Belize Geography

Belize's Information

Land Area	22,806 km²
Water Area	160 km²
Total Area	22,966km² (#147)
Population	353,858 (#176)
Population Density	15.52/km²
Government Type	Parliamentary Democracy (National Assembly) Under A Constitutional Monarchy; A Commonwealth Realm
GDP (PPP)	$3.09 Billion
GDP Per Capita	$8,200
Currency	Dollar (BZD)
More Information	Belize
Largest Cities	Belize City (61,461) View all cities in Belize

Belize is divided into four main geographic regions, including the relatively low Maya Mountains of the south that dominate all but the narrow coastal plain; the northern lowlands and its many rivers and streams; the flat and swampy coastal plain, and the almost countless cayes, islands and lagoons that fringe its Caribbean coastline.

More than 50% of Belize is covered by tropical rain forest that's dissected by a network of rivers, mostly small in length. The largest and most significant river is the navigable Belize that stretches from the Guatemala border all the way to the Caribbean Sea.

Second only in size to the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coastline of Australia, a 175 mile long barrier reef fronts the Belize coastline, intermixed with literally hundreds of islands and cayes.

58 miles direct east of Belize City sits the Blue Hole; more than 1,000 feet across and some 400 feet deep, it's the opening to a former Ice Age cave, and is today one of the world's most popular dive sites.

This page was last updated on July 10, 2020.

Belize Trivia

What Languages Are Spoken in Belize?

English and Spanish are the most widely spoken languages in Belize, and bilingualism is very common in the country.

What Languages Are Spoken In Belize?

What is the biggest city in Belize?

Belize City is the biggest city in Belize with around 60,000 people.

Biggest Cities In Belize

Who are the Ecoregions of Belize?

Belize has seven ecoregions: the Peten-Veracruz Moist Forests, the Yucatan Moist Forests, the Belizean Pine Forests, the Belizean Coast Mangroves, the Belizean Reef Mangroves, the Quintana Roo-Motagua, and the Western Caribbean Sea.

Ecological Regions Of Belize

What is the Leading Cause of Death in Belize?

Diabetes tops the list as the number 1 killer in Belize. Of all deaths occurring annually, 9.5% can be attributed to this disease.

Leading Causes Of Death In Belize

Where is the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve?

Added as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve covers approximately 237,962 acres off the coast of Belize and hosts the largest coral reef system in the northern hemisphere. Within the site are 7 protected areas that include national parks, marine reserves, and natural monuments.

Belize Barrier Reef Reserve - Endangered UNESCO World Heritage Site

What is the Currency of Belize?

The official currency of Belize is the Belize dollar.

What Kind of Money is Used in Belize?

About the Author

John Moen
Founder / Cartographer

John Moen is a cartographer who along with his wife are the orignal founders of worldatlas.com. He and his wife, Chris Woolwine-Moen, produced thousands of award-winning maps that are used all over the world and content that aids students, teachers, travelers and parents with their geography and map questions. Today, it's one of the most popular educational sites on the web.