North & Central America and Caribbean

Belize
Last reviewed: 13 August 2010

Country information

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Map of Belize

BELIZE TODAY

Country Facts

Area: 22,965 sq km (8,867 square miles)
Population: 331,000 (Mid-2009 est.). Source: Statistical Institute of Belize
Capital City: Belmopan (population: 18,100 Mid-2008 est.)
People: Mestizos (Maya/Spanish) 34%, Kriol (Creole - Afro-Caribbean) 25%, Latinos 15%, Maya 11%, European, Indian and Chinese 9%, and Garifuna 6%.
Language(s): Officially English; however, around half the population claim Spanish as a first language and Kriol (Creole) is also widely spoken. There are a number of indigenous languages, such as Garifuna, Maya and Ketchi.
Religion(s): Predominantly Christian; the Roman Catholic Church is the largest denomination comprising around half the population, but there are also many Protestant and Evangelical churches. Small groups practice Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Bahai.
Currency: Belizean Dollar (BZ$). BZ$2 equates to US$1.
Major political parties: The People's United Party (PUP), United Democratic Party (UDP).
Government: 2-Chamber National Assembly. Senate of 13: 7 appointed by the Prime Minister, 3 by the Leader of the Opposition and 1 each by the National Trade Union Congress of Civil Society, the Belize Council of Churches and Belize Chamber of Commerce. The Lower House, the House of Representatives, has 31 (not including the Speaker) directly elected members serving a 5-year term. The last Government elections were held on 7 February 2008.
Head of State: HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented by Governor-General, Sir Colville Norbert Young Sr, KCMG.
Prime Minister: Hon Dean Oliver Barrow
Deputy Prime Minister: Hon Gaspar Vega
Foreign Minister: Hon Wilfred Elrington
Membership of international groupings/organisations: Belize is a member of the United Nations and WTO (World Trade Organisation) and the regional groupings of CARICOM (Caribbean Community and Common Market), SICA (Central American Integration System), OAS (Organisation of American States), Commonwealth, ACP (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific), NAM (Non-Aligned Movement), San Jose Group, Association of Caribbean States (ACS), CDB (Caribbean Development Bank), the World Bank Group, IMF (International Monetary Fund) and IDB (Inter-American Development Bank)

HEALTH

Overall health conditions in Belize compare favourably with neighbouring Central American countries, though still poor. The government is the main provider of health services which include the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, a national referral hospital in Belize City, three regional and three district/community hospitals, approximately 40 health centres, 30 health posts and a mental health facility. A major reform of the health sector, including reorganisation of services, infrastructure development and financing is currently underway designed to improve the efficiency, equity and quality of health care services and to promote healthier lifestyles. Services provided by these facilities are complemented by national programmes for maternal and child health, environmental public health and water safety inspection, health promotion education and nutrition, dental health, communicable disease control and HIV/AIDS. The leading cause(s) of death in Belize is (are) heart disease, secondary to diabetes, hypertension and road traffic accidents, cerebrovascular disease, followed by high blood pressure and HIV/AIDS.

HIV/AIDS was first diagnosed in Belize in 1986. Since then, there was an increase, until 2008 when the number of new cases diagnosed began to show a slight decline. UNAIDS estimates there is a 2.1% prevalence rate of HIV in Belize – the third highest in the Caribbean - and that there are approximately 3,600 people living with HIV/AIDS in Belize. In 2000, Belize established a National AIDS Commission to co-ordinate a national multi-sectoral strategy to respond to the challenges of HIV/AIDS in the country Belize accepted Recommendations at its UN Human Rights Commission UPR to “further strengthen activities to prevent the spread of HIV and stigmatization and discrimination against people living with HIV”.

See UK development Assistance section below for DFID Caribbean programmes for HIV/AIDS.