Data at glance of Belize - average on period

History

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.

Environment

Area: 22,966 km2

Climate: tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)

Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

Ethnic characteristics

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% (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)note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

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.)

Government

Capital: Belmopan

Government type: parliamentary democracy (National Assembly) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Executive branch

Chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General Froyla TZALAM (since 27 May 2021)

Head of government: Prime Minister John BRICEÑO (since 12 November 2020)cabinet: governor general appoints Cabinet from among members of the National Assembly, on the advice of the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor-general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor-general; prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch

Description: legislature name: National Assemblylegislative structure: bicameral