The 2010 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

      Geographic coordinates:

      17 15 N, 88 45 W

      Map references:

      Central America and the Caribbean

      Area:

      total: 22,966 sq km country comparison to the world: 151 land: 22,806 sq km

      water: 160 sq km

      Area - comparative:

      slightly smaller than Massachusetts

      Land boundaries:

      total: 516 km

      border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 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 extremes:

      lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

      highest point: Doyle's Delight 1,160 m

      Natural resources:

      arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

      Land use:

      arable land: 3.05%

      permanent crops: 1.39%

      other: 95.56% (2005)

      Irrigated land:

      30 sq km (2003)

      Total renewable water resources:

      18.6 cu km (2000)

      Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

      total: 0.15 cu km/yr (7%/73%/20%)

      per capita: 556 cu m/yr (2000)

      Natural hazards:

      frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south)

      Environment - current issues:

      deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal

      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 ::Belize

      Population:

      314,522 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

      Age structure:

      0–14 years: 37.9% (male 59,462/female 57,117)

      15–64 years: 58.6% (male 91,298/female 89,170)

      65 years and over: 3.5% (male 5,185/female 5,667) (2010 est.)

      Median age:

      total: 20.7 years

      male: 20.5 years

      female: 20.9 years (2010 est.)

      Population growth rate:

      2.102% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

      Birth rate:

      26.84 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

      Death rate:

      5.82 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

      Net migration rate:

      0 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 90

      Urbanization:

      urban population: 52% of total population (2008)

      rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005–10 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: 0.91 male(s)/female

      total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

      total: 22.52 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 92 male: 25.22 deaths/1,000 live births

      female: 19.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth:

      total population: 68.23 years country comparison to the world: 150 male: 66.54 years

      female: 70 years (2010 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

      3.28 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

      2.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

      3,600 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

      fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

      Major infectious diseases:

      degree of risk: high

      food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

      vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

      water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

      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):

      total: