Country profile · Central America
Belize
Belize is a country of about 420,000 people on the Caribbean coast of Central America. It became independent from Britain in 1981 and is the only Central American country with English as its official language. Prime Minister Johnny Briceño won a second term in March 2025. Guatemala claims about half of Belize's land.
Where Belize ranks
All rankings →- #6of 172US share of trade39.1%
- #70of 173China's share of trade14.9%
- #45of 129Remittances, share of GDP3.7%
- #95of 189GDP per person$7,968
- #119of 196Median age26.9 years
- #148of 197Area22,966 km²
Which country has the biggest army? Largest armies in the world →
Who runs Belize?
Prime Minister Johnny Briceño was born in Orange Walk Town on July 17, 1960. He studied business at the University of Texas at Austin. He served as deputy prime minister from 1998 to 2007. He led the People's United Party from 2008 until 2011, when he resigned for health reasons, and again from 2016. He became prime minister on November 12, 2020. He is married to Rossana Briceño, and they have three sons. In the election of March 12, 2025 his party won 26 of the 31 seats in the House of Representatives (chart). The opposition United Democratic Party won five seats. In November 2025 Tracy Panton became the party's first woman leader. King Charles III is head of state. Governor-General Dame Froyla Tzalam, a Mopan Maya woman, represents him. A commission made 167 recommendations for constitutional change, and the government plans public consultation before any referendum. Belize had 91 murders in 2025, or 21.8 for every 100,000 people.
- People's United Party (Briceño) 26
- United Democratic Party 5
Photo (June 2022): Alan Santos, Palácio do Planalto, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
Who are Belize's allies and enemies?
Belize has recognized Taiwan since 1989 and is one of its 12 diplomatic allies. On October 12, 2026 China sanctioned Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca after he attended Taiwan's National Day in Taipei. Prime Minister Johnny Briceño called the sanctions illegal and said they would only strengthen Belize's support for Taiwan. The United States is Belize's largest trade partner and sends about 70% of its overnight visitors. British troops guarded Belize after independence until 1994, and a small British Army unit still runs jungle training there. Guatemala claims about 11,000 square kilometers of Belize's land, just under half the country. On September 10, 2026 about 18 Guatemalan military and civilian boats blocked a Belizean group at Sarstoon Island. On September 24 a Guatemalan military plane entered Belizean airspace, and Belize asked the Organization of American States to investigate. Belize is also suing Honduras at the International Court of Justice over the Sapodilla Cayes.
Allies and partners
United StatesLargest trade partner; most tourists come from there
United KingdomLargest export market; British Army jungle training
TaiwanDiplomatic ally since 1989
MexicoNorthern neighbor; talks on extending the Maya Train
- Sarstoon Border river. Guatemalan boats blocked a Belizean group at Sarstoon Island in September 2026.
- Sapodilla Cayes Small islands claimed by Belize and Honduras. ICJ hearings are set for March 1 to 5, 2027.
- Belmopan Inland capital, built after Hurricane Hattie wrecked Belize City in 1961.
- Ladyville Price Barracks, home of the British Army's jungle training unit in Belize.
- Belize
- Partner
- Rival
Who does Belize trade with?
Belize exported $242 million of goods in 2025 and imported $1.46 billion (UN Comtrade). The United Kingdom bought 26.3% of exports (chart) and the United States 25.9%. The United States supplied 42.6% of imports, China 17.9% and Mexico 9.1%. Sugar was Belize's largest export, followed by bananas, seafood and orange concentrate (Statistical Institute of Belize). A cane disease and heavy rain cut sugar output by 15% in the 2024/25 crop. Tourism brings in more money than goods exports do. In 2025 Belize had 551,698 overnight visitors and 967,214 cruise passengers (Belize Tourism Board). The Belize dollar has been fixed at two to the US dollar since May 1976. Prices rose 4.4% in the year to August 2026, as fuel became more expensive after the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. Moody's raised Belize's credit rating to B3 on September 18, 2026.
Sells to
Share of Belize's exports
- United Kingdom26.3%
- United States25.9%
Trinidad and Tobago6.3%
Ireland5.6%
Jamaica5.4%
Buys from
Share of Belize's imports
- United States42.6%
China17.9%- Mexico9.1%
Guatemala8.0%
South Korea1.4%
Goods, 2025. UN Comtrade (Belize's own figures).
Why does Guatemala claim half of Belize?
Britain and Guatemala signed a treaty on Belize's border in 1859. Guatemala says the treaty is invalid because Britain never built a promised road to the Caribbean coast. It claims about 11,000 square kilometers between the Sibun and Sarstoon rivers, just under half of Belize's land, plus most of its islands. The British colony, British Honduras, was renamed Belize in 1973. It became independent on September 21, 1981, with George Price as prime minister, and British troops stayed to protect it. Guatemala recognized Belize's right to self-determination in 1991 but kept its territorial claim. In 2008 the two countries agreed to let the International Court of Justice decide. Guatemalans approved this in a 2018 referendum with about 95.9% of the vote, and Belizeans in 2019 with 55.4%. The court will hold hearings from February 22 to 26, 2027. In June 2026 both countries signed a declaration that they will accept the ruling as final.
How did a debt deal protect Belize's reef?
The Belize Barrier Reef is about 300 km long. UNESCO calls it the largest barrier reef in the Northern Hemisphere. It is part of the Mesoamerican Reef, the second-largest reef system in the world. UNESCO put the reef on its danger list in 2009 and took it off on June 26, 2018, after Belize banned oil exploration in all its waters. The Great Blue Hole, about 318 meters across and 124 meters deep, was once a dry cave. In November 2021 Belize bought back its $553 million "superbond" at 55 cents on the dollar. A loan from a subsidiary of The Nature Conservancy paid for it. The deal cut Belize's debt by about 12% of GDP. In return Belize promised to protect 30% of its ocean. It had reached about 25% by August 2025, and its deadline for the rest is November 4, 2026. Public debt was 66.6% of GDP at the end of 2025 (Central Bank of Belize).