Updated
Overview
Guatemala has 44 times the population of Belize: 18.69 million people against 422,924 (2025).
Guatemala's economy is 37 times the size of Belize's, at $123.31B versus $3.33B.
Per person, Belize is the wealthier of the two: $7,865 against $6,598 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Guatemala | Belize | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $123.31B | $3.33B | 2025 | $113.20B / $3.52B |
| GDP per capita | $6,598 | Higher: $7,865 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 4.3% | 2.7% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 1.5% | Lower: 1.1% | 2025 | 2.9% / 3.3% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.6% | 8.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 43 | 53 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $465 | Higher: $510 | 2024 / 2020 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $431 | Higher: $520 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $4.46 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 18.69 million | 422,924 | 2025 | 18.26 million / 421,960 |
| Population growth | 1.5% | 1.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 23.4 yrs | 26.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.26 | 2.01 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 72.7 yrs | Higher: 73.7 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 56% | 42% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 60% | Higher: 80% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 108,889 km² | 22,966 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 171.6/km² | 18.4/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 20 Mt | Lower: 0.80 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 1.1 t | 1.9 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $415.19M | $30.14M | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.4% | 0.9% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 43,000 | 2,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Guatemala is growing faster: 4.3% annual GDP growth versus 2.7%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 1.5% in Guatemala and 1.1% in Belize.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Guatemala: a price level of 43 versus 53 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Belize: $510 against $465 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Guatemala is the younger society: median age 23.4 versus 26.9 years.
Guatemala is considerably more urbanized: 56% of people live in cities, against 42%.
Internet adoption is higher in Belize (80% vs 60% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Guatemala is 4.7 times the size of Belize: 108,889 km² versus 22,966 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Guatemala is far more densely settled: 172 people per km² against 18.
Military
Guatemala spends 14 times as much on defence as Belize: $415.19M versus $30.14M (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Guatemala fields the larger armed forces: 43,000 personnel against 2,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Guatemala bigger than Belize?
- Guatemala is larger by land area. Guatemala covers 108,889 km² while Belize covers 22,966 km², so Guatemala is 4.7 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Guatemala or Belize?
- Guatemala has the larger population: 18.69 million versus 422,924 (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Guatemala richer than Belize?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Belize is richer: $7,865 against $6,598. Total GDP tells a different story: $123.31B for Guatemala versus $3.33B for Belize.
- Who spends more on their military, Guatemala or Belize?
- Guatemala spends more: $415.19M versus $30.14M per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).