The population of Belize in 2003 was estimated by the United Nations at 256,000, which placed it as number 171 in population among the 193 nations of the world. In that year approximately 5% of the population was over 65 years of age, with another 41% of the population under 15 years of age. There were 103 males for every 100 females in the country in 2003. According to the UN, the annual population growth rate for 2000–2005 is2.06%, with the projected population for the year 2015 at 315,000. The population density in 2002 was 11 per sq km (29 per sq mi), the lowest in Central America. However, the population density is as high as 360 per sq km (932 per sq mi) on agricultural land.
It was estimated by the Population Reference Bureau that 54% of the population lived in urban areas in 2001. The capital city, Belmopan, had a population of 6,000 in that year. The largest city is Belize City, with an estimated population of 46,342. According to the United Nations, the urban population growth rate for 2000–2005 was 3.4%.
The largest ethnic group in Belize is the Mestizo, which comprises 44% of the population. Other ethnic groups include Creole (30%), Mayan (10%), and Garifuna (6%).