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Belize
parliamentary democracy (National Assembly) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1862. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize until 1981.
Profile
CapitalBelmopan
Population422K
GDP$5.5B
Area22,966 km²
LanguageEnglish 62.9% (official), Spanish 56.6%, Creole 44.6%, Maya 10.5%, German 3.2%, Garifuna 2.9%, other 1.8%, unknown 0.5% (2010 est.)
CurrencyBelizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar -
Leadership
Head of State
Charles III
Since 2022
Head of Government
Johnny Briceño
Since 2020
At a Glance
Population
422K
GDP (PPP)
$6B
