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
Belize

Population:

301,270 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 38.4% (male 58,987/female 56,674)
15-64 years: 58.1% (male 88,521/female 86,450)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 5,095/female 5,543) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.1 years
male: 20 years
female: 20.3 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.207% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

27.84 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

5.77 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

NA (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 23.65 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 26.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 20.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 68.19 years
male: 66.39 years
female: 70.08 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.44 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

2.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

3,600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)

Nationality:

noun: Belizean(s)
adjective: Belizean

Ethnic groups:

mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7%
(2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican
5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist 3.5%,
Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000)

Languages:

Spanish 46%, Creole 32.9%, Mayan dialects 8.9%, English 3.9%
(official), Garifuna 3.4% (Carib), German 3.3%, other 1.4%, unknown
0.2% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.9%
male: 76.7%
female: 77.1% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education