Belize Crime Rate & Safety
Homicide statistics, crime trends, and travel safety for Belize
Belize recorded 28.1 intentional homicides per 100,000 people in 2022, a rate that is among the highest in the world. That places Belize #14 of 195 countries by homicide rate, compared with the Americas average of 20.8 per 100,000 and a world average of 5.2. Homicide rates have fallen 35% over the past decade (from 43.4 in 2012).
Homicide Rate
28.1 /100k
Safety Rank
#182 of 195
Travel Advisory
N/A
Data Year
2022
Homicide Rate Trend (2000-2022)
Intentional homicides per 100,000 people. Homicide rates have fallen 35% over the past decade (from 43.4 in 2012). Source: UNODC via World Bank.
How Belize Compares
Intentional homicides per 100,000 people, latest available year per country.
Who Is Affected
In Belize, the homicide rate for men is 11.4× higher than the rate for women — 51.3 vs 4.5 per 100,000 (2022).
Homicide victims per 100,000 of each sex. Source: UNODC via World Bank.
About This Data
Homicide figures are intentional homicides per 100,000 people, compiled by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and published by the World Bank (indicator VC.IHR.PSRC.P5). Homicide is the most reliably comparable crime statistic across countries because definitions of other offences (assault, theft, robbery) vary widely between national legal systems and reporting practices.
Travel advisory levels are issued by the US Department of State and updated continuously. They reflect risks to travelers including crime, terrorism, civil unrest, health, and natural disasters — not only crime rates. Countries report crime data with different lags; the most recent available year is shown for each metric.
Belize Population & Demographics
Population of 417,072, growth trends, economy, and more.
Crime & Safety in Neighboring Countries
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Belize safe to visit?
A current US travel advisory is not available for Belize. Its homicide rate of 28.1 per 100,000 (2022) is among the highest in the world.
What is the crime rate in Belize?
Belize has an intentional homicide rate of 28.1 per 100,000 people (2022, World Bank/UNODC), ranking #14 of 195 countries.
What is the US travel advisory level for Belize?
No current US State Department travel advisory is available for Belize.
How does crime in Belize compare to other countries?
Belize's homicide rate of 28.1 per 100,000 is above the world average of 5.2 and above the Americas average of 20.8.