| variable | 1980-1989 | 1990-1999 | 2000-2007 | 2008-2009 | 2010-2019 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| real gdp growth | 7.55 | 6.21 | 4.16 | 0.5 | 0.44 | 0.5 | 3.5 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 2.1 |
| CPI % | 4.07 | 1.77 | 3.2 | -0.1 | 0.61 | 4.4 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Unemployment rate | 15.0 | 12.25 | 10.6 | 15.65 | 11.76 | 3.3 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.6 |
| Debt/GDP % | - | - | 64.48 | 69.05 | 72.79 | 67.5 | 65.4 | 67.9 | 63.2 | 62.7 |
| Current account balance/GDP % | -0.79 | -5.15 | -9.75 | -3.75 | -5.57 | -1.0 | -1.9 | -3.5 | -4.5 | -3.9 |
Data derived from World Economic Outlook Database. To see main macroeconomic indicator in graphs click here
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.
Area: 22,966 sq km 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
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.)
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.)
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.)
Capital: Belmopan
Government type: parliamentary democracy (National Assembly) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
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)
Description: National Assembly - bicameral
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
garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil
GDP by sector: Agriculture: 8.1% (2023 est.), Industry: 14.3% (2023 est.), Services: 62.4% (2023 est.)
Export partners: USA 22%, UK 14%, Spain 9%, Guatemala 7%, Portugal 5% (2023)
Export commodities: raw sugar, bananas, fish, shellfish, refined petroleum (2023)
Import partners: USA 37%, China 17%, Guatemala 10%, Mexico 8%, Costa Rica 6% (2023)
Import commodities: refined petroleum, orthopedic appliances, ships, garments, tobacco (2023)
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
Military expenditure: 2024: 1% of GDP (2024 est.)
Information derived from worldfactbook.io (Lupon Media), open successor to the CIA World Factbook. Data sourced from World Bank, IMF, UN and other international organizations.