
Small Is Beautiful
Encouraged by government stimulus programs, banks are finding new ways to finance SMEs. Once the economy recovers, will the surge of interest recede?
Browse additional economic indicators and data sets, selected by Global Finance editors, to learn more about Belize economic outlook, debt to GDP ratio, international trade performance and population trends. Rankings of Belize best banks and safest banks are also available.
While Latin American banks continued to expand their client base and footprints, the sector still faced important challenges.
USD 0.29 billion (2018)
International Monetary Fund (IMF), data retrieved October 2019
USD 1.9 billion (2018, estimate)
Intl$ 3.4 billion (2018, estimate)
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
1.1% | 3.2% | 0.7% | 3.4% | 2.2% | 2.9% | 0.9% |
2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017* | 2018* | ||
3.7% | 3.4% | -0.6% | 1.4% | 3% |
*Estimate
1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2019* |
0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.002% |
*Estimate
(2017 estimate)
2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | 2019* |
-0.9% | 0.7% | 1.1% | 0.3% | 1.2% |
*Estimate
2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | 2019* |
10.1% | 8% | 9% | 8.7% | 9.9% |
*Estimate
2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | 2019 |
79.3% | 93.2% | 94.5% | 95.2% | 93% |
*Estimate
2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019* |
-6.3% | -5.9% | -5.6% | -1% | -1.1% |
*Estimate
Standard & Poor's: B-
Moody's: B3
Standard & Poor's / Moody's
2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
N/A | N/A | N/A |
-9.9% (2017 estimate)
63.4% (2015)
0.003% (2015)
0.01% (2015)
Sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood, crude oil
Machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco
UK 30.8%, US 18.7%, Nigeria 6.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.8%, Ireland 4.2%, Jamaica 4.2% (2015)
US 26.6%, Mexico 11.7%, Cuba 10.2%, Guatemala 9%, China 7.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 5.6% (2015)
2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
USD 95 million | USD 153 million | USD 65 million |
2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
USD 0.7 million | USD 2.2 million | USD 0.5 million |
2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
N/A
(for a monthly update on M&A; click here )
N/A
(for a monthly update on M&A; click here )
Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm.
Overall ranking: 112 out of 190 countries (2016)
Subcategories:
Starting a business: 158 out of 190 countries
Enforcing Contracts: 134 out of 190 countries
Registering Property: 126 out of 190 countries
Getting credit: 167 out of 190 countries
Protecting investors: 118 out of 190 countries
Trading across border: 101 out of 190 countries
Paying Taxes: 44 out of 190 countries
Dealing with Construction Permits: 100 out of 190 countries
Getting Electricity: 79 out of 190 countries
Resolving Insolvency: 81 out of 190 countries
Ranking: 118 / Score: 57.35 (Mostly unfree) (2017)
(100=totally free 0=totally repressed)
Parliamentary democracy (National Assembly) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
English 62.9% (official), Spanish 56.6%, Creole 44.6%, Maya 10.5%, German 3.2%, Garifuna 2.9%, other 1.8%, unknown 0.3%, none 0.2%
Roman Catholic 40.1%, Protestant 31.5% (includes Pentecostal 8.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.4%, Anglican 4.7%, Mennonite 3.7%, Baptist 3.6%, Methodist 2.9%, Nazarene 2.8%), Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, other 10.5% (includes Baha'i, Buddhist, Hindu, Morman, Muslim, Rastafarian), unknown 0.6%, none 15.5% (2010 est.)
1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2016* | 2021* |
0.189 million | 0.25 million | 0.324 million | 0.377 million | 0.437 million |
*Estimate
1960 | 1980 | 2000 | 2015 |
54% | 49% | 48% | 44% |
Political Rights: 1
Civil Liberties: 2 (2017)
(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating)
Fixed 6.79% Mobile 60.97% (2015)
(fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)