Country Name: Belize

Capital: Belmopan

Official Visa & Travel Information: Belize Immigration Department (Visa Services)

Government Type: Parliamentary Democracy (National Assembly) under a Constitutional Monarchy; a Commonwealth realm.

Background: 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 involved in an ongoing border dispute. Both nations have voted to send the dispute for final resolution to the International Court of Justice. 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.

Continent: South America

Population: 419,137 (2023 est.)

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 with 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 0.5%; note - shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census (2010 est.)

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, Church of Jesus Christ, Muslim, Rastafarian, Salvation Army), unspecified 0.6%, none 15.5% (2010 est.)

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.

Currency: Belizean Dollar (BZD)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange & Gold: $420,102,800 (31 December 2021 est.)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $3.505 billion (2021 est.); note: data is in 2017 U.S. dollars

Real GDP Growth Rate: 15.23% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per Capita: $8,800 (2021 est.); note: data is in 2017 U.S. dollars

Exports:

• $1.044 billion (2021 est.); note: data is in current year U.S. dollars and does not include illicit exports or re-exports

• Comparison Ranking: 178

Export Commodities: Raw sugar, bananas, fishing ships, lobsters and crawfish, and beer (2021)

Export Partners: United States 16%, United Kingdom 16%, Guatemala 7%, Italy 6%, Spain 6% (2021)

Imports:

• $1.252 billion (2021 est.) note: data is in current year U.S. dollars

• Comparison Ranking: 182

Import Commodities: Recreational boats, refined petroleum, cigarettes, ships, and natural gas (2021)

Import Partners: United States 29%, China 14%, Seychelles 13%, Guatemala 10%, Mexico 9% (2021)

Natural Resources: Arable land potential, timber, fish, and hydropower.

Agricultural Products: Sugar care, oranges, bananas, maize, poultry, rice, sorghum, papayas, grapefruit, and soybeans.

Industries: Garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, and oil.

Industrial Production Growth Rate: 

• 15.08% (2021 est.)

• Comparison Ranking: 17

Labor Force: 176,900 (2021 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation: 

• Agriculture: 10.2%

• Industry: 18.1%

• Services: 71.7% (2007 est.)

Unemployment Rate: 8.22% (2021 est.)

Natural Hazards: Frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south).

Geography:

• Total: 22,966 sq km

• Land: 22,806 sq km

• Water: 160 sq km

(Country Summary, The World Factbook, CIA.gov)

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