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.
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 1854. 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. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy.
Geography
Location: Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea between Guatemala and Mexico, on a total area of 22,966 sq km.
Climate & Resources: Tropical with a rainy season (May-Nov) and dry season (Feb-May); resources include arable land, timber, and fish.
Area Comparative: Slightly smaller than Massachusetts.
selected World Heritage Site locales:Belize Barrier Reef Reserve SystemPeople and Society
Population & Growth: Approximately 422,924 (2025 est.) with a 1.4% growth rate.
Demographics: Primarily Mestizo (52.9%) and Creole (25.9%), with significant Maya and Garifuna populations.
Languages & Religion: English is the official language, with Spanish and Creole also widely spoken. The population is largely Roman Catholic (40.1%) and Protestant (31.5%).
Government
Type: Parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy (Commonwealth realm).
Capital: Belmopan.
Leadership: King Charles III (represented by Governor General Froyla Tzalam) and Prime Minister John Briceño.
Diplomatic Representation: Embassy in Washington, DC, and a US Embassy in Belmopan.
Economy
Overview: Tourism is the main foreign exchange earner, supplemented by agriculture (sugar, bananas, citrus) and oil.
Key Figures (2024 est.): Real GDP (PPP) of $5.99 billion and a per capita GDP of $13,278.
Trade: Primary exports include sugar, fish, and bananas to partners like the US and UK. Imports include petroleum and machinery from the US, China, and Guatemala.
Flag
description: royal blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges; the coat of arms is on a large white disk at the center and shows a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany tree, with the motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom; a green garland of 50 mahogany leaves rings the coat of arms
meaning: the figures, the mahogany tree, and the garland refer to the logging industry that led the British to settle Belize; blue and red are the colors of the two main political parties
note: Belize has the only national flag that depicts humans; the flags of two British overseas territories, Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands, also depict humans
