Population and Demographics of Belize
Population changed +1.45% in 2024 · median age 26 years
Belize's latest population change is +1.45% a year. Over the 24 years from 2000 to 2024, Belize moved +73.2% in population size. Under the UN medium scenario, the 2050 total is 516.6 thousand, a 23.9% increase from 2024.
Population Over Time in Belize
Belize's population stood at 0.241M in 2000 and 0.417M in 2024, equivalent to a +73.2% change over that period. Looking ahead, the medium projection points to 0.517M in 2050, 23.9% higher than the 2024 level. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
Broad age shares place Belize in a mixed demographic position in 2024. Under-15s account for 26.58% of residents and people 65+ for 5.02%, leaving 68.40% in the broad 15 to 64 range. The age balance is weighted toward younger residents.
Population by broad age group
Belize's 2024 population is 49.5% female and 50.5% male in the World Bank series. Males exceed females by 1.0 percentage points.
Female and male population share
Males made up 50.5% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 49.5% females.
What Is Shaping Population Change
Current momentum in Belize combines +1.45% population change with fertility at 2.0, with the youngest broad age group at 26.58% and the oldest at 5.02%.
The 2024 total in Belize stands 73.2% above the 2000 reference, before a projected +23.9% shift to 2050 under the medium scenario; the page therefore distinguishes measured direction from unmeasured demographic drivers.
2024 estimate for Belize. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
Belize vs. World
Relative to the 2024 world benchmarks, Belize's population change is higher than the global rate, its fertility is below the global level, and its population is younger than the corresponding global median-age profile.
| Indicator | Belize | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +1.45% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 2 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 26 | 30.6 | 2024 |
This comparison avoids mixed-year arithmetic by keeping Belize and the world on the same 2024 harmonized demographic table.
Key Takeaways
The 2024 total is 417,072 people. Annual change in the same harmonized table is +1.45%.
The 2024 age structure is 26.58% under 15, 68.40% aged 15 to 64 and 5.02% aged 65 or older.
The World Bank 2024 sex-share series is 49.5% female and 50.5% male.
By 2050, the medium projection is 0.517M, differing from 2024 by roughly 0.10 million people.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Belize?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for Belize is 417,072 people.
Is the population of Belize growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, Belize's population is growing, with annual change of +1.45%.
What percentage of the population of Belize is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 5.02% of Belize's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of Belize in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts Belize's 2050 population at 516,627.
What is the fertility rate in Belize?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for Belize is 2 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.