Editing Demographics of Belize (section)

==Languages==
{{Main|Languages of Belize}}
[[English language|English]] is the only official language of Belize. It is the main language used in government and education.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761562789_2/Belize.html#s3 |title=Belize: Language and Religion |access-date=2008-09-09 |encyclopedia=MSN Encarta Encyclopedia |publisher=Microsoft Corporation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091101065306/http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761562789_2/Belize.html |archive-date=2009-11-01 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  Although only 5.6% of the population speaks it as the main language at home, 54% can speak it very well, and another 26% can speak some English. 37% of Belizeans consider their primary language to be [[Belizean Kriol language|Kriol]], an English-based [[Creole language|creole]] of words and syntax from various [[African languages]] (namely [[Akan language|Akan]], [[Igbo language|Igbo]], and [[Twi language|Twi]]),<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.kriol.org.bz/ |title=Belize Kriol |access-date=5 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080928123702/http://www.kriol.org.bz/ |archive-date=28 September 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and other languages ([[Miskito language|Miskito]]). 

Kriol shares similarities with many [[Caribbean]] English Creoles as far as phonology and pronunciations are concerned. Also, many of its words and structures are both lexically and phonologically similar to English, its superstrate language. Because it is English-based, all Kriol speakers can understand English. A number of linguists classify Belizean Kriol as a separate language, while others consider it to be a [[dialect]] of English.

[[Spanish language|Spanish]] is the mother tongue of Mestizo and Central American [[refugee]]s and is commonly spoken at home by 56.6% to 68.8% of the population. Maya dialects such as [[Q'eqchi' language|Q'eqchi']], [[Mopan language|Mopan]] and [[Yucatec language|Yucatec]] are spoken. [[Garifuna language|Garifuna]] (which is [[Arawakan]]/[[Maipurean]] based, with elements of the [[Carib language]], French, and Spanish) and the [[Plautdietsch]] and [[Pennsylvania Dutch|Pennsylvania German]] dialects of the Mennonites are spoken as well. Literacy currently stands at nearly 80%. In 2001, [[UNESCO]] declared the Garifuna language, dance, and music a "[[Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity]]". English is the primary language of public education, with Spanish taught in primary and secondary school as well. Bilingualism is highly encouraged, and therefore, very common.

{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="5" | English & Spanish Language Proficiency<ref name="2000 Belize Census"/>
|-
! width="120" | Language
! width="80" | Speaks Very Well
! width="80" | Speaks Some
! width="80" | Total
|- align=right
| align=left | [[English language|English]]
| 54%
| 26%
| 80%
|- align=right
| align=left | [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
| 52%
| 11%
| 63%
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Languages in Belize<ref name="CIABELIZE"/>
!Language
!Percentage
|-
| align="left" | [[English language|English]]
| align="right" |62.9%
|-
| align="left" |[[Spanish language|Spanish]]
| align="right" |56.6%
|-
| align="left" | [[Creole language|Creole]]
| align="right" |44.6%
|-
| align="left" | [[Mayan languages|Maya]]
| align="right" |  10.5%
|-
| align="left" | [[German language|German]]
| align="right" |3.2%
|-
| align="left" |[[Garifuna language|Garifuna]]
| align="right" |  2.9%
|-
| align="left" | Other
| align="right" | 1.8%
|-
| align="left" | unknown
| align="right" | 0.3%
|-
| align="left" | none (cannot speak)
|align="left" |0.2%
|}