Population: 249,183 (July 2000 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 54,009; female 51,945)
15-64 years: 54% (male 68,052; female 66,366)
65 years and over: 3% (male 4,298; female 4,513) (2000 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.75% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 32.29 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 4.81 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 25.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.91 years
male: 68.66 years
female: 73.28 years (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.14 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Belizean(s)
adjective: Belizean

Ethnic groups: mestizo 44.1%, Creole 31%, Maya 9.2%, Garifuna 6.2%, other 9.5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 30% (Anglican 12%, Methodist 6%, Mennonite 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Pentecostal 2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6% (1980)

Languages: English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.3%
male: 70.3%
female: 70.3% (1991 est.)
note: other sources list the literacy rate as high as 75%