Belize Demographics Profile 2009

Population

307,899 (July 2009 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 37.9% (male 59,462/female 57,117)
15-64 years: 58.6% (male 91,298/female 89,170)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 5,185/female 5,667) (2009 est.)

Median age

total: 20.4 years
male: 20.3 years
female: 20.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate

2.154% (2009 est.)

Birth rate

27.33 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Death rate

5.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Net migration rate

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 52% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 23.07 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 26 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 68.2 years
male: 66.44 years
female: 70.05 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.36 children born/woman (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

2.1% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

3,600 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality

noun: Belizean(s)
adjective: Belizean

Ethnic groups

mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7% (2000 census)

Religions

Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican 5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist 3.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000)

Languages

Spanish 46%, Creole 32.9%, Mayan dialects 8.9%, English 3.9% (official), Garifuna 3.4% (Carib), German 3.3%, other 1.4%, unknown 0.2% (2000 census)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.9%
male: 76.7%
female: 77.1% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 13 years (2004)

Education expenditures

5.3% of GDP (2004)