Belize - Economic Indicators

Economic Overview

Tourism is the number one foreign exchange earner in this small economy, followed by exports of sugar, bananas, citrus, marine products, and crude oil. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to GDP growth averaging nearly 4% in 1999-2007, but GPD growth has averaged only 2.1% from 2007-2016, with 2.5% growth estimated for 2017. Belize’s dependence on energy imports makes it susceptible to energy price shocks. Although Belize has the third highest per capita income in Central America, the average income figure masks...

Continue reading View Factbook for Belize

GDP Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Private Consumption 2022 3,619,145,749 3,074,594,555 BZD Annual
Nominal Gross Domestic Product 2022 5,679,285,516 4,866,173,158 BZD Annual
Investment 2022 1,177,281,297 972,024,142 BZD Annual
Real Investment 2017 549,000,000 621,782,600 NCU Annual
Real Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2017 531,000,000 604,239,000 NCU Annual
Nominal Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2017 683,000,000 787,183,100 NCU Annual
Government Consumption 2015 540.1 514.6 Mil. BZD Annual
Real Gross Domestic Product 2015 Q4 107.89 105.27 Index 2005=100 Quarterly
Price Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Consumer Price Index (CPI) 2023 Q3 122.46 120.48 2010=100, NSA Quarterly
Labor Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Agriculture Employment 2017 26,524 25,095 # Annual
Labor Force 2016 166,785 161,219 # Annual
Unemployment Rate 2016 9.53 10.14 % Annual
Labor Force Employment 2016 145.61 139.31 Ths. Annual
Unemployment 2016 15.34 15.73 Ths. Annual
Trade Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Exports of Goods 2023 Q3 129,294,505 134,771,172 USD, NSA Quarterly
Balance of Goods 2023 Q3 -205,316,521 -171,851,022 USD, NSA Quarterly
Current Account Balance 2023 Q3 -54,986,465 -4,677,171 USD, NSA Quarterly
Imports of Goods 2023 Q3 334,611,027 306,622,195 USD, NSA Quarterly
Exports of Goods and Services 2022 2,964,954,187 2,311,133,668 BZD Annual
Imports of Goods and Services 2022 3,146,150,408 2,496,653,598 BZD Annual
Real Imports of Goods and Services 2017 1,824,000,000 1,814,815,600 NCU Annual
Real Exports of Goods and Services 2017 1,620,000,000 1,530,988,400 NCU Annual
Markets Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Treasury Bills (over 31 days) Jan 2024 0.58 0.58 % p.a., NSA Monthly
Lending Rate May 2017 11 11 % - End of period Monthly
Business Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Change in Inventories 2017 16,000,000 16,062,400 NCU Annual
Real Change in Inventories 2017 18,000,000 17,543,500 NCU Annual
Demographics Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Population 2020 397,621 390,351 # Annual
Net Migration 2017 6,832 # Annual
Birth Rate 2016 22.53 22.74 # per Ths. pop. Annual
Death Rate 2016 5.48 5.52 # per Ths. pop. Annual

Factbook

Background

Background:
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 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 unemployment, growing involvement in the Mexican and South American drug trade, high crime rates, and one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in Central America.

Geography

Location:
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
Geographic coordinates:
17 15 N, 88 45 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 22,966 sq km
land: 22,806 sq km
water: 160 sq km
country comparison to the world: 152
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundaries:
total: 542 km
border countries (2): Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 276 km
Coastline:
386 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note - from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act, 1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
Terrain:
flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
Elevation:
mean elevation: 173 m
elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Doyle's Delight 1,124 m
Natural resources:
arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower
Land use:
agricultural land: 6.9%
arable land 3.3%; permanent crops 1.4%; permanent pasture 2.2%
forest: 60.6%
other: 32.5% (2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
35 sq km (2012)
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
Natural hazards:
frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south)
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; water pollution, including pollution of Belize's Barrier Reef System, from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; inability to properly dispose of solid waste
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean

People & Society

Population:
360,346 (July 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
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%
note: percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one ethnic origin (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 0.3%, none 0.2% (cannot speak)
note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census (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, Mormon, 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: 33.95% (male 62,454/female 59,896)
15-24 years: 20.55% (male 37,730/female 36,339)
25-54 years: 36.62% (male 66,880/female 65,082)
55-64 years: 4.99% (male 8,834/female 9,130)
65 years and over: 3.89% (male 6,562/female 7,439) (2017 est.)
population pyramid:
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio: 56.8
youth dependency ratio: 50.9
elderly dependency ratio: 5.9
potential support ratio: 17 (2015 est.)
Median age:
total: 22.7 years
male: 22.5 years
female: 22.9 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
Population growth rate:
1.8% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
Birth rate:
24 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
Death rate:
6 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
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: 43.7% of total population (2017)
rate of urbanization: 1.93% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
BELMOPAN (capital) 17,000 (2014)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio:
28 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
Infant mortality rate:
total: 18.9 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 16.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.9 years
male: 67.3 years
female: 70.6 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Total fertility rate:
2.85 children born/woman (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
Contraceptive prevalence rate:
51.4% (2015)
Health expenditures:
5.8% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 109
Physicians density:
0.77 physicians/1,000 population (2009)
Hospital bed density:
1.3 beds/1,000 population (2014)
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 98.9% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 99.5% of population
unimproved:
urban: 1.1% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0.5% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 93.5% of population
rural: 88.2% of population
total: 90.5% of population
unimproved:
urban: 6.5% of population
rural: 11.8% of population
total: 9.5% of population (2015 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.8% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
4,300 (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
<200 (2016 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
24.1% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 60
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
4.6% (2015)
country comparison to the world: 81
Education expenditures:
7.4% of GDP (2017)
country comparison to the world: 29
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 13 years (2015)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total: 18.9%
male: 12.1%
female: 29.6% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Belize
former: British Honduras
etymology: may be named for the Belize River, whose name possibly derives from the Maya word "belix," meaning "muddy-watered"
Government type:
parliamentary democracy (National Assembly) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Belmopan
geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 46 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo
Independence:
21 September 1981 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Battle of St. George's Caye Day (National Day), 10 September (1798); Independence Day, 21 September (1981)
Constitution:
previous 1954, 1963 (preindependence); latest signed and entered into force 21 September 1981; amended several times, last in 2012 (2016)
Legal system:
English common law
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship:
citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent: yes
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Colville Norbert YOUNG, Sr. (since 17 November 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Dean Oliver BARROW (since 8 February 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Patrick FABER (since 7 June 2016)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among members of the National Assembly
elections/appointments: 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: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 6 on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 1 each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee; members serve 5-year terms) and the House of Representatives (31 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held on 4 November 2015 (next to be held in November 2020)
election results: percent of vote by party - UDP 50%, PUP 47.3%, other 2.7%; seats by party - UDP 19, PUP 12
Judicial branch:
highest court(s): Supreme Court of Judicature (consists of the Court of Appeal with the court president and 3 justices, and the Supreme Court with the chief justice and 2 judges); note - in 2010, Belize ceased final appeals in civil and criminal cases to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) and acceded to the Caribbean Court of Justice
judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal president and justices appointed by the governor general upon advice of the prime minister after consultation with the National Assembly opposition leader; justices' tenures vary by terms of appointment; Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the governor-general upon the advice of the prime minister and the National Assembly opposition leader; other judges appointed by the governor-general upon the advice of the Judicial and Legal Services Section of the Public Services Commission and with the concurrence of the prime minister after consultation with the National Assembly opposition leader; judges can be appointed beyond age 65 but must retire by age 75; in 2013, the Supreme Court chief justice overturned a constitutional amendment that had restricted Court of Appeal judge appointments to as short as 1 year
subordinate courts: Magistrate Courts; Family Court
Political parties and leaders:
Belize Progressive Party or BPP [Patrick ROGERS] (formed in 2015 from a merger of the People's National Party, elements of the Vision Inspired by the People, and other smaller political groups)
People's United Party or PUP [Johnny BRICENO]
United Democratic Party or UDP [Dean Oliver BARROW]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Trade Union Congress of Belize or NTUCB [Floyd NEAL]
International organization participation:
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco Daniel GUTIERREZ (since 21 July 2017)
chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Adrienne GALANEK (since 20 January 2017)
embassy: Floral Park Road, Belmopan City, Cayo District
mailing address: P.O. Box 497, Belmopan City, Cayo District, Belize
telephone: [011] (501) 822-4011
FAX: [011] (501) 822-4012
Flag description:
royal blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland of 50 mahogany leaves; the colors are those of the two main political parties: blue for the PUP and red for the UDP; various elements of the coat of arms - the figures, the tools, the mahogany tree, and the garland of leaves - recall the logging industry that led to British settlement of Belize
note: Belize's flag is the only national flag that depicts human beings; two British overseas territories, Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands, also depict humans
National symbol(s):
Baird's tapir (a large, browsing, forest-dwelling mammal), keel-billed toucan, Black Orchid; national colors: red, blue
National anthem:
name: "Land of the Free"
lyrics/music: Samuel Alfred HAYNES/Selwyn Walford YOUNG
note: adopted 1981; as a Commonwealth country, in addition to the national anthem, "God Save the Queen" serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)

Economy

Economy - overview:
Tourism is the number one foreign exchange earner in this small economy, followed by exports of sugar, bananas, citrus, marine products, and crude oil.
The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to GDP growth averaging nearly 4% in 1999-2007, but GPD growth has averaged only 2.1% from 2007-2016, with 2.5% growth estimated for 2017. Belize’s dependence on energy imports makes it susceptible to energy price shocks.
Although Belize has the third highest per capita income in Central America, the average income figure masks a huge income disparity between rich and poor, and a key government objective remains reducing poverty and inequality with the help of international donors. High unemployment, a growing trade deficit and heavy foreign debt burden continue to be major concerns. Belize faces continued pressure from rising sovereign debt, and a growing trade imbalance.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.23 billion (2017 est.)
$3.151 billion (2016 est.)
$3.176 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 187
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.819 billion (2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.5% (2017 est.)
-0.8% (2016 est.)
2.9% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,300 (2017 est.)
$8,400 (2016 est.)
$8,700 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 150
Gross national saving:
11% of GDP (2017 est.)
11.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
12.1% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 75.6%
government consumption: 14.1%
investment in fixed capital: 23%
investment in inventories: 1%
exports of goods and services: 57.8%
imports of goods and services: -71.5% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 9.7%
industry: 13.8%
services: 62.2% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, cacao, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber
Industries:
garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil
Industrial production growth rate:
-2% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
Labor force:
120,500
note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 10.2%
industry: 18.1%
services: 71.7% (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
10.1% (2017 est.)
11.1% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
Population below poverty line:
41% (2013 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $500 million
expenditures: $550 million (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
27.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-2.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
Public debt:
88.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
91.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.8% (2017 est.)
0.6% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
Central bank discount rate:
9.86% (1 November 2017 est.)
10.01% (1 November 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.6% (31 December 2017 est.)
9.84% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
Stock of narrow money:
$737.5 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$735.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
Stock of broad money:
$1.311 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.475 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.278 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Current account balance:
$-145 million (2017 est.)
$-163 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Exports:
$483.4 million (2017 est.)
$442.7 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
Exports - commodities:
sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood, crude oil
Exports - partners:
Burma 30.7%, US 22.6%, UK 19.3% (2016)
Imports:
$944.4 million (2017 est.)
$916.2 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco
Imports - partners:
US 37.2%, China 11.6%, Mexico 10.8%, Guatemala 7% (2016)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$368.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$376.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
Debt - external:
$1.326 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.338 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
Exchange rates:
Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar -
2 (2017 est.)
2 (2016 est.)
2 (2015 est.)
2 (2014 est.)
2 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access:
electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
Electricity - production:
248 million kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
Electricity - consumption:
413 million kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
Electricity - imports:
230 million kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
191,000 kW (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
52.4% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
28.3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
19.4% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
Crude oil - production:
2,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
Crude oil - exports:
3,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
Crude oil - proved reserves:
6.7 million bbl (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
Refined petroleum products - production:
33.05 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
3,700 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
Refined petroleum products - imports:
3,638 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
700,000 Mt (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions: 23,000
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total: 227,000
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 63 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
Telephone system:
general assessment: above-average system; trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay
domestic: fixed-line teledensity of only about 6 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 65 per 100 persons
international: country code - 501; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth station - 8 (Intelsat - 2, unknown - 6) (2016)
Broadcast media:
8 privately owned TV stations; multi-channel cable TV provides access to foreign stations; about 25 radio stations broadcasting on roughly 50 different frequencies; state-run radio was privatized in 1998 (2009)
Internet country code:
.bz
Internet users:
total: 157,735
percent of population: 44.6% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174

Transportation

National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers: 2
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 28
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 935,603
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 2,463,420 mt-km (2015)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
V3 (2016)
Airports:
47 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 92
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 41
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 29 (2013)
Roadways:
total: 2,870 km
paved: 488 km
unpaved: 2,382 km (2011)
country comparison to the world: 169
Waterways:
825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2011)
country comparison to the world: 70
Merchant marine:
total: 756
by type: bulk carrier 53, container ship 3, general cargo 373, oil tanker 55, other 272 (2017)
country comparison to the world: 29
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s): Belize City, Big Creek

Military & Security

Military expenditures:
1.17% of GDP (2016)
1.09% of GDP (2015)
1.06% of GDP (2014)
1.1% of GDP (2013)
0.97% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 100
Military branches:
Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, BDF Air Wing; Belize Coast Guard; Belize Police Department (2017)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscription has never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available positions by 3:1; initial service obligation 12 years (2012)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
Guatemala persists in its territorial claim to approximately half of Belize, but agrees to the Line of Adjacency to keep Guatemalan squatters out of Belize's forested interior; both countries agreed in April 2012 to hold simultaneous referenda, scheduled for 6 October 2013, to decide whether to refer the dispute to the ICJ for binding resolution, but this vote was suspended indefinitely; Belize and Mexico are working to solve minor border demarcation discrepancies arising from inaccuracies in the 1898 border treaty
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Belize is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; the coerced prostitution of women and children by family members has not led to arrests; child sex tourism, involving primarily US citizens, is on the rise; sex trafficking and forced labor of Belizean and foreign women and LGBT individuals occurs in bars, nightclubs, brothels, and domestic service; workers from Central America, Mexico, and Asia may fall victim to forced labor in restaurants, shops, agriculture, and fishing
tier rating: Tier 3 – Belize does not comply fully with the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; authorities did not initiate any new trafficking investigations of prosecutions, and cases from previous years remain pending; law enforcement efforts to use informal means to identify and refer victims were ineffective and draft procedures for referring victims to services are still not finalized; trafficking victims were more commonly arrested, detained, or deported based on immigration violations than provided with assistance; the government did not make progress in implementing the 2012-14 anti-trafficking national strategic plan (2015)
Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of cannabis, primarily for local consumption; offshore sector money-laundering activity related to narcotics trafficking and other crimes

Economic Indicators for Belize including actual values, historical data, and latest data updates for the Belize economy.