Introduction
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. Both nations have voted to send the dispute for final resolution to the International Court of Justice. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include the country's heavy foreign debt burden, high crime rates, high unemployment combined with a majority youth population, growing involvement in the Mexican and South American drug trade, and one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in Central America.
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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 - 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
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% (2018 est.)
arable land: 3.3% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 1.4% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 2.2% (2018 est.)
forest: 60.6% (2018 est.)
other: 32.5% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
35 sq km (2012)
Total renewable water resources
21.734 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
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 - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, 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 and Society
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% (2010 est.)
note: percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one ethnic origin
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) (2010 est.)
note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census
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: 32.57% (male 66,454/female 63,700)
15-24 years: 19% (male 39,238/female 36,683)
25-54 years: 37.72% (male 73,440/female 77,300)
55-64 years: 6.18% (male 12,235/female 12,444)
65 years and over: 4.53% (male 8,781/female 9,323) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 52
youth dependency ratio: 44.4
elderly dependency ratio: 7.6
potential support ratio: 13.1 (2020 est.)
Median age
total: 23.9 years
male: 23 years
female: 24.8 years (2020 est.)
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: 46.2% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
23,000 BELMOPAN (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality rate
36 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104Infant mortality rate
total: 11.4 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 12.64 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.56 years
male: 73.96 years
female: 77.24 years (2021 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
51.4% (2015/16)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 98.6% of population
total: 99.2% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 1.4% of population
total: 0.8% of population (2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure
5.7% (2018)
Physicians density
1.12 physicians/1,000 population (2017)
Hospital bed density
1 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 98.8% of population
rural: 95.3% of population
total: 96.9% of population
unimproved: urban: 1.2% of population
rural: 4.7% of population
total: 3.1% of population (2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
<200 (2018 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 13 years (2019)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total: 15.3%
male: 9.5%
female: 24.8% (2017 est.)
Environment
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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, 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
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 21.23 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 0.57 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 0.55 megatons (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 11.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
industrial: 21.2 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
agricultural: 68.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources
21.734 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Climate
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
Land use
agricultural land: 6.9% (2018 est.)
arable land: 3.3% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 1.4% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 2.2% (2018 est.)
forest: 60.6% (2018 est.)
other: 32.5% (2018 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
forest revenues: 0.31% of GDP (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79Urbanization
urban population: 46.2% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 101,379 tons (2015 est.)
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)
etymology: the decision to move the capital of the country inland to higher and more stable land was made in the 1960s; the name chosen for the new city was formed from the union of two words: "Belize," the name of the longest river in the country, and "Mopan," one of the rivers in the area of the new capital that empties into the Belize River
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
history: previous 1954, 1963 (preindependence); latest signed and entered into force 21 September 1981
amendments: proposed and adopted by two-thirds majority vote of the National Assembly House of Representatives except for amendments relating to rights and freedoms, changes to the Assembly, and to elections and judiciary matters, which require at least three-quarters majority vote of the House; both types of amendments require assent of the governor general; amended several times, last in 2017
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 only: 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 Juan Antonio BRICENO (since 12 November 2020); Deputy Prime Minister Cordel HYDE (since 16 November 2020)
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:
Senate (14 seats, including the president); 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, non-governmental organizations in good standing, and the National Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee; Senate president elected from among the Senate members or from outside the Senate; term of appointment NA
House of Representatives (31 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
elections:
Senate - last appointed 11 November 2020 (next appointments in November 2025)
House of Representatives - last held on 11 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2025)
election results:
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PUP 59.6%, UDP 38.8%, other 1.6%; seats by party - PUP 26, UDP 5
Judicial branch
highest courts: 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 10 justices); note - in 2010, Belize acceded to the Caribbean Court of Justice as the final court of appeal, replacing that of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London
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: Magistrates' 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]
Vision Inspired by the People or VIP [Hubert ENRIQUEZ]
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 (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Laura Andrea FRAMPTON (since 13 November 2020)
chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
consulate(s): Miami
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Keith R. GILGES (since 24 July 2018)
telephone: [011] (501) 822-4011
embassy: Floral Park Road, Belmopan City, Cayo District
mailing address: P.O. Box 497, Belmopan City, Cayo District, Belize
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
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 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.
Real GDP growth rate
0.8% (2017 est.)
-0.5% (2016 est.)
3.8% (2015 est.)
Credit ratings
Moody's rating: Caa3 (2020)
Standard & Poors rating: CCC+ (2020)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$2.734 billion (2019 est.)
$2.726 billion (2018 est.)
$2.671 billion (2017 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.854 billion (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$7,005 (2019 est.)
$7,118 (2018 est.)
$7,109 (2017 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
Gross national saving
10.1% of GDP (2019 est.)
8.5% of GDP (2018 est.)
10.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 10.3% (2017 est.)
industry: 21.6% (2017 est.)
services: 68% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 75.1% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 15.2% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 22.5% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.2% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 49.1% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -63.2% (2017 est.)
Ease of Doing Business Index scores
Overall score: 55.5 (2020)
Starting a Business score: 72 (2020)
Trading score: 68.2 (2020)
Enforcement score: 50.1 (2020)
Agricultural products
sugar care, oranges, bananas, maize, poultry, rice, sorghum, papayas, grapefruit, soybeans
Industries
garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil
Labor force
120,500 (2008 est.)
note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 10.2%
industry: 18.1%
services: 71.7% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line
41% (2013 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Budget
revenues: 553.5 million (2017 est.)
expenditures: 572 million (2017 est.)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
Current account balance
-$143 million (2017 est.)
-$163 million (2016 est.)
Exports - partners
United Kingdom 27%, United States 24%, Spain 6%, Jamaica 5%, Ireland 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
raw sugar, bananas, fruit juice, fish products, crude petroleum (2019)
Imports - partners
United States 36%, China 13%, Mexico 12%, Guatemala 10% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, cigarettes, recreational boats, natural gas, cars (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$312.1 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$376.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external
$1.315 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.338 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
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: 99.5% (2018)
electrification - urban areas: 98.2% (2018)
electrification - rural areas: 100% (2018)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
198,000 kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165Electricity - from fossil fuels
51% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
27% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73Electricity - from other renewable sources
22% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32Refined petroleum products - consumption
4,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
556,700 Mt (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 18,617
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4.74 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 256,479
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 65.3 (2019 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: govt. telecom company, Belize Telemedia Ltd., continues to hold a monopoly in fixed-line services, mobile and broadband fixed-line teledensity; it is a small market; fixed-line teledensity and mobile penetration below regional average; lack of competition and underinvestment in telecom system, make it pricey for consumer (2020)
domestic: 5 per 100 fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 65 per 100 persons; mobile sector accounting for over 90% of all phone subscriptions (2019)
international: country code - 501; landing points for the ARCOS and SEUL 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) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
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 (2019)
Internet users
total: 181,660
percent of population: 47.08% (July 2018 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 24,658
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (2018 est.)
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 28
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,297,533 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 3.78 million mt-km (2018)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 6 (2017)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2017)
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2017)
under 914 m: 3 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 41 (2013)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2013)
914 to 1,523 m: 11 (2013)
under 914 m: 29 (2013)
Roadways
total: 3,281 km (2017)
paved: 601 km (2017)
unpaved: 2,680 km (2017)
Merchant marine
total: 790
by type: bulk carrier 50, container ship 4, general cargo 401, oil tanker 67, other 268 (2020)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Belize City, Big Creek
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Air Wing; Belize Coast Guard (independent from the BDF, but under the Ministry of Defense) (2021)
Military expenditures
1.2% of GDP (2019)
1.2% of GDP (2018)
1.3% of GDP (2017)
1.3% of GDP (2016)
1.2% of GDP (2015)
Military and security service personnel strengths
the Belize Defense Force (BDF) has approximately 1,300 active personnel; 200 Belize Coast Guard (2020)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the BDF's inventory is limited and consists mostly of UK- and US-origin equipment (2020)
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