Photo: Josh Steinitz · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 14 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Belize: Poverty & Inequality
How is a country’s income shared, and how many live below a line?
Belize is placed 75th of 159 countries on poverty & inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Gini Index 39.95 (2023); Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day 0.21 (2023).
Share
Poverty & Inequality
75th
of 159 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics
01The evidence
The 3 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Belize on poverty & inequality — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 3
Gini Index
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Belize’s is from 2018 · CC BY 4.0
39.95
Gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)
Lower is better
Belize: 39.95. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 23 (India) to 59.07 (Namibia); the world median is 33.72.
- World median
- 33.72
- Best in Central America
- 39.8 El Salvador
- Land neighbours
- Guatemala 45.21 · Mexico 43.45
Key 2 of 3
Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Belize’s is from 2018 · CC BY 4.0
0.21
Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)
Lower is better
Belize: 0.21. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0 (Czechia) to 48.69 (DR Congo); the world median is 0.345.
- World median
- 0.345
- Best in Central America
- 0.21 Belize
- Land neighbours
- Guatemala 3.44 · Mexico 0.63
Key 3 of 3
Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
17.8
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%)
Lower is better
Belize: 17.8. Across the 145 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Belarus) to 93.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 26.4.
- World median
- 26.4
- Best in Central America
- 17.8 Belize
- Land neighbours
- Guatemala 47.3 · Mexico 20
02Over time
Which way Belize is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%) · lower is better
BelizeWorld median
Belize fell from 25.7 in 2017 to 17.8 in 2025; the world median went from 32.4 to 26.4.
Every year’s figures
Year Belize World median 2025 17.8 26.40 2024 17.7 27.10 2023 18.4 27.15 2022 16.8 27.90 2021 18.7 29.65 2020 21.6 31.80 2019 17.5 29.05 2018 21.7 29.85 2017 25.7 32.40
03In context
Belize beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 159 countries on poverty & inequality, never a place within the region.
Belize and the countries it borders
Standing among all 159; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Gini IndexGini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality) | Poverty Gap at $3.00 a DayPoverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%) | Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy DietShare of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belize | 75th | 39.95 | 0.21 | 17.8 |
 Mexico | 97th | 43.45 | 0.63 | 20 |
 Guatemala | 133rd | 45.21 | 3.44 | 47.3 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Central America
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 159.
Placed either side on poverty & inequality
The countries immediately above and below Belize in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Belize is ahead of the world, and behind
12 more statistics filed under poverty & inequality, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median8
Statistics on which Belize does better than the middle country measured.
Working Poverty RateILO · 2025 · world median 4.8850.14.885▲ Improved since 2015
Belize: 0.1 · world median 4.885 · Employed people living in extreme poverty (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.007 to 86.02; lower is better.
Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 MonthsUNICEF · 2024 · world median 21.269.88921.26No earlier reading
Belize: 9.889 · world median 21.26 · Children aged 6-23 months fed from at most 2 of 8 food groups (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.169 to 63.08; lower is better.
Position 83rd of 113 · derived, 1st = worst.
Poverty Headcount at $3.00 a Day, Line-up EstimatesWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 2.10.642.1▲ Improved since 2014
Belize: 0.64 · world median 2.1 · Population below $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP, World Bank line-up estimate (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 89.54; lower is better.
Global Multidimensional Poverty IndexOPHI · 2025 · world median 0.0390.0170.039▼ Worsened since 2018
Belize: 0.017 · world median 0.039 · MPI (0–1). Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 0.517; lower is better.
Position 72nd of 109 · derived, 1st = worst.
Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food InsecurityFAO · 2024 · world median 20.912.820.9▲ Improved since 2019
Belize: 12.8 · world median 20.9 · Population in moderate or severe food insecurity (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 88.8; lower is better.
Position 85th of 135 · derived, 1st = worst.
Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.240.25▲ Improved since 2014
Belize: 0.24 · world median 0.25 · Coefficient of variation of habitual calorie consumption across the population (standard deviation ÷ mean). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.17 to 0.4; lower is better.
Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour BenefitsWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 18.6523.3518.65No earlier reading
Belize: 23.35 · world median 18.65 · Benefits received as a share of beneficiaries' total income or consumption (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.455 to 90.86; higher is better.
Multidimensional Poverty MeasureWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 4.2522.7064.252No earlier reading
Belize: 2.706 · world median 4.252 · Multidimensional poverty headcount ratio (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 87.96; lower is better.
Position 88th of 157 · derived, 1st = worst.
Behind the world median2
Statistics on which Belize does worse than the middle country measured.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.3760.529No earlier reading
Belize: 0.376 · world median 0.529 · Adjusted wealth parity index, lower secondary completion (poorest vs richest fifth; 1 = parity). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.032 to 1.022; higher is better.
Actual Individual Consumption per Capita (PPP)World Bank Group · 2021 · world median 12,8008,19512,800▲ Improved since 2017
Belize: 8,195 · world median 12,800 · Actual individual consumption per capita (PPP, current international $). World Bank Group, 2021 edition, data for 2021.
Published values in that edition run from 688.7 to 52,654; higher is better.
Position 109th of 173 · derived.
No better end2
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Poverty Headcount at National Poverty LinesWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 21.85221.8No earlier reading
Belize: 52 · world median 21.8 · Population below the national poverty line (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 82.3.
Cost of a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 4.554.694.55Moved since 2017
Belize: 4.69 · world median 4.55 · Cost of the cheapest locally available healthy diet, PPP dollars per person per day. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.66 to 8.27.
No current reading for Belize
Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Coefficient of Human Inequality, Exclusion by Socio-Economic Group, Gini Index (last 2018), Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID) (last 2018), Gini Index of Monthly Earnings (last 2019), Income Growth of the Poorest 40%, Income Share Held by Lowest 20% (last 2018), Income Share Held by Richest 10% (last 2018), Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, Intergenerational Persistence in Education, Low Pay Rate (last 2019), Median Daily Income or Consumption per Person (last 2018), Palma Ratio (last 2018), Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day (last 2018), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day (last 2018), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day (last 2018), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day (last 2018), Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day (last 2018), Prosperity Gap (last 2018) and Societal Poverty Rate (last 2018). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Poverty & Inequality among Belize’s 16 topics
Poverty & Inequality is Belize’s 7th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Peace & Security11th of 1772/4 keys
- Energy21st of 1652/3 keys
- Environment & Sustainability48th of 1863/4 keys
- Gender & Equalityjoint 56th of 1833/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation76th of 1763/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing92nd of 2004/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality75th of 1593/3 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties101st of 1983/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience110th of 1934/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions111th of 1943/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture109th of 1844/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital120th of 1963/3 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 134th of 1824/4 keys
- Digital & Technology148th of 1983/4 keys
- Education & Knowledgejoint 152nd of 1984/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade152nd of 1773/4 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on poverty & inequality
The three countries placed highest of 159, and the leaders Belize can most readily be measured against.
1
BelarusEastern Europe
1st of 159 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: zedlik , cropped by Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
SloveniaSouthern Europe
2nd of 159 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: Z.K. derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 3.0, greyscale
=3
UkraineEastern Europe
Joint 3rd of 159 · 2 of 3 keys
Photo: uploaded by Chern038 · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Americas
Canada28th3/3 keysHighest in Central America
Belize75th3/3 keys
Positions out of 159 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
Belize on poverty & inequality: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Belize rank on poverty & inequality?
Belize is placed 75th of 159 countries on Poverty & Inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics (Gini Index, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day and Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Gini Index figure for Belize?
39.95 in 2023 (gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 33.72.
What is the latest Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day figure for Belize?
0.21 in 2023 (poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 0.345.
How does Belize compare with Mexico on poverty & inequality?
Mexico is placed 97th of 159, and Belize 75th. Gini Index: Mexico 43.45, Belize 39.95; Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day: Mexico 0.63, Belize 0.21; Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet: Mexico 20, Belize 17.8.
How have Belize’s poverty & inequality figures changed?
Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet fell from 25.7 in 2017 to 17.8 in 2025.
Which poverty & inequality statistics are missing for Belize?
No current reading is published for Belize on Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Coefficient of Human Inequality, Exclusion by Socio-Economic Group, Gini Index, Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID), Gini Index of Monthly Earnings, Income Growth of the Poorest 40%, Income Share Held by Lowest 20%, Income Share Held by Richest 10%, Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, Intergenerational Persistence in Education, Low Pay Rate, Median Daily Income or Consumption per Person, Palma Ratio, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day, Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day, Prosperity Gap and Societal Poverty Rate. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
These figures come from household surveys, which most countries run every few years rather than every year. So the subject's standing is read from each country's most recent survey of the last decade, with the year of every reading shown, rather than from one year in which only a minority of countries were surveyed. Two readings decide it — how unequally income is shared and how deep extreme poverty runs — because the other poverty and inequality measures here largely repeat one of those two or repeat average income, which already counts under Economy and Development. Countries with no survey in the last decade have no standing here. What work pays is under Work & Labour; wealth, as opposed to income, has no global source this site is permitted to republish.
How the Poverty & Inequality standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 3 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 3 keys to be placed.
The poverty & inequality method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Gini Index — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
The other 12 statistics on this page come from 6 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Belize’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Belize (banner) — Josh Steinitz, CC BY 2.0
- Belarus — zedlik , cropped by Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Slovenia — Z.K. derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY 3.0
- Ukraine — uploaded by Chern038, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Belize: Poverty & Inequality — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/belize/poverty