Location:
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
Geographic coordinates:
17 15 N, 88 45 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area: Area - comparative: Land boundaries: Coastline: Maritime claims: Climate: Terrain: Elevation: Natural resources: Land use: Irrigated land: Population - distribution: Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Environment - international agreements: Geography - note:
total: 22,966 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 22,806 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 160 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 152
slightly smaller than Massachusetts
total: 542 km
border countries (2): Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 276 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
386 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note - from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act, 1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
mean elevation: 173 m
[see also: Mean Elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Doyle's Delight 1,160 m
arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower
agricultural land: 6.9%
arable land 3.3%; permanent crops 1.4%; permanent pasture 2.2%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 60.6%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 32.5% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]
35 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
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
frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south)
deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean