Editing Belize (section)

== Demographics ==
{{Main|Demographics of Belize|Belizean people}}
According to the 2022 census, Belize's population is 397,483.<ref name="sib2024"/> Belize's [[total fertility rate]] in 2023 was 2.010 children per woman.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ceicdata.com/en/belize/social-demography-non-oecd-member-annual/bz-total-fertility-rate-children-per-woman|title=Belize BZ: Total Fertility Rate: Children per Woman|access-date=8 February 2024|archive-date=8 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240208104956/https://www.ceicdata.com/en/belize/social-demography-non-oecd-member-annual/bz-total-fertility-rate-children-per-woman|url-status=live}}</ref> Its birth rate was 17.8 births/1,000 population (2022), and the death rate was 6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2022).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://knoema.com/atlas/Belize#Demographics|title=Belize|access-date=8 February 2024|archive-date=15 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240315005114/https://knoema.com/atlas/Belize#Demographics|url-status=live}}</ref> A substantial ethnic-demographic shift has been occurring since 1980 when the Creoles, formerly a majority of the population, have become outnumbered by the Hispanic/Mestizo community due to many Creoles moving to the United States, as well as a rising Mestizo birth rate and migration from Latin America.<ref>{{Cite journal|jstor=2503998|title=The Composition and Distribution of Ethnic Groups in Belize: Immigration and Emigration Patterns, 1980–1991|last1=Woods|first1=Louis A.|last2=Perry|first2=Joseph M.|last3=Steagall|first3=Jeffrey W.|journal=Latin American Research Review|year=1997|volume=32|issue=3|pages=63–88|doi=10.1017/S0023879100038048 |s2cid=146531217 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

=== Ethnic groups ===

{{bar box
|title=Ethnic Groups in Belize
|titlebar=#ddd
|left1=Ethnic Groups
|right1=percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|Hispanic/Mestizo|darkgreen|51.7}}
{{bar percent|Creole|purple|25.2}}
{{bar percent|Maya|gold|9.8}}
{{bar percent|White|lime|4.8}}
{{bar percent|Garifuna|yellow|4}}
{{bar percent|East Indian|orange|1.5}}
{{bar percent|Other|darkgray|1.2}}
{{bar percent|East Asian and Arab|maroon|1}}
{{bar percent|Not Stated|teal|0.3}}<ref name="auto1">https://sib.org.bz/press-release_census-launch/#:~:text=While%2051.7%20percent%20of%20the,mosaic%20of%20numerous%20other%20ethnicities {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240506223111/https://sib.org.bz/press-release_census-launch/#:~:text=While%2051.7%20percent%20of%20the,mosaic%20of%20numerous%20other%20ethnicities |date=6 May 2024 }}.</ref>
|width=109km}}

====The Maya====
The Maya are thought to have been in Belize and the [[Yucatán region]] since the second millennium BCE. Many died in conflicts or by catching disease from invading Europeans. Three Maya groups inhabit the country: The [[Yucatec]] (who came from Yucatán, Mexico, to escape the savage [[Caste War of Yucatán|Caste War]] of the 1840s), the [[Mopan people|Mopan]] (indigenous to Belize but were forced out to Guatemala by the British for raiding settlements; they returned to Belize to evade enslavement by the Guatemalans in the 19th century), and [[Q'eqchi' people|Q'eqchi']] (also fled from slavery in Guatemala in the 19th century).<ref>Cho, Julian (1998).&nbsp;{{cite web|url=http://geography.berkeley.edu/ProjectsResources/MayanAtlas/MayaAtlas/mayahome.htm |title=Maya Homeland |access-date=3 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100203235635/http://geography.berkeley.edu/ProjectsResources/MayanAtlas/MayaAtlas/mayahome.htm |archive-date=3 February 2010 }}. University of California Berkeley Geography Department and the Toledo Maya of Southern Belize. Retrieved 4 January 2007.</ref> The latter groups are chiefly found in the [[Toledo District]]. The Maya speak their native languages and Spanish, and are also often fluent in English and Belizean Creole.

====Belizean Creoles====
{{Main|Belizean Creole people|Baymen}}
Belizean Creoles are primarily [[mixed-race]]d descendants of [[African slave trade|West and Central Africans]] who were brought to the [[British Honduras]] (modern Belize along the [[Bay of Honduras]]) as well as the [[English people|English]] and [[Scottish people|Scottish]] log cutters, known as the [[Baymen]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Belize-Guatemala Territorial Issue – Chapter 1|url=http://www.belizenet.com/bzeguat/intro.html|access-date=2023-02-04|website=www.belizenet.com|archive-date=1 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801161521/http://www.belizenet.com/bzeguat/intro.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="jstor.org">{{Cite journal|last=Johnson|first=Melissa A.|date=2003|title=The Making of Race and Place in Nineteenth-Century British Honduras|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3985885|journal=Environmental History|volume=8|issue=4|pages=598–617|doi=10.2307/3985885|jstor=3985885|bibcode=2003EnvH....8..598J |s2cid=144161630|issn=1084-5453|access-date=21 November 2022|archive-date=21 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221121225247/https://www.jstor.org/stable/3985885|url-status=live}}</ref>  Over the years they have also intermarried with [[Miskito people|Miskito]] from [[Nicaragua]], [[Jamaicans]] and other [[Caribbean people]], [[Hispanic Belizean|Mestizo]]s, [[White Caribbeans|Europeans]], [[Garifuna]]s, [[Maya people|Maya]], etc. The majority of Creoles trace their ancestry to several of the aforementioned groups. The creole and African slaves came to British Honduras (modern day Belize) from Jamaica, as Jamaica was the closest British colony administering British Honduras at the time and it was the slave ships' final destination. It is also mentioned that many slaves brought to Belize were trouble makers and resisters from Jamaican sugar cane plantations.

Belize town was the epicentre of the colony and many slaves ended up in the logwood and timber industry. Women and children stayed doing domestic and farm work. Slaves in Belize were more free to travel and roam around the colony due to their work. This caused the rapid integration of African slaves from different tribes and parts of Africa to mingle with the free coloureds and sons and daughters of slave owners with slaves.

Some predominant coloured or light-skinned creole communities were in the Belize river valley namely Crooked Tree, Isabela Bank, Bermudian Landings and Lemonal among others. Most of them have light or blue eyes and light skin. Unlike the fast integration and intermarriages of creoles with Africans and Hispanics in Belize City, the creoles in the Belize river valley area had a more lighter complexion and more visible European traits.

The Belizean Creole along with Africans and Garifuna make up the Afro-Belizean population; about 30% of the population. The Creoles have had a great impact in Belizean history and politics. They were active and part of the Battle of St George's Caye, Part of the British West Indies Battalion in world war one and world war two, and the Negro movement for equal rights. They were one of the first group of people to advocate for and get a higher education in Jamaica and the UK in which after returning to Belize, the educated scholars rallied and started the movement for adult suffrage, self-government and independence.  All of the important historical events started in Belize City and most of the first people involved were of creole descent which were the upper and middle class of Belize at the time. Well known Creole Belizeans were Samuel Haynes, Philip Goldson, Dean Barrow, Dame Minita Gordon, Cleopatra White, Cordel Hyde and Patrick Faber among others.

The Creole were the biggest ethnic group in Belize until the 1980s due to mass migration of Afro Belizeans to the United States, United Kingdom and West Indies from the 1960s to 1970s and the mass immigration of Central American refugees to Belize. Due to the Central American War, and political instability, the country's demographics changed forever.

====Belizean Creole language====
For all intents and purposes, Creole is an ethnic and linguistic denomination. Some natives, even with blonde hair and blue eyes, may call themselves Creoles.<ref name="Johnson 2003 pp. 598">{{cite journal|author=Johnson, Melissa A.|title=The Making of Race and Place in Nineteenth-Century British Honduras|journal=Environmental History|volume=8|issue=4|year=2003|pages=598–617|jstor=3985885|doi=10.2307/3985885|bibcode=2003EnvH....8..598J |hdl=11214/203|s2cid=144161630|url=https://suscholar.southwestern.edu/bitstream/11214/203/1/Johnson%20--%20The%20Making%20of%20Race.pdf}}{{Dead link|date=February 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>

[[Belizean Creole]] or ''Kriol'' developed during the time of slavery, and historically was only spoken by former enslaved Africans. It became an integral part of the Belizean identity, spoken by about 45% of Belizeans.<ref name="census2010">{{cite web |title=Belize Population and Housing Census 2010: Country Report |url=http://www.sib.org.bz/Portals/0/docs/publications/census/2010_Census_Report.pdf |publisher=Statistical Institute of Belize |year=2013 |access-date=11 December 2014 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127084833/http://www.sib.org.bz/Portals/0/docs/publications/census/2010_Census_Report.pdf |archive-date=27 January 2016}}</ref><ref name="Johnson 2003 pp. 598"/> Belizean Creole is derived mainly from English. Its [[substratum (linguistics)|substrate languages]] are the Native American language [[Miskito language|Miskito]], and the various [[West African]] and [[Bantu languages]], native languages of the enslaved Africans. Creoles are found all over Belize, but predominantly in urban areas such as Belize City, coastal towns and villages, and in the Belize River Valley.<ref>[http://www.kriol.org.bz/ Belize Kriol] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080928123702/http://www.kriol.org.bz/ |date=28 September 2008 }} – Kriol.org.bz (16 March 2013). Retrieved on 12 July 2013.</ref>

====Garinagu====
{{Main|Garifuna people}}
[[File:Garifuna dancers in Dangriga, Belize.jpg|left|thumb|Traditional Garifuna dancers in [[Dangriga]], Belize]]
The [[Garinagu]] (singular ''Garifuna''), at around 4.5% of the population, are a mix of West/Central African, [[Arawaks|Arawak]], and [[Island Carib]] ancestry. Though they were captives removed from their homelands, these people were never documented as slaves. The two prevailing theories are that, in 1635, they were either the survivors of two recorded shipwrecks or somehow took over the ship they came on.<ref name="www2.ku.edu">{{cite journal|last=Crawford |first=M.H. |year=1997 |url=http://www2.ku.edu/~lba/courses/articles/Crawford%20Carib.pdf |title=Biocultural adaptation to disease in the Caribbean: Case study of a migrant population |journal=Journal of Caribbean Studies. Health and Disease in the Caribbean |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=141–155 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105001105/http://www2.ku.edu/~lba/courses/articles/Crawford%20Carib.pdf |archive-date=5 November 2012 }}</ref>

Throughout history they have been incorrectly labelled as [[Black Caribs]]. When the British took over [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]] after the [[Treaty of Paris (1763)|Treaty of Paris]] in 1763, they were opposed by French settlers and their Garinagu allies. The Garinagu eventually surrendered to the British in 1796. The British separated the more African-looking Garifunas from the more indigenous-looking ones. 5,000 Garinagu were exiled from the Grenadine island of [[Baliceaux]]. About 2,500 of them survived the voyage to [[Roatán]], an island off the coast of Honduras. The [[Garifuna language]] belongs to the [[Arawakan languages|Arawakan language family]], but has a large number of loanwords from Carib languages and from English.

Because [[Roatán]] was too small and infertile to support their population, the Garinagu petitioned the Spanish authorities of Honduras to be allowed to settle on the mainland coast. The Spanish employed them as soldiers, and they spread along the Caribbean coast of Central America. The Garinagu settled in Seine Bight, [[Punta Gorda, Belize|Punta Gorda]] and Punta Negra, Belize, by way of Honduras as early as 1802. In Belize, 19 November 1832 is the date officially recognized as "[[Garifuna Settlement Day]]" in Dangriga.<ref name="2000 Belize Census">{{cite web|url=http://celade.cepal.org/cgibin/RpWebEngine.exe/PortalAction?MODE=MAIN&BASE=CPVBLZ2000&MAIN=WebServerMain.inl |title=Belize 2000 Housing and Population Census |access-date=9 September 2008 |year=2000 |publisher=Belize Central Statistical Office }}{{dead link|date=May 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

According to one genetic study, their ancestry is on average 76% [[Sub Saharan Africa]]n, 20% [[Arawak]]/[[Island Carib]] and 4% [[European ethnic groups|European]].<ref name="www2.ku.edu"/>

====Belizean Hispanics====
The Hispanic population in Belize makes up about half of the population and consists of two main groups, the Yucatec Mestizos, better known as Mestizos, and the Central American Refugees and migrants. [[Central American]] immigrants from [[El Salvador]], [[Guatemala]], [[Honduras]] and [[Nicaragua]]
{{see also| Mestizo}}
The Mestizo are people of mixed Spanish and Yucatec Maya descent. They were the first to bring the Catholicism and the Spanish language to Belize after various failed attempts over the century by Spanish conquistadores. They originally came to Belize in 1847, to escape the [[Caste War of Yucatán|Caste War]], which occurred when thousands of Mayas rose against the state in Yucatán and massacred over one-third of the population. The surviving others fled across the borders into British territory. The Mestizos are found everywhere in Belize but most make their homes in the northern districts of Corozal and Orange Walk. In the 1980s a wave of Central American migrants from [[El Salvador]], [[Guatemala]], [[Honduras]], and [[Nicaragua]] came to settle in Belize. The Government of Belize with the help of the United Nations opened the nation's doors to Central American neighbors fleeing from civil war and persecution.

Due to the influences of Belizean Creole and English, many Mestizos speak what is known as [[Spanglish|"Kitchen Spanish"]].<ref name="ambergriscaye.com">{{cite news | title=Northern Belize Caste War History; Location | url=http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/holidays.html | access-date=21 February 2013 | archive-date=20 November 1996 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961120201952/http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/holidays.html | url-status=live }}</ref> The mixture of Yucatec Mestizo and Yucatec<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3653717 | jstor=3653717 | title=Social Categories, Ethnicity and the State in Yucatán, Mexico | last1=Gabbert | first1=Wolfgang | journal=Journal of Latin American Studies | year=2001 | volume=33 | issue=3 | pages=459–484 | doi=10.1017/S0022216X01005983 | pmid=17657902 | s2cid=21033334 | access-date=2 May 2023 | archive-date=2 May 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230502184415/https://www.jstor.org/stable/3653717 | url-status=live }}</ref> Maya foods like tamales, escabeche, chirmole, relleno, and empanadas came from their Mexican side and corn tortillas were handed down by their Mayan side. Music comes mainly from the [[marimba]], but they also play and sing with the guitar. Dances performed at village fiestas include the Hog-Head, Zapateados, the Mestizada, Paso Doble and many more.
Just like Southern Mexico and Northern Belize the marimba and its music is an iconic and important traditional folklore instrument across Central America. Some typical Central American foods blended into the Belizean gastronomy are the famous Salvadorian pupusas, the famous Honduran baleadas, the gacho, tajadas, tostones and they have also influenced the form of the Spanish language in the South of Belize. In the short span of their mass migration to Belize, Central American immigrants have contributed significantly to Belize not only culturally but also economically.

The Yucatec Mestizo culture is unique and very different from the culture of those migrants and refugees coming form other Central American countries. Mestizos make up 37% of the population and Latin American Immigrants and refugees make up  15% of the population. Together the Mestizo and Hispanic population make up roughly 52% of the Belizean population.

====White Belizeans====
[[White people|Whites]] in Belize form around 4.8% of the population, largely from Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, [[Lebanese people|Lebanon]], [[Mennonites|Mennonite communities]] and others brought to assist the country's development.  Irish settlers and migrants and veterans from [[Louisiana]] and other Southern states established [[Confederate settlements in British Honduras]] and introduced commercial sugar cane production to the colony, establishing 11 settlements in the interior.
The biggest White group are the Mennonites: they divide themselves into traditional and conservative or orthodox Mennonites and modern or reformed Mennonites.

{{Main|Mennonites in Belize}}
[[File:Menonite Children.JPG|thumb|[[Mennonites|Mennonite]] children selling peanuts near Lamanai in Belize.]]

Over 12,000 [[Plautdietsch language|Plautdietsch]]-speaking [[Mennonites in Belize|Mennonites]] live in Belize, farming the land and living according to their religious beliefs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sib.org.bz/Portals/0/docs/publications/census/2010_Census_Report.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127084833/http://www.sib.org.bz/Portals/0/docs/publications/census/2010_Census_Report.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Belize Population and Housing Census – Country Report 2010|archive-date=27 January 2016}}</ref>

The majority of the [[Mennonites|Mennonite]] population comprises so-called [[Russian Mennonites]] of German descent who settled in the [[Russian Empire]] during the 18th and 19th centuries. Most Russian Mennonites live in Mennonite settlements like [[Spanish Lookout]], [[Shipyard, Belize|Shipyard]], [[Little Belize]], and Blue Creek. These Mennonites speak [[Plautdietsch]] (a [[Low German|Low German dialect]]) in everyday life, but use mostly [[Standard German]] for reading (the Bible) and writing. The Plautdietsch-speaking [[Mennonites in Mexico|Mennonites came mostly from Mexico]] in the years after 1958 and they are trilingual with proficiency in Spanish. There are also some mainly [[Pennsylvania Dutch]]-speaking [[Old Order Mennonites]] who came from the United States and Canada in the late 1960s. They live primarily in [[Upper Barton Creek]] and associated settlements. These Mennonites attracted people from different [[Anabaptist]] backgrounds who formed a new community. They look quite similar to [[Amish|Old Order Amish]], but are different from them.

====East Indians====
{{Main|Indo-Belizeans}}
'''Indo-Belizeans''', also known as '''East Indian Belizeans''', are citizens of Belize of [[Indian people|Indian]] ancestry. The community made up 3.9% of the population of Belize in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/belize/|title=The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency|website=www.cia.gov|date=11 April 2023|access-date=24 January 2021|archive-date=9 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109132306/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/belize/|url-status=live}}</ref> and are a bit over 2% presently. They are part of the wider [[Indo-Caribbean]] community, which itself is a part of the global [[Indian diaspora]].

East Indians began arriving in Belize after the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]], with the first ship with Indians arriving in 1858 as part of the [[Indian indenture system]] set up by the British government after slavery was abolished.<ref name="auto">{{cite web | url=https://chabilmarvillas.com/east-indians-of-belize.html | title=The East Indians of Belize – Everything You Need to Know | date=11 December 2021 | access-date=6 May 2024 | archive-date=30 November 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231130130657/https://chabilmarvillas.com/east-indians-of-belize.html | url-status=live }}</ref> Initially coming in as indentured, many of them stayed on to work the sugar plantations and were joined by other Indian immigrants. Indians have spread out over many villages and towns primarily in the Corozal and Toledo districts and live in reasonably compact rural communities. While there are few descendants of the original Indian indentured immigrants of full Indian descent, many of their descendants intermarried with other ethnic groups in Belize, notably the [[Belizean Creole people|Creoles]] and [[Hispanic and Latin American Belizean|Mestizos]]. However, they are still identifiable through their physiognomy and are known as 'Hindus' or 'East Indians'.<ref name="auto"/> This set of Indians were almost entirely composed of people from the [[Bhojpuri region|Bhojpur]] region, [[Awadh]] region, and other places in the [[Hindi Belt|Hindustani Belt]] in [[North India]]. A minority of indentured labourers were from [[South India]] and other regions throughout [[South Asia]]. Most Indians in urban areas are entrepreneurs and are invested in the import and retail industry.

====East Asian and Arabs====
{{Main|Ethnic Chinese in Belize}}
The 20th century saw the arrival of more Asian settlers from [[Mainland China]], India, [[Syria]] and [[Lebanon]]. [[Said Musa]], the son of an immigrant from [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]], was the [[Prime Minister of Belize]] from 1998 to 2008.

The importation of Chinese workers to British Honduras was a response to economic shifts in the mid-19th century. As [[Haematoxylum campechianum|logwood]] and [[mahogany]] production declined, [[sugarcane]] [[plantations]] became of increasing importance. Recruitment of workers from China was facilitated by the colonial governor [[John Gardiner Austin]], who had previously served as a labour broker in [[Xiamen]], [[Fujian]] on China's southeast coast.<ref name="Robinson108">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xrGShVU6VrgC&pg=PA108 |page=108 |title=The Chinese in Latin America and the Caribbean |editor-first1=Chee |editor-last1=Beng Tan |editor-first2=Walton |editor-last2=Look Lai |first1=St John |last1=Robinson|date=2010 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-18213-4 }}</ref> 474 Chinese workers thus arrived in British Honduras in 1865.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sell |first=Zach |date=April 2017 |title=Asian Indentured Labor in the Age of African American Emancipation |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-labor-and-working-class-history/article/asian-indentured-labor-in-the-age-of-african-american-emancipation/48C74291A23F4EB8C0D09AC7A128A7A7#fn85 |journal=International Labor and Working-Class History |language=en |volume=91 |pages=8–27 |doi=10.1017/S0147547916000375 |issn=0147-5479}}</ref> They were sent to the north of the colony, but were reassigned to central and southern areas beginning in 1866 due to the large numbers of deaths and abscondments.<ref name="Robinson108"/> By 1869, only 211 remained accounted for; 108 had died, while another 155 had sought refuge with the native peoples at [[Chan Santa Cruz]].

From the 1990s and presently, Belize has been a safe haven for those of East Asian and Arab descent, and many have integrated into Belizean society. Belize's [[Immigrant investor programs|citizenship-by-investment]] programme, which began in 1986, was a popular option among Chinese migrants in the 1990s.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=50aL41XGlQAC&pg=PA27 |first1=Anne |last1=Sutherland |title=The Making of Belize: Globalization in the Margins |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |date=1998 |isbn=9780897895798 |page=27}}</ref> In response to the demand, the price rose from US$25,000 to US$50,000 in 1997. Hong Kong migrants, who lacked real [[British citizenship]] but only had [[British National (Overseas)]] status, sought to obtain [[Belizean passport]]s as an insurance policy in case conditions in their homeland went downhill after the [[Transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong|1997 resumption of sovereignty by China]].

The East Asian and Arab Belizeans are an overwhelmingly urban population, with five-sixths living in cities, the highest proportion out of all tabulated ethnic groups. This is a slightly higher proportion than the Garifuna people and Creoles, but contrasting sharply with East Indians, of whom roughly half live in rural areas. East Asian and Arab Belizeans have a significant presence in the retail industry and fast food restaurant chains in Belize. Belizean Arabs mostly reside in Belize City and the towns in the islands and cayes. Belizean Arabs, although a minority, have contributed significantly to politics and education throughout the history of Belize. Some influential Arab families are the Musas, Espat, Shoman, and Chebat among others. Their influence on the People's United Party has made Belize an advocate for Palestine's right to self-determination.

====Emigration, immigration, and demographic shifts====

Creoles and other ethnic groups are emigrating mostly to the United States, but also to the United Kingdom and other developed nations for better opportunities. Based on the latest [[U.S. Census]], the number of Belizeans in the United States is approximately 160,000 (including 70,000 legal residents and naturalized citizens), consisting mainly of Creoles and Garinagu.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Census.gov|url=https://www.census.gov/en.html|access-date=2021-11-23|website=Census.gov|language=EN-US|archive-date=27 December 1996|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/https://www.census.gov/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Because of conflicts in neighboring Central American nations, [[refugee]]s from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras have fled to Belize in significant numbers from the 1980s onward, and have significantly added to Belize's Hispanic population. This has significantly changed the country's ethnic makeup.<ref name="paulglassman.com">{{cite news | title=People of Belize | url =http://www.paulglassman.com/bg4.htm | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20110715053315/http://www.paulglassman.com/bg4.htm | archive-date =15 July 2011 | access-date =14 February 2008 }}</ref> In the 2020 U.S. Census Data, Belizeans made the top 5, ranking at number 4, of largest "Some Other Race Alone" or "Some Other Race Alone or in Any Combination" group. The number of Belizeans in the "Some Other Race Alone" was 11,311 people, and the number of Belizeans in the "Some Other Race Alone or in any Combination" was 48,618 people.<ref>{{Cite web |publisher=United States Census Bureau |title=Census Bureau Releases 2020 Census Population for More Than 200 New Detailed Race and Ethnicity Groups |url=https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2023/09/2020-census-dhc-a-race-overview.html |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=Census.gov}}</ref> However, the U.S. State Department estimates upwards 100,000 Belizeans are in the U.S., making it the largest Belizean diaspora outside of Belize.<ref name=":03"/>

$2.62 billion U.S. dollars were given in aid to Belize from the United States between 2020 and 2023, to help combat an increase in trafficking, including drug and human, narcotic smuggling, and the spread of organized gang violence. The aid was dedicated to reinforcing Belize's police enforcement system and tighter border regulations.<ref name=":03" /> Belize led to a request for assistance from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in 2016, which led to the 2018 launch of a national migration policy plan.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |title=UN Migration Agency to Support Belize Develop New Migration Policy |url=https://www.iom.int/news/un-migration-agency-support-belize-develop-new-migration-policy |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=International Organization for Migration |language=en}}</ref>  Most migrants enter Belize with intentions to cross into the U.S., and as of 2018, migrants made up 15% of Belize's population.<ref name=":12" />

Emigration from Belize has tended to be concentrated on the United States, and sometimes Canada or other English-speaking countries. The majority of immigrants to Belize are from other Central American countries like Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Honduras, as Belize has a fairly welcoming immigration policy to help these newcomers assimilate.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |title=Belize |url=https://migrants-refugees.va/country-profile/belize/ |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=Migrants & Refugees Section |language=en-US}}</ref> Belizeans have historically moved to the US and Canada mostly in search of better educational opportunities, family reunions, and economic prospects.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Belize |url=https://www.iom.int/countries/belize |access-date=2024-12-09 |website=International Organization for Migration |language=en}}</ref> Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a key instrument that has made this trend possible in the US. TPS allows individuals from nations that are undergoing armed conflicts, natural disasters, or extraordinary situations to temporarily stay in the United States. This status has been especially important for Belizeans since Hurricane Hattie in 1961 forced major internal relocation.<ref name=":5" /> Belizean immigrants frequently participate in family reunion programs in Canada, which is consistent with the country's larger immigration policy that values social integration and family harmony.

Belize's major economic sector is services, making up over 60% of the economy. Nearly 50% of migrants came from Guatemala, and the total composition of the migrants was around 50% men and 49% women.<ref name=":22" /> The majority of Guatemalan migrants were from indigenous populations like the Mopan Maya or Kekchi Maya Indians, and many remained in urban areas for economic opportunity, while native Belizeans moved to rural areas.

===Languages===

{{bar box
|title=Languages in Belize
|titlebar=#ddd
|left1=Languages
|right1=percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|English|darkgreen|80.9}}
{{bar percent|Spanish|red|62.8}}
{{bar percent|Creole|purple|44.6}}
{{bar percent|Mayan|black|10.5}}
{{bar percent|German|orange|4.2}}
{{bar percent|Garifuna|darkblue|2.9}}
{{bar percent|Caribbean Hindustani/Hindi|brown|1.9}}
{{bar percent|Chinese|green|0.9}}
{{bar percent|Other|maroon|0.9}}
{{bar percent|None|darkgray|0.2}}
{{bar percent|American Sign Language|gray|0.3}}
}}
{{Main|Languages of Belize}}

[[English language|English]] is the official language of Belize, a legacy of its former status as a British colony. Belize is the only country in Central America with English as the official language. English is the primary language of public education, government, and most media outlets. Although English is widely used, [[Belizean Creole]] is spoken in several situations, whether informal, formal, social, or interethnic{{clarify|date=August 2024}} dialogue, even in meetings of the House of Representatives.

When a creole language exists alongside its [[lexifier]] language, as is the case in Belize, a continuum forms between the creole and the lexifier language.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Belize English Creole|url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/bzj|access-date=2021-11-23|website=Ethnologue|language=en|archive-date=12 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412124347/https://www.ethnologue.com/language/bzj|url-status=live}}</ref>

Approximately 52.9% of Belizeans self-identify as [[Mestizo]], [[Hispanic]]. When Belize was a British colony, [[Spanish language|Spanish]] was banned in schools, but since then it has become widely spoken. [[Spanglish|"Kitchen Spanish"]] is an intermediate form of Spanish mixed with Belize Creole, spoken in the northern districts. Some good examples are [[Corozal Town|Corozal]] and [[San Pedro Town|San Pedro]].<ref name="ambergriscaye.com"/>

Over half the population is [[multilingual]],<ref>{{cite book|last1=Merrill|first1=Tim|title=Guyana and Belize: Country Studies|date=1993|publisher=Library of Congress|location=Washington, D.C.|page=201}}</ref> owing to Belize's status as a small, multiethnic state, surrounded by Spanish-speaking nations.<ref name="belize2011">{{Cite web|title=Belize Demographics Country Profile {{pipe}} With Belize Census Data|url=https://belize.com/belize-demographics/|access-date=2021-11-23|website=belize.com|language=en-US|archive-date=23 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230723091826/https://belize.com/belize-demographics/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Belize is also home to three [[Mayan languages]]: [[Q'eqchi' language|Q'eqchi']], [[Mopan language|Mopan]] (an [[endangered language]]), and [[Yucatec Maya language|Yucatec Maya]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Q'eqchi'|url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/kek|access-date=2021-11-23|website=Ethnologue|language=en|archive-date=12 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412124347/https://www.ethnologue.com/language/kek|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Maya, Mopán|url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/mop|access-date=2021-11-23|website=Ethnologue|language=en|archive-date=5 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105083603/https://www.ethnologue.com/language/mop|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Maya, Yucatec|url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/yua|access-date=2021-11-23|website=Ethnologue|language=en|archive-date=29 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229170238/https://www.ethnologue.com/language/yua|url-status=live}}</ref>
Approximately 16,100 people speak the [[Ta-Arawakan languages|Arawakan-based]] [[Garifuna language]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Garifuna|url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/cab|access-date=2021-11-23|website=Ethnologue|language=en|archive-date=26 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326032520/https://www.ethnologue.com/language/cab|url-status=live}}</ref> and 6,900 Mennonites in Belize speak mainly [[Plautdietsch language|Plautdietsch]] while a minority of Mennonites speak [[Pennsylvania Dutch language|Pennsylvania Dutch]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Plautdietsch|url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/pdt|access-date=2021-11-23|website=Ethnologue|language=en|archive-date=2 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402192648/https://www.ethnologue.com/language/pdt|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Largest cities===
{{See also|List of municipalities in Belize}}
{{Largest cities
| country      = Belize
| stat_ref     = [http://www.sib.org.bz/Portals/0/docs/publications/census/2010_Census_Report.pdf Belize Population and Housing Census 2010]
| list_by_pop  = 
| div_name     = District
| div_link     =

|city_1 = Belize City
|div_1 = Belize District
|pop_1 = 57,169
|img_1 = Belize City Aerial Shots.jpg

|city_2 = San Ignacio, Belize{{!}}San Ignacio
|div_2 = Cayo District
|pop_2 = 17,878
|img_2 = San Ignacio Laslovarga016.JPG

|city_3 = Belmopan
|div_3 = Cayo District
|pop_3 = 13,939
|img_3 = Belmopan Belize View.jpg

|city_4 = Orange Walk Town
|div_4 = Orange Walk District
|pop_4 = 13,708
|img_4 = OWtownBZE.JPG

|city_5 = San Pedro Town
|div_5 = Belize District
|pop_5 = 11,767

|city_6 = Corozal Town
|div_6 = Corozal District
|pop_6 = 10,287

|city_7 = Dangriga
|div_7 = Stann Creek District
|pop_7 = 9,593

|city_8 = Benque Viejo del Carmen
|div_8 = Cayo District
|pop_8 = 6,140

|city_9 = Ladyville
|div_9 = Belize District
|pop_9 = 5,458

|city_10 = Punta Gorda, Belize{{!}}Punta Gorda
|div_10 = Toledo District
|pop_10 = 5,351
}}

===Religion===
{{main|Religion in Belize}}
According to the 2010 census,<ref name="census2010"/> 40.1% of Belizeans were [[Catholics]], 31.8% [[Protestants]] (8.4% [[Pentecostal]]; 5.4% [[Adventist]]; 4.7% [[Anglican]]; 3.7% [[Mennonite]]; 3.6% [[Baptist]]; 2.9% [[Methodist]]; 2.8% [[Church of the Nazarene|Nazarene]]), 1.7% were [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], 10.3% adhered to other religions ([[Maya religion]], [[Garifuna religion]], [[Obeah]] and [[Myalism]], and minorities of [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], [[Hinduism|Hindus]], [[Buddhism|Buddhists]], [[Islam|Muslims]], [[Baháʼí Faith|Baháʼís]], [[Rastafarians]] and other) and 15.5% professed to be irreligious.
[[File:HRrubenFromWest.jpg|thumb|right|[[Holy Redeemer Catholic Parish, Belize City]]]]
According to PROLADES, Belize's population was 64.6% Catholic, 27.8% Protestant, and 7.6% of other faiths in 1971.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.prolades.com/cra/regions/cam/bel/belize_census_1970-2010.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.prolades.com/cra/regions/cam/bel/belize_census_1970-2010.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live | title=National Census of Belize Religious Affiliation, 1970–2010 | first=Clifton L. | last=Holland | date=8 September 2011 | access-date=8 May 2017 }}</ref> Until the late 1990s, Belize was [[History of the Catholic Church in Belize|a Catholic-majority country]]. Catholics formed 57% of the population in 1991, a share that dropped to 49% in 2000. The percentage of Catholics in the population has been decreasing in the past few decades due to the growth of Protestant churches, other religions and irreligiosity.<ref>[http://www.caricomstats.org/Files/Publications/NCR%20Reports/Belize.pdf Belize 2000 Census] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125104920/http://www.caricomstats.org/Files/Publications/NCR%20Reports/Belize.pdf |date=25 January 2012}}. caricomstats.org</ref>

In addition to Catholics, there has always been [[Protestantism in Belize|a large accompanying Protestant minority]]. It was brought by [[British people|British]], [[German people|German]], and other settlers to the British colony of [[British Honduras]]. From the beginning, it was largely [[Anglican]] and [[Mennonite]] in nature. The Protestant community in Belize experienced a large [[Pentecostal]] and [[Seventh-Day Adventist]] influx tied to the recent spread of various [[Evangelical Protestant]] denominations throughout [[Latin America]]. Geographically speaking, [[Mennonites in Belize|German Mennonites]] live mostly in the rural districts of Cayo and Orange Walk.

The [[Greek Orthodox Church]] has a presence in [[Santa Elena, Belize|Santa Elena]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.orthodoxchurch.bz/ |title=Orthodox Church of Belize homepage |publisher=Orthodoxchurch.bz |date=22 August 1982 |access-date=29 August 2010 |archive-date=2 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502203936/http://orthodoxchurch.bz/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The [[Association of Religion Data Archives]] estimates there were 7,776 Baháʼís in Belize in 2005, or 2.5% of the national population. Their estimates suggest this is the highest proportion of Baháʼís in any country.<ref>{{cite web|title=Most Baha'i Nations (2005)|url=http://www.thearda.com/QuickLists/QuickList_40.asp|website=The Association for Religion Data Archives|access-date=21 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151209035957/http://www.thearda.com/QuickLists/QuickList_40.asp|archive-date=9 December 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Their data also states that the Baháʼí Faith is the second most common religion in Belize, following Christianity.<ref>{{cite web|title=Belize: Religious Adherents (2010)|url=http://www.thearda.com/internationalData/countries/Country_23_2.asp|website=The Association for Religion Data Archives|access-date=21 November 2015|archive-date=22 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151122030203/http://www.thearda.com/internationalData/countries/Country_23_2.asp|url-status=dead}}</ref> Hinduism is followed by most Indian immigrants. [[Sikhs]] were the first [[Indians in Belize|Indian immigrants to Belize (not counting indentured workers)]], and the former [[Chief Justice of Belize]] [[George Singh]] was the son of a [[Sikh diaspora|Sikh immigrant]],<ref name="News519980202">{{cite news|url=http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/25393|title=Chief and two new justices sworn in|work=News 5 Belize|date=2 February 1998|access-date=20 April 2012|archive-date=10 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410223718/https://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/25393|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="SGV">{{cite web|url=http://www.sikhglobalvillage.com/stories_sikhbelize1.htm|title=Immigrant Stories: Belize|publisher=Sikh Global Village|access-date=20 April 2012|archive-date=17 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417134046/https://www.sikhglobalvillage.com/stories_sikhbelize1.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> there was also a Sikh cabinet minister. Belize's Muslim population dates from the 1980s. Muslims numbered 577 in 2010 according to the official statistics,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://belize.com/belize-demographics/|title=Belize Demographics Country Profile {{pipe}} With Belize Census Data|website=belize.com|access-date=17 November 2019|archive-date=23 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230723091826/https://belize.com/belize-demographics/|url-status=live}}</ref> accounting for 0.16 percent of the population.

=== Health ===
{{further|Healthcare in Belize}}
Belize has a high prevalence of communicable diseases such as respiratory diseases and intestinal illnesses.<ref name=MoH>[https://www.healthresearchweb.org/files/National_Health_Policies-Belize_2007-2011.pdf Health Agenda 2007 – 2011] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324053628/https://healthresearchweb.org/files/national_health_policies-belize_2007-2011.pdf |date=24 March 2016 }}. Ministry of Health, Belize</ref>

===Education===
{{main|Education in Belize}}
A number of kindergartens, secondary, and tertiary schools in Belize provide education for students—mostly funded by the government. Belize has about a dozen [[List of universities in Belize|tertiary level institutions]], the most prominent of which is the [[University of Belize]], which evolved out of the University College of Belize founded in 1986. Before that [[St. John's College, Belize|St. John's College]], founded in 1877, dominated the tertiary education field. The Open Campus of the [[University of the West Indies]] has a site in Belize.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Open Campus in Belize |url=http://www.open.uwi.edu/belize |website=Open Campus |publisher=The University of the West Indies |access-date=16 March 2019 |archive-date=27 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527065326/https://www.open.uwi.edu/belize |url-status=live }}</ref> It also has campuses in [[Barbados]], [[Trinidad]], and [[Jamaica]]. The government of Belize contributes financially to the UWI.

Education in Belize is compulsory between the ages of six and 14 years. {{As of|2010}}, the literacy rate in Belize was estimated to be 79.7%,<ref name="census2010"/> one of the [[List of countries by literacy rate|lowest in the Western Hemisphere]].

The educational policy is currently following the "Education Sector Strategy 2011–2016", which sets three objectives for the years to come: Improving access, quality, and governance of the education system by providing technical and [[vocational education]] and training.<ref>{{cite web|title=TVET Country Profiles|url=http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/worldtvetdatabase1.php?ct=BLZ|access-date=2021-11-23|website=www.unevoc.unesco.org|archive-date=13 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413140950/http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/worldtvetdatabase1.php?ct=BLZ|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Crime===
Belize has moderate rates of violent crime.<ref name="state1">{{cite web|url=https://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1055.html|title=Belize: Country Specific Information|publisher=US Department of State|access-date=17 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501204518/http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1055.html|archive-date=1 May 2013}}</ref> The majority of violence in Belize stems from gang activity, which includes trafficking of drugs and persons, protecting drug smuggling routes, and securing territory for drug dealing.<ref name="police2006">{{cite web|title=Serious Crimes Comparative Summary 2006–2007 |url=http://police.gov.bz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=74&Itemid=26 |publisher=Belize Police Department |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605094405/http://police.gov.bz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=74&Itemid=26 |archive-date=5 June 2013}}</ref>

In 2023, 87 murders were recorded in Belize, giving the country a homicide rate of 19.7 murders per 100,000 inhabitants,<ref name="bco2024">{{cite web |title=Belize Crime Observatory Statistical Report: 2023 |url=https://bco.wimp.bz/file_directory/files/annual_report/End_of_Year_2023_Report.pdf |publisher=Government of Belize |access-date=7 April 2024 |date=1 March 2024 |archive-date=7 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240407151130/https://bco.wimp.bz/file_directory/files/annual_report/End_of_Year_2023_Report.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> lower than the neighbouring countries of Mexico and [[Honduras]], but higher than [[Guatemala]] and [[El Salvador]].<ref name="InSight">{{cite web |last1=Manjarrés |first1=Juliana |last2=Newton |first2=Christopher |title=InSight Crime's 2023 Homicide Round-Up |url=https://insightcrime.org/news/insight-crime-2023-homicide-round-up/ |website=InSight Crime |access-date=7 April 2024 |date=21 February 2024 |archive-date=7 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240407152503/https://insightcrime.org/news/insight-crime-2023-homicide-round-up/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Belize District]] (containing Belize City) had the most murders by far compared to all the other districts. In 2023, 66% of the murders occurred in the Belize District.<ref name="bco2024"/> The violence in Belize City (especially the southern part of the city) is largely due to gang warfare.<ref name="state1"/>

In 2023, there were 34 reported cases of rape, 170 robberies, 628 burglaries, and 118 cases of theft.<ref name="bco2024"/>

=== Social structure ===
{{further|Belizean society}}
Belize's social structure is marked by enduring differences in the distribution of wealth, power, and prestige. Because of the small size of Belize's population and the intimate scale of social relations, the social distance between the rich and the poor, while significant, is nowhere as vast as in other [[Caribbean]] and [[Central America]]n societies, such as [[Jamaica]] and [[El Salvador]]. Belize lacks the violent class and racial conflict that has figured so prominently in the social life of its Central American neighbours.<ref name=sbs>Rutheiser, Charles C., "Structure of Belizean Society". In Merrill.</ref>

Political and economic power remain vested in the hands of the local elite. The sizeable middle group is composed of peoples of different ethnic backgrounds. This middle group does not constitute a unified [[social class]], but rather a number of middle-class and [[working-class]] groups, loosely oriented around shared dispositions toward education, cultural respectability, and possibilities for upward social mobility. These beliefs, and the social practices they engender, help distinguish the middle group from the grass roots majority of the [[Belizean people]].<ref name=sbs/>

===Women===
In 2021, the [[World Economic Forum]] ranked Belize 90th out of 156 countries in its [[Global Gender Gap Report]]. Of all the countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Belize ranked fourth from last. It ranked higher in the categories of "economic participation and opportunity" and "health and survival", but very low in "political empowerment".<ref name="ggr">{{cite web|title=The Global Gender Gap Report 2021|url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GGGR_2021.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GGGR_2021.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|publisher=World Economic Forum}}</ref> In 2019, the [[United Nations|UN]] gave Belize a [[Gender Inequality Index]] score of 0.415, ranking it 97th out of 162 countries.<ref name="hdr">{{cite web|title=Human Development Report |url=http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr2020.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr2020.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |publisher=United Nations Development Programme |year=2020}}</ref>

{{As of|2019}}, 49.9% of women in Belize participate in the workforce, compared to 80.6% of men.<ref name="hdr"/> 11.1% of the seats in Belize's [[National Assembly (Belize)|National Assembly]] are filled by women.<ref name="hdr"/>