Demographics of the population of Belize include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects.
Belize is the most sparsely populated nation in Central America. It is larger than El Salvador. Slightly more than half of the people live in rural areas. About one-fourth live in Belize City, the principal port, commercial centre, and former capital. About 80% of the population are Christian.
Most Belizeans are of multiracial descent. About 52.9% of the population is of mixed Indigenous (mostly Maya) and European descent (or Mestizo), 24.9% are Kriols, about 10.6% are Maya, and about 6.1% are Afro-Amerindian (Garifuna). The remaining population includes European, East Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and North American groups. In the case of Europeans, most are descendants of Spanish and British colonial settlers, whether pure-blooded or mixed with each other. Most Spanish left the nation just after it was taken by the British colonists who, in the same way, left after independence. Dutch and Prussian Mennonites settled in Belize, mostly in isolated areas.
Population size and structure According to the Statistical Institute of Belize, the current population stands at 441,471.
In conjunction with a census of the British Empire, census data was compiled for Belize in 1790, 1816, 1823, 1826, 1829, 1832, 1835, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911, 1921, 1931 and 1946. Belize conducted its own censuses in 1960, 1970, 1980, 1991, 2000, 2010, and 2022.
Structure of the population
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 193 942 193 937 387 879 100 0-4 23 163 22 116 45 330 11.69 5-9 23 771 23 424 47 195 12.17 10-14 22 693 22 659 45 352 11.69 15-19 20 850 20 831 41 681 10.75 20-24 18 046 18 695 36 741 9.47 25-29 15 427 16 458 31 885 8.22 30-34 13 335 14 137 27 472 7.08 35-39 12 144 12 732 24 876 6.41 40-44 10 367 10 495 20 862 5.38 45-49 9 187 8 802 17 989 4,64 50-54 7 152 6 949 14 101 3.64 55-59 5 416 4 976 10 392 2.68 60-64 3 957 3 527 7 484 1.93 65-69 2 814 2 474 5 288 1.36 70-74 2 230 1 975 4 205 1.08 75-79 1 564 1 518 3 082 0.79 80+ 1 776 1 994 3 770 0.97Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0-14 62 824 61 649 124 473 35.59 15-64 104 484 106 035 210 519 60.20 65+ 7 557 7 179 14 736 4.21
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 215 099 215 092 430 191 100 0–4 25 746 24 724 50 470 11.73 5–9 26 363 25 979 52 342 12.17 10–14 25 169 25 130 50 299 11.69 15–19 23 124 23 103 46 227 10.75 20–24 20 014 20 734 40 748 9.47 25–29 17 112 18 253 35 365 8.22 30–34 14 788 15 681 30 469 7.09 35–39 13 469 14 119 27 588 6.41 40–44 11 497 11 641 23 138 5.38 45–49 10 189 9 760 19 949 4.64 50–54 7 934 7 708 15 642 3.64 55–59 6 005 5 519 11 524 2.68 60–64 4 390 3 912 8 302 1.93 65-69 3 121 2 744 5 865 1.36 70-74 2 473 2 190 4 663 1.08 75-79 1 735 1 684 3 419 0.79 80+ 1 970 2 211 4 181 0.97Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 77 278 75 833 153 111 35.59 15–64 128 522 130 430 258 952 60.19 65+ 9 299 8 829 18 128 4.21
Belize's largest cities and towns by population
Belize City, BZ - 67,169 San Ignacio, CY - 27,878 Belmopan, CY - 19,931 Orange Walk Town, OW - 16,709 Corozal Town, CZ - 13,400 San Pedro, BZ - 11,765 Dangriga, SC - 9,591 Benque Viejo del Carmen, CY - 6,148 Punta Gorda, TO - 6,351 - Based on 2010 census.
Vital statistics
Statistical Institute of BelizeAverage populationLive birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate (per 1000)Crude death rate (per 1000)Natural change (per 1000)Total fertility rateInfant mortality rate 1934 52,0001,945 971 97437.418.718.7 1935 53,0002,0811,377 70439.326.013.3 1936 53,0001,8791,256 62335.523.711.8 1937 54,0001,8761,054 82234.719.515.2 1938 54,0002,0521,178 87438.021.816.2 1939 55,0002,0841,092 99237.919.918.0 1940 56,0002,192 9861,20639.117.621.5 1941 57,0002,1331,0301,10337.418.119.4 1942 57,0001,9051,250 65533.421.911.5 1943 58,0001,9251,136 78933.219.613.6 1944 58,0002,0311,153 87835.019.915.1 1945 59,0002,1411,204 93736.320.415.9 1946 59,0002,0651,0191,04635.017.317.7 1947 61,0002,4731,0491,42440.517.223.3 1948 63,0002,506 8611,64539.813.726.1 1949 65,0002,548 8771,67139.213.525.7 1950 69,0002,657 8451,81239.712.627.0 1951 71,0002,905 8012,10442.111.630.5 1952 73,0003,028 7942,23442.111.031.0 1953 76,0002,986 8202,16640.411.129.3 1954 78,0003,231 8762,35542.511.531.0 1955 80,0003,463 8582,60544.411.033.4 1956 82,0003,725 8212,90446.010.135.9 1957 85,0003,615 9322,68343.611.232.3 1958 87,0003,988 7953,19346.49.237.1 1959 89,0004,016 7303,28645.68.337.3 1960 92,0004,091 7173,37445.07.937.1 1961 95,0004,244 7083,53645.67.638.0 1962 97,0004,461 8533,60847.09.038.0 1963 100,0004,783 7124,07148.87.341.5 1964 103,0004,568 7293,83945.27.238.0 1965 106,0004,637 7103,92744.66.837.8 1966 109,0004,898 7764,12245.87.338.5 1967 113,0004,851 8114,04043.77.336.45.838 1968 116,0004,671 7143,95741.06.334.7 1969 119,0004,660 7833,87739.86.733.1 1970 122,0004,455 8133,64237.16.830.46.27651.2 1971 125,0005,052 6254,42741.45.136.330.9 1972 127,0004,954 6694,28540.05.434.634.0 1973 129,0005,010 8014,30339.86.434.241.7 1974 131,0005,039 7214,37939.45.634.242.5 1975 133,0005,201 8004,40140.06.233.95.76942.6 1976 135,0005,340 8814,45940.26.633.545.1 1977 137,0005,570 7674,80341.05.635.340.0 1978 139,0005,384 8854,49938.76.432.439.9 1979 141,0005,523 7104,81338.95.033.937.8 1980 144,0006,264 7175,54743.24.938.35.88330.2 1981 148,0005,821 7095,11239.14.834.35.77127.5 1982 151,0005,899 6635,23638.64.334.35.49422.9 1983 156,0006,044 7245,32038.24.633.65.29023.2 1984 160,0005,756 7505,00638.04.933.05.15026.2 1985 166,2135,916 6935,22335.64.231.54.92020.6 1986 170,3826,136 6885,44836.24.132.15.04023.1 1987 175,1536,121 6755,44635.13.931.35.40020.1 1988 179,8146,325 7085,61735.44.031.44.95820.2 1989 183,2006,686 7625,92436.54.232.35.18119.4 1990 189,0007,200 8196,38138.44.434.05.47710.6 1991 194,0006,555 8425,71334.34.429.94.10914.3 1992 199,0007,597 8466,75139.04.334.64.91811.5 1993 205,0006,462 9355,52732.64.727.93.20519.3 1994 211,0005,887 9444,94329.14.724.43.58019.4 1995 216,5006,623 9315,69232.04.527.54.00914.9 1996 222,0006,678 9645,71431.44.526.93.89626.0 1997 230,0007,3481,1736,17533.65.428.34.18924.0 1998 238,5006,8441,3505,49430.46.024.43.67121.5 1999 243,0557,1131,1905,92330.75.125.512.6 2000 249,7657,3131,5345,77930.76.424.221.2 2001 256,0897,2151,2615,95429.45.124.33.46816.6 2002 262,6237,5531,2846,26930.05.124.93.53719.2 2003 269,3797,4401,2776,16328.84.923.93.38616.0 2004 276,3818,0831,2986,78530.54.925.63.55714.1 2005 283,6018,3961,3697,02729.64.824.83.57118.4 2006 291,0707,1711,3965,77524.64.819.82.99519.6 2007 298,7927,0361,3895,64723.54.618.92.86517.2 2008 306,8097,1261,3025,82423.24.219.02.80012.0 2009 315,0827,4171,4535,96423.54.618.83.01018.9 2010 323,5987,2281,5545,67422.34.817.52.58013.6 2011 328,3757,2171,5545,66321.74.816.92.50016.5 2012 334,1587,2811,6505,63121.44.816.62.41415.9 2013 341,6557,2461,6375,60920.74.716.02.40217.4 2014 349,1697,3111,6205,69120.44.615.82.37012.3 2015 356,7057,4491,7725,67720.24.915.32.36617.2 2016364,1187,2211,8055,41619.14.814.32.23014.1 2017371,3527,2381,8725,36618.75.013.72.18114.5 2018378,7707,7231,8865,83719.44.813.62.29412.3 2019386,1217,2871,9945,29317.84.912.92.12315.0 2020392,9977,0162,1734,84316.75.211.52.02112.0 2021399,3736,6542,5044,15015.5 5.89.71.87912.6 2022397,4847,0392,3004,73915.9 5.210.52.03615.5 2023404,1986,3372,2974,04015.7 5.710.01.80715.1 2024410,9195,8022,3273,47514.15.78.41.62517.4 2025417,6346,0092,1253,88414.55.19.4
Birth Rate per 1,000 population by Ethnic Groups (2000 Census)
Ethnic Group Population (2000) Birth Rate (1999) BirthsAfrican58217.1810British1,7589.1016Chinese1,71619.2333Creole57,85928.881,671East Indian6,86827.66190Garifuna14,06127.17382Q'eqchi'12,36644.88555Mopan8,98035.30317Yucatec3,15519.3361Mennonite8,27642.53352Mestizo78,53729.732,335Spanish34,50832.221,112Other2,61021.8457Not Available83545.5138Total232,11130.717,128
Life expectancy at birth PeriodLife expectancy in YearsPeriodLife expectancy in Years1950–195555.91985–199071.51955–196058.61990–199570.61960–196561.31995–200068.61965–197064.32000–200568.51970–197566.72005–201069.51975–198068.62010–201569.81980–198570.4 Source: UN World Population Prospects
Ethnic groups Most Belizeans are of multiracial descent. About 52.9% are Mestizo, 25.9% are Creole, 11.3% Maya, 6.1.% Garifuna, 3.9% East Indian, 3.6% Mennonites, 1.2% White, 1% Asian, 1.2% Other and 0.3% Unknown.
Maya Because Belize's original Maya peoples were decimated by disease and wars or fled to Mexico and Guatemala, most of the country's Maya today are descended from other groups. The current Maya population consists mainly of three language groups.
The Yucatec fled to Belize in the late 1840s to escape the Caste War in Yucatán, Mexico. Their descendants live in the Orange Walk and Corozal districts, which border on Mexico. Before the massive migration of Yucatec Maya from Mexico to Belize, a local Yucatec Maya group named the Iciache Maya already inhabited the land. Today most Yucatec Maya work in the sugar cane industry.
In the 1870s-1880s, many Q'eqchi' fled from Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, where their communal land were seized for coffee plantations, where they were forced into service. They settled villages in the Toledo district. Living near rivers and streams, they are primarily farmers, though many younger people now work in tourism, and on shrimp, banana and citrus plantations.
The Mopans originated in Belize, but most were driven out to Guatemala after the British displaced Spanish in a struggle that took most of the 18th century. They returned to Belize in 1886, running from enslavement and taxation in Petén. The Cayo district and San Antonio in the Toledo district are their homes now.
Q'eqchi' and Mopan have intermarried, though the two languages remain distinct and mutually unintelligible. Mopan and Yucatec are mutually intelligible.
+Population of Belize according to ethnic groupUN Demographic Yearbooks Ethnicgroup Census 1946 Census 1991 Census 2000 Census 2010Census 2022 Number % Number % Number % Number % Number %Q'eqchi' Maya 10,03016.97,9544.312,3665.317,4095.8 26,2306.6Mopan Maya6,7703.78,9803.910,5573.515,9324.0Yucatec/other Maya5,6863.13,1551.42,1410.72,1600.5Mestizo18,36031.080,47743.6113,04548.7150,92149.7205,64651.7Creole 22,69338.355,05129.857,85924.963,05720.8100,11125.2Black African5820.31,1510.4 Europeans* German (Mennonite)* British (Anglo-Celtic)2,329 3.9 7,2575,7631,4943.93.10.810,0348,2761,7584.33.60.813,96410,8653,0994.63.61.018,15415,2492,9054.63.80.7Garifuna4,1126.912,2746.614,0616.113,9854.615,8454.0East Indian/Hindu1,3662.36,4553.56,8683.07,0732.36,7121.7Chinese/Asians500.17470.41,7160.72,8230.91,3440.3Mixed 18,9476.2 Syrian/Lebanese1280.21670.1 2400.1 Other 1,8671.02,6101.17620.3 2,2630.6Unknown1520.3170.08350.43920.1 3,0860.8Total59,220184,722232,111303,422397,483
Languages
English is the only official language of Belize. It is the main language used in government and education. Although only 5.6% of the population speaks it as the main language at home, 54% can speak it very well, and another 26% can speak some English. 37% of Belizeans consider their primary language to be Kriol, an English-based creole of words and syntax from various African languages (namely Akan, Igbo, and Twi), and other languages (Miskito).
Kriol shares similarities with many Caribbean English Creoles as far as phonology and pronunciations are concerned. Also, many of its words and structures are both lexically and phonologically similar to English, its superstrate language. Because it is English-based, all Kriol speakers can understand English. A number of linguists classify Belizean Kriol as a separate language, while others consider it to be a dialect of English.