Life Expectancy in Belize (2024): Men 71.1, Women 76.7

Life expectancy in Belize since 1960

Women
Men

Since 1960, life expectancy in Belize has risen by 16.3 years, from 57.4 to 73.7. During the COVID-19 pandemic it fell by 1.7 years (from 72.6 in 2019 to 70.9 in 2021) and has since recovered. Women live 5.6 years longer than men (76.7 vs 71.1).

Expected age at death in Belize by age

Life expectancy at birth includes deaths in childhood. Once people reach adulthood they can expect to live longer — here is the average expected age at death for people who have already reached each age:

Current age	Birth	20	40	60	80
Men	71.1	72.5	73.5	76.3	84.8
Women	76.7	78.2	79.0	80.9	87.3

Birth: World Bank. Other ages: our survival model calibrated to Belize’s figures (method).

How people die in Belize

Chronic diseases: 62.6%
Infections, maternal & nutritional: 16.7%
Injuries: 20.7%

In 2019, 63% of deaths in Belize were caused by chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes (world: 74%). A Belize man has a 14% chance and a woman 17% of dying of one of these diseases between the ages of 30 and 70 (world: 21% and 16%). Road traffic accidents kill 22.6 people per 100,000 each year (world: 16.7).

See which causes of death are most likely for you →

Child mortality

Out of every 1,000 babies born in Belize, about 12.7 die before their fifth birthday (world: 37.4). This is one of the main reasons life expectancy at birth differs so much between countries.

Belize compared with its region

Belize is in the World Bank’s Latin America & Caribbean region, where the average life expectancy is 75.5 years. It ranks #29 of 42 countries there.

#	Country	Overall	Men	Women
25	Bahamas	74.7	71.1	78.3
26	Paraguay	74.0	71.0	77.1
27	Dominican Republic	73.9	70.7	77.1
28	Suriname	73.8	70.6	77.0
29	Belize	73.7	71.1	76.7
30	Trinidad and Tobago	73.6	70.5	76.8
31	Honduras	73.0	70.5	75.7
32	Saint Lucia	72.8	69.5	76.5
33	Guatemala	72.7	70.4	75.0

See all 217 countries ranked →

Frequently asked questions

What is the life expectancy in Belize?

73.7 years in 2024: 71.1 for men and 76.7 for women, according to the World Bank.

Do women live longer than men in Belize?

Yes. Women in Belize live about 5.6 years longer than men. Worldwide the gap is 4.9 years in favour of women.

How does Belize rank for life expectancy?

Belize ranks #119 out of 217 countries and territories with data. That is 0.2 years above the world average of 73.5.

What is the average age of death in Belize?

Life expectancy at birth (73.7) is pulled down by deaths in childhood. Adults live longer: a 40-year-old man in Belize can expect to live to about 73.5, and a 40-year-old woman to about 79.0.

Sources

World Bank, World Development Indicators: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, SP.DYN.LE00.MA.IN, SP.DYN.LE00.FE.IN), under-5 mortality (SH.DYN.MORT), causes of death (SH.DTH.NCOM.ZS, SH.DTH.INJR.ZS), mortality from major chronic diseases (SH.DYN.NCOM.MA.ZS, SH.DYN.NCOM.FE.ZS) and road traffic deaths (SH.STA.TRAF.P5). Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Link

Data updated October 25, 2026.