Belize People - 2023


SOURCE: 2023 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES  Spanish Simplified Chinese French German Russian Hindi Arabic Portuguese

Population

419,137 (2023 est.)

Nationality

noun: Belizean(s)

adjective: Belizean

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 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.)

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 audio sample:

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.)

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.

Age structure

0-14 years: 30.93% (male 66,160/female 63,478)

15-64 years: 64.15% (male 134,019/female 134,867)

65 years and over: 4.92% (2023 est.) (male 9,741/female 10,872)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 49.7

youth dependency ratio: 42.3

elderly dependency ratio: 7.4

potential support ratio: 13.5 (2021 est.)

Median age

total: 23.9 years

male: 23 years

female: 24.8 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate

1.61% (2023 est.)

Birth rate

20.93 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

3.89 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate

-0.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

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

Urbanization

urban population: 46.6% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030

Major urban areas - population

23,000 BELMOPAN (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

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

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

130 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 10.9 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 12.08 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 9.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.08 years

male: 74.49 years

female: 77.75 years (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.59 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.26 (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

51.4% (2015/16)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 99.4% of population

total: 99.7% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0.6% of population

total: 0.3% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure

6.9% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density

1.08 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Hospital bed density

1 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 99.1% of population

rural: 95.7% of population

total: 97.3% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.9% of population

rural: 4.3% of population

total: 2.7% of population (2020 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

24.1% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 5.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 3.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 0.68 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 1.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 8.5% (2020 est.)

male: 15.1% (2020 est.)

female: 1.8% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

4.6% (2015/16)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

64.3% (2023 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 6.3%

women married by age 18: 33.5%

men married by age 18: 22.2% (2016 est.)

Education expenditures

8.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Literacy

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2021)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 19.3%

male: 12.2%

female: 31.9% (2021 est.)

NOTE: The information regarding Belize on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Belize 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Belize 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.

This page was last modified 06 Dec 23, Copyright © 2023 ITA all rights reserved.