Demographics of Belize
Encyclopedia
This article is about the demographic
features of the population
of Belize
, including population density
, ethnicity
, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Belize
is the most sparsely populated nation in Central America
. It is larger than El Salvador
. Slightly more than half of the people live in rural areas. About one-fourth live in Belize City
, the principal port, commercial centre, and former capital.
Most Belizeans are of multiracial descent. About 34% of the population is of mixed Maya
and Europe
an descent (Mestizo
), 25% are Kriol
s, 15% are Spanish
, about 10.6% are Mayan, and about 6.1% are Afro-Amerindian (Garifuna). The remaining population includes European, East Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and North American groups. In the case of Europeans, most are descendants of Spanish
and British
colonial settlers, whether pure-blooded or mixed with each other. Most Spanish left the nation just after it was taken by the British colonists who, in the same way, left after independence. Dutch
and German Mennonites settled Belize, most in the isolated areas.
Because Belize's original Maya peoples were decimated by disease and wars, many of the country's Maya today are descended from other groups. The current Maya population consists of several different tribe
s. The Yucatecs fled to Belize in the late 1840s to escape the Caste War in Yucatán
, Mexico
. They live in the Orange Walk
and Corozal
districts, which border on Mexico. In the 1870s-1880s, the Kekchi ran from Verapaz, Guatemala, where their lands were being stolen for coffee plantations, which then enslaved them. They settled villages in the Toledo district. Living near rivers and streams, their lifestyle is self-reliant. The Mopan
s originated in Belize, but most were driven out to Guatemala
after the British assumed control from the Spanish in the late 18th century. They returned to Belize in 1886, running from enslavement and taxation in Petén
. The Cayo district and San Antonio in the Toledo district are their homes now. Some of the Kekchi and Mopan have mixed together. About 80% of the population is Christian
.
- Based on 2005 estimate.
country comparison to world: 52
country comparison to the world: 59
Birth Rate by Ethnic Groups (2000 Census)
is the only official language of Belize due to being a former British colony. It is the main language used in government and education. 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 Kriol
, an English-based creole
of words and syntax from various African languages
(namely Akan
, Igbo
, and Twi), and other languages (Miskito
, Caliche). It is also a second or third language for another 40% of the multilingual country. 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
is the mother tongue of Mestizo and Central American refugee
s and is commonly spoken at home by 43% of the population. Maya dialects such as Kekchi, Mopan
and Yucatec are spoken. Garifuna
(which is Arawakan/Maipurean
based, with elements of the Carib
language, French, and Spanish) and the Plautdietsch
dialect of the Mennonites are spoke 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.
Demographics
Demographics are the most recent statistical characteristics of a population. These types of data are used widely in sociology , public policy, and marketing. Commonly examined demographics include gender, race, age, disabilities, mobility, home ownership, employment status, and even location...
features of the population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
, including population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
, ethnicity
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
is the most sparsely populated nation in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
. It is larger than El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
. Slightly more than half of the people live in rural areas. About one-fourth live in Belize City
Belize City
Belize City is the largest city in the Central American nation of Belize. Unofficial estimates place the population of Belize City at 70,000 or more. It is located at the mouth of the Belize River on the coast of the Caribbean. The city is the country's principal port and its financial and...
, the principal port, commercial centre, and former capital.
Most Belizeans are of multiracial descent. About 34% of the population is of mixed Maya
Maya peoples
The Maya people constitute a diverse range of the Native American people of southern Mexico and northern Central America. The overarching term "Maya" is a collective designation to include the peoples of the region who share some degree of cultural and linguistic heritage; however, the term...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an descent (Mestizo
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
), 25% are Kriol
Belizean Kriol people
The Belizean Creoles, locally known as Kriols, are Creole descendants of English and Scottish log cutters, as well as Black African slaves brought to Belize. Other small minorities include Creoles and the Miskito from Nicaragua, Jamaicans, and other West Indians who assisted in the logging...
s, 15% are Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
, about 10.6% are Mayan, and about 6.1% are Afro-Amerindian (Garifuna). The remaining population includes European, East Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and North American groups. In the case of Europeans, most are descendants of Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
and British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
colonial settlers, whether pure-blooded or mixed with each other. Most Spanish left the nation just after it was taken by the British colonists who, in the same way, left after independence. Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and German Mennonites settled Belize, most in the isolated areas.
Because Belize's original Maya peoples were decimated by disease and wars, many of the country's Maya today are descended from other groups. The current Maya population consists of several different tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
s. The Yucatecs fled to Belize in the late 1840s to escape the Caste War in Yucatán
Yucatán
Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. They live in the Orange Walk
Orange Walk District
Orange Walk District is a district in the northwest of the nation of Belize, with its district capital in Orange Walk Town.- Main settlements :...
and Corozal
Corozal District
Corozal District is the northernmost district of the nation of Belize. The population was 33,335 as of 2000. The district capital is Corozal Town.-The Villages of Corozal District:...
districts, which border on Mexico. In the 1870s-1880s, the Kekchi ran from Verapaz, Guatemala, where their lands were being stolen for coffee plantations, which then enslaved them. They settled villages in the Toledo district. Living near rivers and streams, their lifestyle is self-reliant. The Mopan
Mopan
Mopan may refer to:*Mopan language, a Mayan language spoken in Belize and Guatemala*Mopan people, an indigenous Maya people, whose native language is Mopan*Mopan River, in Belize's Cayo district...
s originated in Belize, but most were driven out to Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
after the British assumed control from the Spanish in the late 18th century. They returned to Belize in 1886, running from enslavement and taxation in Petén
Petén (department)
Petén is a department of the nation of Guatemala. It is geographically the northernmost department of Guatemala, as well as the largest in size — at it accounts for about one third of Guatemala's area. The capital is Flores...
. The Cayo district and San Antonio in the Toledo district are their homes now. Some of the Kekchi and Mopan have mixed together. About 80% of the population is Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
.
CIA World Factbook demographic statistics
The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.Belize's Largest Cities & Towns by Population
- Belize CityBelize CityBelize City is the largest city in the Central American nation of Belize. Unofficial estimates place the population of Belize City at 70,000 or more. It is located at the mouth of the Belize River on the coast of the Caribbean. The city is the country's principal port and its financial and...
, BZ - 70,800 - Orange Walk TownOrange Walk TownOrange Walk Town is the second largest town in the nation of Belize, with a population of about 13,400 . It is the capital of the Orange Walk District...
, OW - 18,000 - San IgnacioSan Ignacio CayoSan Ignacio is a town in western Belize that serves as the capital of Cayo District. It got its start from Mahogany and chicle production during British rule...
, CY - 17,000 - BelmopanBelmopanBelmopan , estimated population 20,000 is the capital city of Belize.Belmopan is located at , at an altitude of 76 metres above sea level. Belmopan was constructed just to the east of Belize River, inland from the former capital, the port of Belize City, after that city's near destruction by...
, CY - 16,400 - DangrigaDangrigaDangriga, formerly known as Stann Creek Town, is a town in southern Belize, located on the Caribbean coast at the mouth of Stann Creek. It is the capital of Belize's Stann Creek District and also the largest town in southern Belize...
, SC - 12,000 - Corozal TownCorozal TownCorozal Town is a town in the nation of Belize, capital of Corozal District. Corozal Town is located about 84 miles north of Belize City, and 9 miles from the border with Mexico. The population of Corozal Town, according to the main results of the 2010 census, it is 9,871...
, CZ - 9,000 - San PedroSan Pedro TownSan Pedro is a town on the southern part of the island of Ambergris Caye in the Belize District of the nation of Belize, in Central America. According to 2005 mid-year estimates, the town has a population of about 12,400. It is the second largest city in the Belize District and largest city in the...
, BZ - 8,500 - Benque Viejo del CarmenBenque Viejo del CarmenBenque Viejo del Carmen is a town in the Cayo District in the country of Belize.-History:The town was established in the 19th century, mostly by immigrants from Guatemala. During the first years of the 21st century, the town experienced a rapid boom in population...
, CY - 7,200 - Punta GordaPunta Gorda, BelizePunta Gorda, known locally as PG, is the town of the Toledo District in southern Belize. Punta Gorda is the southernmost sizable town in the nation, with a population of about 6,000 people...
, TO - 6,400 - Trial FarmTrial Farm, BelizeTrial Farm is a village near Orange Walk Town in the Orange Walk District of the nation of Belize. According to the 2000 census, it had a population of 3,443 people. It is located at 29 metres above sea level....
, OW - 4,500 - LadyvilleLadyvilleLadyville is a village in the Belize District and the largest in the nation of Belize, 8 miles to the north west of Belize City. The Northern Highway, one of the main highways that connect the Belize District to the north of the country, runs through the village.-History:Although originally a...
, BZ - 4,400
- Based on 2005 estimate.
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.)
Urbanization
- urban population: 52% of total population
- rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005-2010 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: 1.0025 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate
- total: 23.07 deaths/1,000 live births
- country comparison to the world: 94
- 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
- country comparison to the world: 151
- male: 66.44 years
- female: 70.05 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate
- 3.28 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to world: 52
- 3.36 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
HIV/AIDS
- Adult prevalence rate: 2.1% (2007 est.)
- country comparison to the world: 30
- People living with HIV/AIDS: 3,600 (2007 est.)
- country comparison to the world: 129
- Deaths: fewer than 200 (2007 est.)
- country comparison to the world: 108
Ethnic groups
- MestizoMestizoMestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
34%, KriolBelizean Kriol peopleThe Belizean Creoles, locally known as Kriols, are Creole descendants of English and Scottish log cutters, as well as Black African slaves brought to Belize. Other small minorities include Creoles and the Miskito from Nicaragua, Jamaicans, and other West Indians who assisted in the logging...
25%, MayaMaya peoplesThe Maya people constitute a diverse range of the Native American people of southern Mexico and northern Central America. The overarching term "Maya" is a collective designation to include the peoples of the region who share some degree of cultural and linguistic heritage; however, the term...
11%, Garifuna 6%, SpanishSpanish peopleThe Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
15%, MennoniteMennoniteThe Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
3.6%, IndianIndians in BelizeAsian Indians comprise approximately 2% of the population and began arriving in Belize in the 1880s. Initially coming in as indentured, many of them stayed on to work the sugar plantations and were joined by other Indian immigrants. Indians are spread out over many villages and towns primarily in...
3%, other 3%
Birth Rate by Ethnic Groups (2000 Census)
| Ethnic Group | Population (2000) | Birth Rate (1999) | Births |
| African | 582 | 17.18 | 10 |
| British | 1,758 | 9.10 | 16 |
| Chinese | 1,716 | 19.23 | 33 |
| Creole | 57,859 | 28.88 | 1,671 |
| East Indian | 6,868 | 27.66 | 190 |
| Garifuna | 14,061 | 27.17 | 382 |
| Keq'chi | 12,366 | 44.88 | 555 |
| Mopan | 8,980 | 35.30 | 317 |
| Yucatec | 3,155 | 19.33 | 61 |
| Mennonite | 8,276 | 42.53 | 352 |
| Meztizo | 78,537 | 29.73 | 2,335 |
| Spanish | 34,508 | 32.22 | 1,112 |
| Other | 2,610 | 21.84 | 57 |
| Not Available | 835 | 45.51 | 38 |
| Total | 232,111 | 30.71 | 7,128 |
Religions
- Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 29% (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican 5.3%, Seventh-day AdventistSeventh-day Adventist ChurchThe Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
5.2%, MennoniteMennoniteThe Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
4.1%, Methodist 3.5%, BaptistBaptistBaptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
3.5%), other 11.4%, none 10% (2000).
Languages
EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
is the only official language of Belize due to being a former British colony. It is the main language used in government and education. 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 Kriol
Belizean Kriol language
Belizean Creole English, known as Kriol by its speakers, is an English-based creole language most closely related to Miskito Coastal Creole, Limón Coastal Creole, Colón Creole, San Andrés and Providencia Creole, Guyanese Creole, Jamaican Patois and English creoles of the Caribbean show similarity...
, an English-based creole
Creole language
A creole language, or simply a creole, is a stable natural language developed from the mixing of parent languages; creoles differ from pidgins in that they have been nativized by children as their primary language, making them have features of natural languages that are normally missing from...
of words and syntax from various African languages
African languages
There are over 2100 and by some counts over 3000 languages spoken natively in Africa in several major language families:*Afro-Asiatic spread throughout the Middle East, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and parts of the Sahel...
(namely Akan
Akan language
Akan, also known as Twi and Fante, is an Akan language that is the principal native language of Ghana, spoken over much of the southern half of that country, by about 52% of the population, and to a lesser extent across the border in eastern Côte d'Ivoire...
, Igbo
Igbo language
Igbo , or Igbo proper, is a native language of the Igbo people, an ethnic group primarily located in southeastern Nigeria. There are approximately 20 million speakers that are mostly in Nigeria and are primarily of Igbo descent. Igbo is a national language of Nigeria. It is written in the Latin...
, and Twi), and other languages (Miskito
Miskito language
Miskito is a Misumalpan language spoken by the Miskito people in northeastern Nicaragua, especially in the North Atlantic Autonomous Region, and in eastern Honduras....
, Caliche). It is also a second or third language for another 40% of the multilingual country. Kriol shares similarities with many Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
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
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
of English.
Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
is the mother tongue of Mestizo and Central American refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s and is commonly spoken at home by 43% of the population. Maya dialects such as Kekchi, Mopan
Mopan language
Mopan is a language that belongs to the Yucatecan branch of the Mayan languages. It is spoken by the Mopan people. It is spoken in Belize and Guatemala.The other Yucatecan languages are Yucatec, Lacandon , and Itza....
and Yucatec are spoken. Garifuna
Garifuna language
Garifuna is an Arawakan language spoken in Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize by the Garifuna people. The language is also spoken to a lesser extent in Nicaragua's Mosquito Coast. Historically it was referred to as Carib or Black Carib and Igñeri by Europeans. Garifuna has a vocabulary split between...
(which is Arawakan/Maipurean
Maipurean
Arawakan , also known as Maipurean , is a language family that spans from the Caribbean and Central America to every country in South America except Ecuador, Uruguay and Chile...
based, with elements of the Carib
Carib language
Carib, also known as Caribe, Cariña, Galibi, Galibí, Kali'na, Kalihna, Kalinya, Galibi Carib, Maraworno and Marworno, is an Amerindian language in the Cariban language family....
language, French, and Spanish) and the Plautdietsch
Plautdietsch
Plautdietsch, or Mennonite Low German, was originally a Low Prussian variety of East Low German, with Dutch influence, that developed in the 16th and 17th centuries in the Vistula delta area of Royal Prussia, today Polish territory. The word is another pronunciation of Plattdeutsch, or Low German...
dialect of the Mennonites are spoke as well. Literacy currently stands at nearly 80%. In 2001, UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
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.
| English & Spanish Language Proficiency | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Language | Speaks Very Well | Speaks Some | Total |
| English English language English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria... |
54% | 26% | 80% |
| Spanish Spanish language Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the... |
52% | 11% | 63% |
| Language | Mother tongue speakers | Percentage | First language speakers | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | 1,607 | 0.8% | 1,529 | 0.7% |
| Creole | 67,527 | 32.9% | 75,822 | 37.0% |
| English | 7,946 | 3.9% | 11,551 | 5.6% |
| Garifuna | 6,929 | 3.4% | 4,071 | 2.0% |
| German | 6,783 | 3.3% | 6,624 | 3.2% |
| Hindi | 280 | 0.1% | 193 | 0.1% |
| Maya Ketchi | 10,142 | 4.9% | 9,314 | 4.5% |
| Maya Mopan | 6,909 | 3.4% | 6,093 | 3.0% |
| Maya Yucateco | 1,176 | 0.6% | 613 | 0.3% |
| Spanish | 94,422 | 46.0% | 88,121 | 43.0% |
| Others / no answer | 1,402 | 0.7% | 1,192 | 0.6% |
Literacy
- definition: age 15 and over can read and write
- total population: 76.9%
- male: 76.7%
- female: 77.1% (2000 census)
See also
- KriolBelizean Kriol peopleThe Belizean Creoles, locally known as Kriols, are Creole descendants of English and Scottish log cutters, as well as Black African slaves brought to Belize. Other small minorities include Creoles and the Miskito from Nicaragua, Jamaicans, and other West Indians who assisted in the logging...
s - Garifuna people
- Maya peoplesMaya peoplesThe Maya people constitute a diverse range of the Native American people of southern Mexico and northern Central America. The overarching term "Maya" is a collective designation to include the peoples of the region who share some degree of cultural and linguistic heritage; however, the term...
- IndianIndians in BelizeAsian Indians comprise approximately 2% of the population and began arriving in Belize in the 1880s. Initially coming in as indentured, many of them stayed on to work the sugar plantations and were joined by other Indian immigrants. Indians are spread out over many villages and towns primarily in...
s - Languages of BelizeLanguages of BelizeEnglish is the official language of Belize, a former British colony. Although only 4 percent of the population speaks it as their first language, a majority speak English very well.Kriol is spoken as the first language of 33 percent of Belizeans...
- Roman Catholicism in BelizeRoman Catholicism in BelizeThe Roman Catholic Church in Belize is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and Curia in Rome. Bishops in Belize are members of the Antilles Episcopal Conference....
- Ethnic groups in Central AmericaEthnic groups in Central AmericaCentral America is a region formed by 6 Latin American countries and one Anglo American nation...
External links
- Kekchi and Mopan history - Maya history by Native Planet