Belize

Belize is located in northeastern Central America, flanked by the Caribbean to the east, Mexico to the north, and Guatemala to the south. Long known as British Honduras, Belize won independence in 1981 after more than a century of colonization, but remains a member of the Commonwealth of Nations with Queen Elizabeth II as official head of state. In many respects, Belize is more a Caribbean country than a Central American one: It is the only English-speak-ing country in Central America, and its population is largely mestizo and Creole. There is a long-standing border dispute with Guatemala, which often claims all or part of Belize as its territory.

Belize is about the same size as Massachusetts, and has a population of about 295,000 people, making it one of the least densely populated countries in the world, even for its small size. The population is growing at 2.26 percent annually, driven mostly by a high birth rate. Life expectancies have risen steadily since the 1990s, with the average Belizean living to the age of 68. Infant and child mortality have dropped by more than half since 1990, with 15 deaths per 1,000 in children under 1 and 17 deaths per 1,000 for children under 5.

The Belizean economy is not robust, relying mostly on tourism and agriculture. There is about 9 percent unemployment among the small workforce. Fully one-third of the population lives in poverty, and that rate has held steady since the mid-1990s.

Malaria is the chief vectorborne disease in Belize, although infection rates have been dropping steadily over the past decade. Dengue fever cases have also dropped. The country suffered a small cholera outbreak in 1992. Investment in upgrading the country's water and sanitation systems is rapidly bringing gastrointestinal diseases under control. Almost all children receive immunization for common childhood diseases.

Morbidity and mortality in Belize is driven primarily by noncommunicable diseases, with cardiovascular disease accounting for 30 percent of deaths among adults ages 50 and over in the period from 1993–96. Cancer and diabetes are also among the leading causes of death in that age group. Among people in the 20–49 age bracket, accidents and violence were a leading cause of mortality, accounting for about 9 percent of deaths in an average year; most are motor vehicle crashes.

[Page 219]The first case of AIDS was reported in Belize in 1986 and it now appears in 2.5 percent of the adult population, with an estimated 3,700 cases by 2006. Almost 50 percent of the infected are women, and less than 100 are children under the age of 15.

The governmental ministry of health is the chief provider of medical care in Belize, with a small private sector in the major cities. There are eight general hospitals, with at least one in each administrative district, and a system of 75 health centers that handle basic services. Mobile clinics serve the more rural areas. Medical facilities are generally well-staffed and equipped. Private health insurance is becoming more popular in Belize, but is usually priced out of the reach of the average working family. Some Belizeans choose to take advantage of the lower-priced care over the border in Mexico.

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