Religion in Belize
{{Short description|None}}
{{pie chart
|label1 = Catholic
|value1 = 40.1
|label2 = Pentecostal
|value2 = 8.4
|label3 = Seventh-day Adventist
|value3 = 5.4
|label4 = Anglican
|value4 = 4.7
|label5 = Mennonite
|value5 = 3.7
|label6 = Baptist
|value6 = 3.6
|label7 = Methodist
|value7 = 2.9
|label8 = Nazarene
|value8 = 2.8
|label9 = Jehovah's Witness
|value9 = 1.7
|label10 = No religion
|value10 = 15.5
|label11 = Other religions
|value11 = 11.2
}}
{{Religion by Country}}
{{Culture of Belize}}
File:HRrubenFromEast fixed.jpg, built 1858]]
Christianity is the dominant religion in Belize. The single largest denomination is the Catholic Church 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.{{cite book|title=National Census Report 2000, Belize|isbn=978-976-600-209-1|pages=23–25|url=http://www.caricomstats.org/Files/Publications/NCR%20Reports/Belize.pdf|access-date=12 September 2015}}
Other major groups include Pentecostal with 8.4% of the population up from 7.4% in 2000 and 6.3% in 1991, Seventh-day Adventists with 5.4% of the population up from 5.2% in 2000 and 4.1% in 1991. The following of the Anglican Church has been steadily declining, with only 4.7% of the population in 2010 compared to 6.95% in 1991. About 12,000 Mennonites (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, Afro-Caribbean religions (Garifuna religion, Obeah and Myalism), Mormons, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Baháʼís, Rastafarians and others.
There were 1,333 Mormons in 2010 though the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claims 4,807 members as of 2015 (in 11 congregations).{{cite web|title=Facts and Statistics: Belize|url=https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/facts-and-statistics/country/belize|publisher=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|access-date=22 November 2015}}
The 2010 census also found 216 followers of the Baháʼí Faith (down slightly from the 2000 census, which counted 219). It also found small numbers of Buddhists (820 or 0.3% of the population), Hindus (about 650), and Muslims (about 620).
However, the Association of Religion Data Archives states that as of 2005, 2.5% of the population identifies as Baháʼí, 2.0% identifies as Hindu, 1.1% identifies as Jewish, 1.0% identifies as spiritists, 0.6% identifies as followers of indigenous religions, 0.5% identifies as Muslim, and 0.5% identifies as Buddhist.{{cite web|title=Belize: Religious Adherents (2010)|url=http://www.thearda.com/internationalData/countries/Country_23_2.asp|website=The Association for Religion Data Archives|access-date=21 November 2015}} 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).{{cite web|title=Most Baha'i (sic) Nations (2005)|url=http://www.thearda.com/QuickLists/QuickList_40.asp|website=The Association for Religion Data Archives|access-date=21 November 2015}} The 2010 Belize Population Census, however, recorded only 202 Baháʼís out of a total population of 304,106,{{cite web|url=http://www.belize.com/belize-2010-census.html |title=2010 Census of Belize Overview |year=2011 |access-date=April 23, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.belize.com/belize-demographics |title=2010 Census of Belize Detailed Demographics of 2000 and 2010 |year=2011 |access-date=April 23, 2017}} 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. Catholics frequently visit the country for special gospel revivals. The Greek Orthodox Church has a presence in Santa Elena.[http://www.orthodoxchurch.bz/ Orthodox Church of Belize homepage] Muslims have been in Belize since the 18th century. Activism of the 1960s saw many converts to Islam. It is also common among Middle Eastern immigrants and has gained a following among some Kriols. Mosques 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. [http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/4834 Muslim community officially opens Belize City Mosque] Hinduism is followed by most Indian immigrants.
Religious freedom
The Constitution of Belize 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 with the approval of the Governor-General. The law also establishes that prisoners in jails must have their religious beliefs respected and accommodated.[https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/belize/ US State Dept, 2022 report on Belize]
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
{{bar box
|title=Religion in Belize – 2010 Census, simplified
|titlebar=
|left1=Religion
|right1=percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|Roman Catholic|purple|40.4}}
{{bar percent|Protestant|blue|31.8}}
{{bar percent|Jehovah's Witnesses|red|1.7}}
{{bar percent|Mormon|green|0.4}}
{{bar percent|Other religion|orange|9.6}}
{{bar percent|No religion|grey|15.6}}
{{bar percent|No response|black|0.3}}
}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+ Main religious denominations in Belize | ||||
| rowspan=2 |
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|20001 ! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|20102 | ||||
| Number | % | Number | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left |Total population || 232,111 || || 304,106 || | ||||
| align=left | Christian || 193,150 || 83.3 || 226,515 || 74.3 | ||||
| align=left | - Catholic | 115,035 | 49.6 | 123,010 | 40.4 |
| align=left | - Total Protestant | 78,115 | 31.8 | 103,505 | 31.8 |
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:30px;"| - Anglican | 12,386 | 5.3 | 14,016 | 4.6 |
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:30px;" | ||||
| Baptist | 8,077 | 3.5 | 11,009 | 3.6 |
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:30px;"| - Mennonite | 9,497 | 4.1 | 11,658 | 3.8 |
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:30px;"| - Methodist | 8,024 | 3.5 | 8,821 | 2.9 |
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:30px;"| - Nazarene | 6,117 | 2.6 | 8,660 | 2.8 |
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:30px;"| - Pentecostal | 17,189 | 7.4 | 25,899 | 8.5 |
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:30px;"| - Seventh-day Adventist | 12,160 | 5.2 | 16,665 | 5.5 |
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:30px;"| - Salvation Army | 371 | 0.2 | 370 | 0.1 |
| align=left| - Jehovah’s Witnesses | 3,366 | 1.5 | 5,114 | 1.7 |
| align=left| - Mormon | 928 | 0.4 | 1,293 | 0.4 |
| align=left|No religious affiliation|| 21,795 || 9.4 || 47,511 || 15.6 | ||||
| align=left|Other || 15,799 || 6.8 || 29,324 || 9.6 | ||||
| align=left| - Buddhist | - | - | 757 | 0.3 |
| align=left| - Hindu | 367 | 0.2 | 612 | 0.2 |
| align=left| - Muslim | 243 | 0.1 | 577 | 0.2 |
| align=left| - Other | 15,189 | 6.5 | 27,378 | 8.9 |
| align=left|No response || 1,367 || 0.6 || 756 || 0.3 |
| class="wikitable sortable"
! ! Corozal ! Orange Walk ! Belize ! Cayo ! Stann Creek ! Toledo ! 2010 ! 2000 | ||||||||
| | Total | 39,304 | 44,403 | 89,956 | 69,409 | 31,274 | 29,760 | 304,106 | 232,111 |
| | Anglican | 383 | 501 | 9,875 | 1,498 | 1,503 | 256 | 14,016 | 12,386 |
| | Bahai Faith | 27 | 14 | 46 | 68 | 43 | 4 | 202 | 205 |
| | Baptist | 622 | 424 | 3,978 | 1,843 | 1,757 | 2,385 | 11,009 | 8,077 |
| | Buddhism | 57 | 104 | 379 | 159 | 49 | 9 | 757 | n.a |
| | Hinduism | 106 | 92 | 344 | 41 | 22 | 7 | 612 | 367 |
| | Islam | 67 | 1 | 428 | 48 | 29 | 4 | 577 | 243 |
| | Jehovah's Witness | 709 | 1,018 | 1,467 | 1,083 | 506 | 331 | 5,114 | 3,366 |
| | Mennonite | 2,552 | 4,915 | 554 | 2,812 | 210 | 615 | 11,658 | 9,497 |
| | Methodist | 528 | 299 | 6,193 | 367 | 857 | 577 | 8,821 | 8,024 |
| | Mormon | 130 | 192 | 397 | 500 | 68 | 6 | 1,293 | 928 |
| | Nazarene | 821 | 152 | 1,987 | 2,605 | 1,262 | 1,833 | 8,660 | 6,117 |
| | Pentecostal | 1,721 | 2,029 | 5,378 | 10,838 | 2,839 | 3,094 | 25,899 | 17,189 |
| | Rastafarian | 13 | 18 | 250 | 113 | 93 | 36 | 523 | n.a |
| | Roman Catholic | 18,371 | 19,916 | 34,416 | 24,229 | 12,850 | 13,228 | 123,010 | 115,035 |
| | Seventh Day Adventist | 3,988 | 2,302 | 5,519 | 3,011 | 1,373 | 472 | 16,665 | 12,160 |
| | Salvation Army | 13 | 5 | 244 | 100 | 6 | 2 | 370 | 371 |
| | Other | 2,666 | 6,891 | 5,556 | 6,268 | 2,244 | 3,028 | 26,653 | 14,984 |
| | None | 6,464 | 5,495 | 12,547 | 13,660 | 5,527 | 3,818 | 47,511 | 21,795 |
| | Don't know/not stated | 66 | 35 | 398 | 166 | 36 | 55 | 756 | 1,367 |
Minority faiths
= Hinduism =
Hinduism is a minority faith in Belize. According to 2010 census, 0.2% of Belize population is Hindu.{{cite book|title=Belize Population and Housing Census 2010: Country Report|date=2013|publisher=he Statistical Institute of Belize|location=Belmopan, Belize C.A.|page=23|url=http://www.sib.org.bz/Portals/0/docs/publications/census/2010_Census_Report.pdf|access-date=12 September 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127084833/http://www.sib.org.bz/Portals/0/docs/publications/census/2010_Census_Report.pdf|archive-date=27 January 2016}} Though 3.9% of the population of Belize are Indians, most of them are Christians. Only about 40% are still Hindus.{{cn|date=March 2024}}
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 and so there are few cultural differences within it.{{cn|date=December 2024}}
There are two Hindu temples in Belize, the Belize Hindu Temple on Albert Street, Belize city and Sukh Shanti Temple, Corozal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/sukh+shanti+temple/@18.4054638,-88.390077,15z/data=!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x0:0xc9086bdc309710b9!2ssukh+shanti+temple!8m2!3d18.4054638!4d-88.390077!3m4!1s0x0:0xc9086bdc309710b9!8m2!3d18.4054638!4d-88.390077|title = Google Maps}} Festivals like Diwali,{{Cite web|url=https://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/121074|title=Indian Community Celebrates Diwali in Belize | Channel5Belize.com}}
= Islam =
Islam is one of the smallest minority faiths in Belize, which is a predominantly Christian country. There is an estimated total Muslim population of 577,{{cite web |url=http://www.sib.org.bz/Portals/0/docs/publications/census/2010_Census_Report.pdf |title=Census report|date= 2010|website=www.sib.org.bz |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127084833/http://www.sib.org.bz/Portals/0/docs/publications/census/2010_Census_Report.pdf|access-date=2020-09-06|archive-date=2016-01-27}} representing 0.2 percent of the total population. There is an Islamic mission of Belize{{Cite web|last=admin|title=Islamic Mission Belize|url=https://fyionbelize.com/listing/islamic-mission-belize/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241107163103/https://fyionbelize.com/listing/islamic-mission-belize/|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 7, 2024|access-date=2020-09-05|website=FYIonBelize|language=en-US}} (IMB) headquartered in Belize City. 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.{{cn|date=December 2024}} 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.{{Cite web|last=admin|title=Islamic Mission Belize|url=https://www.fyionbelize.com/listing/islamic-mission-belize/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241107163103/https://fyionbelize.com/listing/islamic-mission-belize/|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 7, 2024|access-date=2020-09-05|website=FYIonBelize|language=en-US}}