Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

is the dominant religion in

Belize Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. P ...

. The single largest denomination is the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

with about 40.1% of the population (129,456 adherents), a reduction from 49.6% of the population in 2000, 57.7% in 1991 and 61.9% in 1980, although absolute numbers have still risen. Other major groups include

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a movement within the broader Evangelical wing of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes direct personal experience of God in Christianity, God through Baptism with the Holy Spirit#Cl ...

with 8.4% of the population up from 7.4% in 2000 and 6.3% in 1991,

Seventh-day Adventists The Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabba ...

with 5.4% of the population up from 5.2% in 2000 and 4.1% in 1991. The following of the

Anglican Church Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

has been steadily declining, with only 4.7% of the population in 2010 compared to 6.95% in 1991. About 12,000

Mennonites Mennonites are a group of Anabaptism, Anabaptist Christianity, Christian communities tracing their roots to the epoch of the Radical Reformation. The name ''Mennonites'' is derived from the cleric Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland, part of ...

(3.7% of the population) live mostly in the rural districts of Cayo and Orange Walk. People who declared they belong to no religion make up 15.5% of the population (just under 50,000 people) in 2010, more than double their 2000 census numbers. 11.2% adhere to other religions which include the

Maya religion The traditional Maya or Mayan religion of the extant Maya peoples of Guatemala, Belize, western Honduras, and the Tabasco, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Campeche and Yucatán states of Mexico is part of the wider frame of Mesoamerican religion. As ...

Afro-Caribbean religion Religious syncretism is the blending of religious belief systems into a new system, or the incorporation of other beliefs into an existing religious tradition. This can occur for many reasons, where religious traditions exist in proximity to each ...

s (Garifuna religion,

Obeah Obeah, also spelled Obiya or Obia, is a broad term for African diaspora religions, African diasporic religious, Magic (supernatural), spell-casting, and healing traditions found primarily in the British West Indies, former British colonies of th ...

and Myalism),

Mormons Mormons are a Religious denomination, religious and ethnocultural group, cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's d ...

Hindus Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

Buddhists Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or 5th century BCE. It is the world's fourth ...

Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

, Baháʼís,

Rastafarians Rastafari is an Abrahamic religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. It is classified as both a new religious movement and a social movement by scholars of religion. There is no central authority in control of the movement and much ...

and others. There were 1,333

in 2010 though

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

claims 4,807 members as of 2015 (in 11 congregations). The 2010 census also found 216 followers of the

Baháʼí Faith The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the Baháʼí Faith and the unity of religion, essential worth of all religions and Baháʼí Faith and the unity of humanity, the unity of all people. Established by ...

(down slightly from the 2000 census, which counted 219). It also found small numbers of

(820 or 0.3% of the population),

(about 650), and

(about 620). However, the

Association of Religion Data Archives The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) is a free source of online information related to American and international religion. One of the primary goals of the archive is to democratize access to academic information on religion by making t ...

states that as of 2005, 2.5% of the population identifies as Baháʼí, 2.0% identifies as

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

, 1.1% identifies as

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

, 1.0% identifies as spiritists, 0.6% identifies as followers of

indigenous religions Indigenous religion or native religion is a category used in the Religious studies, study of religion to demarcate the religion, religious belief systems of communities described as being "indigenous people, indigenous". This category is often j ...

, 0.5% identifies as

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

, and 0.5% identifies as

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

. They estimate there were 7,776 Baháʼís in Belize in that year, as well as the highest proportion of Baháʼís in any country (though not nearly the highest absolute number). The 2010 Belize Population Census, however, recorded only 202 Baháʼís out of a total population of 304,106, yielding a proportion of 0.066%, far less than 2.5%. . Belizean Catholic churches belong to the Diocese of Belize City-Belmopan; Anglican churches belong to the Diocese of Belize, part of the

Church in the Province of the West Indies The Church in the Province of the West Indies is one of 40 member provinces in the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church comprises eight dioceses spread out over much of the West Indies area. The primate of the province is the Archbishop of th ...

. Catholics frequently visit the country for special gospel revivals. The

Greek Orthodox Church Greek Orthodox Church (, , ) is a term that can refer to any one of three classes of Christian Churches, each associated in some way with Christianity in Greece, Greek Christianity, Antiochian Greek Christians, Levantine Arabic-speaking Christian ...

has a presence in Santa Elena. Muslims have been in Belize since the 18th century. Activism of the 1960s saw many converts to

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

. It is also common among Middle Eastern immigrants and has gained a following among some Kriols.

Mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

s continue to be built in major cities. Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at in Belize City built Masjid Noor Mosque at the beginning of 2020. It remains one of the fastest growing sect of Islam in Belize.

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

is followed by most Indian immigrants.

Religious freedom

The

Constitution of Belize The Constitution of Belize is the supreme law of the nation of Belize. It was signed in September 1981 with effect from that date. Structure The Constitution of Belize, Chapter 4 of the Laws of Belize, is divided into a preamble, 13 parts and f ...

establishes the freedom of religion. Discrimination on religious grounds is illegal. A law against blasphemy is unenforced. The Belize Council of Churches and the Belize Association of Evangelical Churches appoint one senator to the

senate of Belize The Senate is the upper chamber of the National Assembly of Belize. It has 13 members appointed for a five-year term by the Governor-General. Establishment and appointment Senators are appointed by the Governor-General in the following ma ...

with the approval of the

Governor-General Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...

. The law also establishes that prisoners in jails must have their religious beliefs respected and accommodated. Religious groups are required to register with the government in order to operate in the country. Religious groups are exempt from certain taxes. Foreign religious workers are required to purchase a religious worker's permit and register with the government. The public school curriculum for primary schools includes nondenominational "spirituality" classes that introduce world religions, as well as ethics and morals associated with religion; in 2022 there were issues regarding children with traditional Rastafari hairstyles attending some schools. Most public schools are managed by Christian churches. A few schools are run by non-Christian religious groups.

Census results

Minority faiths

Hinduism

Hinduism is a minority faith in

. According to 2010 census, 0.2% of Belize population is

. Though 3.9% of the population of Belize are

Indians Indian or Indians may refer to: Associated with India * of or related to India ** Indian people ** Indian diaspora ** Languages of India ** Indian English, a dialect of the English language ** Indian cuisine Associated with indigenous peoples o ...

, most of them are Christians. Only about 40% are still Hindus. The Hindu community in Belize today consists mostly of families who arrived in the 1950s, when Belize was still a British colony. The community is composed almost entirely of

Sindhis Sindhis are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group originating from and native to Sindh, a region of Pakistan, who share a common Sindhi culture, history, ancestry, and language. The historical homeland of Sindhis is bordered by southeastern Balochi ...

and so there are few cultural differences within it. There are two Hindu temples in Belize, the Belize Hindu Temple on Albert Street, Belize city and Sukh Shanti Temple, Corozal. Festivals like

Diwali Diwali (), also called Deepavali (IAST: ''Dīpāvalī'') or Deepawali (IAST: ''Dīpāwalī''), is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated in other Indian religions such as Jainism and Sikhism. It symbolises the spiritual v ...

Islam

is one of the smallest minority faiths in

, which is a predominantly

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

country. There is an estimated total Muslim population of 577, representing 0.2 percent of the total population. There is an Islamic mission of Belize (IMB) headquartered in

Belize City Belize City is the largest city in Belize. It was once the capital city, capital of the former British Honduras. According to the 2022 census, Belize City has a population of 63,999 people. It is at the mouth of the Haulover Creek, which is a ...

. There is also a presence of fast growing dynamic worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat since 2013. They have a membership of about 200 from all over Belize. They have three mosques in Belize. Masjid Noor in Belize City is situated on George Price Highway. They have mosques in Belmopan and Orange Walk. The Muslim Community Primary School (MCPS) was recognised by the government in 1978 and offers Islamic as well as elementary level academic courses to Muslim and non-Muslim children.

References