Prison population rate in Belize
Belize: Prison population rate was 302 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2025. ▼ Falling
Prison population rate in Belize, 2000–2025
Source: Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in prisoners per 100,000 people.
Analysis
Belize recorded 302 prisoners per 100,000 people for prison population rate in 2025.
The figure is down 29.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prison population rate in Belize peaked at 468 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2006 and was at its lowest, 258 prisoners per 100,000 people, in 2021.
That places Belize 33rd out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 12 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 400.2 prisoners per 100,000 people | 310 prisoners per 100,000 people | 468 prisoners per 100,000 people | 5 |
| 2010s | 393.8 prisoners per 100,000 people | 296 prisoners per 100,000 people | 457 prisoners per 100,000 people | 5 |
| 2020s | 280 prisoners per 100,000 people | 258 prisoners per 100,000 people | 302 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Belize
- 30 Namibia 318 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 31 Saint Lucia 310 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 32 Northern Mariana Islands 304 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 34 Russia 300 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 35 Peru 299 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
More population data for Belize
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 17,603 people (2100)
- Population density 19.61 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 2.02 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 286 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 2.02 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 2.02 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 1.3% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 2.01 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prison population rate in Belize?
- Prison population rate in Belize was 302 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2025, according to Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest prison population rate recorded in Belize?
- The highest recorded value was 468 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2006.
- What is the lowest prison population rate recorded in Belize?
- The lowest recorded value was 258 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2021.
- How does Belize rank for prison population rate?
- Belize ranks 33rd out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is prison population rate rising or falling in Belize?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belize data come from?
- The figures come from Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Prison population rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Prison population (including pre-trial detainees and remand prisoners), per 100,000 population.