180 countries ranked by safety, peace, freedom and LGBT+ equality
Visiting: Not RecommendedLGBT+ visiting: Not Recommended
Belize speaks English, takes the diving seriously, and guards the biggest barrier reef in the hemisphere — the Blue Hole is the famous dot, but the whole reef is the trip. Inland there are Maya ruins swallowed by jungle at Caracol. The murder rate is grim, but it's concentrated in Belize City: divers and jungle-goers should land and head straight for the cayes or the interior.
Intentional homicides per 100,000 people — lower is better.
Belize: 28.1
Ranked 7th in the world for the highest homicide rate.
28.06 homicides per 100,000 people in 2022 — a high rate by any standard.
Higher than 94% of the 230 countries and territories measured.
How peaceful the country is — lower is better.
Belize: 1.8
Ranked 67th most peaceful country in the world.
The GPI doesn't cover Belize, so 1.81 is our estimate using its 23-indicator methodology.
Gang homicide (28 per 100,000) dominates the score, with a smaller contribution from Guatemala's territorial claim, still being argued at the ICJ.
Personal and economic freedom — higher is better.
Belize: 7.4
Ranked 64th freest country in the world.
Freer than 63% of the 165 countries measured — 7.48 out of 10.
Day-to-day life (speech, movement, religion) scores 8.54; doing business and owning property, 5.99.
LGBT+ equality in law and daily life — higher is better.
Belize: 5.0
Ranked 64th most equal in the world for LGBT+ people.
Better for LGBT+ equality than 66% of the 197 countries scored — 50 out of 100.
The law runs ahead of public opinion here — legal protections score 56 out of 100, everyday attitudes 44.