (76%)
Top 5 Import Commodities in 2022
- refined petroleum ⛽
- ships 🚢
- tobacco 🚬
- garments 👕
- plastic products ♻️
Top 5 Export Partner in 2022 (76%)
Top 5 Export Commodities in 2022
- raw sugar 🍚
- bananas 🍌
- shellfish 🐟
- bran 🌾
- refined petroleum ⛽
Geography
Map
Area
Natural resources
- arable land potential 🌱
- timber 🌲
- fish 🐟
- hydropower 💧⚡
Climate
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
Historical Background Information
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.