Country Context

Belize is a small, independent country on the Caribbean coast of Central America.  The population is growing at a rate of approximately 3.3% per year, mainly due to a high fertility rate and immigration. The population of Belize is ethnically diverse and multicultural with 50.2% of the population living in urban areas and 49.8% rural (2005). The 2000 census showed the majority to be Mestizo (48.7%), followed by Creole (24.9%), Maya (10.6%) and Garifuna (6.1%).