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Belize

Quick facts
Capital
Belmopan
Population
360,000
Area
22,966 km²
Region
Central America
Languages
Belizean Creole, English, Spanish
Currency
Belize dollar ($)
Demonym
Belizean
UN member
Yes
How Belize compares
Economy size$3.2 B
163rd of 178 worldwide · 7th of 7 in Central America
Income per person$7,681
83rd of 178 worldwide · 3rd of 7 in Central America
Life expectancy73.7 yrs
95th of 179 worldwide · 4th of 7 in Central America
Internet access80.0%
94th of 179 worldwide · 2nd of 7 in Central America
Military spending$30 M
152nd of 163 worldwide · 5th of 7 in Central America
Highlights
GDP
$3.2 B

Gross Domestic Product — the total market value of all goods and services produced in a year, at current prices.

GDP per capita
$7,681

GDP divided by population — a rough measure of average economic output per person.

Population
417,000

Total resident population, mid-year estimate.

Life expectancy
73.7 yrs

Years a newborn would live if current mortality patterns held throughout its life.

Internet users
80.0%

Share of the population that used the internet in the last three months.

Mobile subscriptions
67

Active mobile-cellular subscriptions per 100 people.

Land area
22,810 km²

Total land area, excluding inland water bodies.

Forest area
54.5%

Share of land area under forest cover.

Resource rents
0.5%

Total natural-resource rents (oil, gas, mineral, forest) as a share of GDP.

Oil rents
0.3%

Value of crude oil production minus extraction cost, as a share of GDP.

Military burden
0.9%

Military expenditure as a share of GDP.

Defense spending
$30 M

Total military expenditure at current prices.

The history journey

From the great Maya cities of Caracol, Xunantunich and Lamanai, through the logwood and mahogany camps of the British Baymen, the slavery on which they rested and the Creole, Garifuna, Maya and Mestizo society that grew up around them, to the colony of British Honduras and independence as Belize on 21 September 1981 — its frontier still claimed by Guatemala before the International Court of Justice.

Pilot a cinematic, sourced journey through its eras — moment by moment.