Belize Forest Information and Data

According to the U.N. FAO, 61.1% or about 1,393,000 ha of Belize is forested, according to FAO. Of this 43.0% ( 599,000 ) is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse and carbon-dense form of forest. Belize had 2,000 ha of planted forest.

Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2010, Belize lost an average of 9,650 ha or 0.61% per year. In total, between 1990 and 2010, Belize lost 12.2% of its forest cover, or around 193,000 ha.

Belize's forests contain 171 million metric tons of carbon in living forest biomass. Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Belize has some 877 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 1.7% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 2.1% are threatened. Belize is home to at least 2894 species of vascular plants, of which 5.2% are endemic. 28.6% of Belize is protected under IUCN categories I-V.

2011 Update

In May 2011, Sassan Saatchi of Caltech's Jet Propulsion Lab and colleagues published a paper in PNAS with new carbon stock estimates for global tropical forests.

Forest definition (canopy cover %)	10% tree cover	25% tree cover	30% tree cover
Forest Area (M ha)	2	2	2
Aboveground forest carbon (Mt C)	158	147	144
Belowground forest carbon (Mt C)	44	41	40
Total forest carbon (Mt C)	202	188	184
Average Carbon Density (t C/ha)	102	105	106

M=million, t=metric tons; all figures are mean carbon stock values

Belize Environmental profile | Belize pictures

The following contains data relating to forest cover in Belize

Previous version of this profile (2009)

SECTIONS:

Forest Cover | Breakdown of forest types | Change in Forest Cover | Deforestation | Primary forest | Planted forest | Forest designation | Forest ownership | Growing stock | Carbon stock | Disturbances affecting forest land | Removals | Removals Value | Employment | Forest policy | Human resources | Revenue | Agreements | Protected areas | Biodiversity - Wildlife | Biodiversity - Plants | Environment | Land use / Resources | Economy | Population / Demographics | Infrastructure | Health | References | Books

Home  What's New  About  Rainforests    Mission    Introduction    Characteristics    Biodiversity    The Canopy    Forest Floor    Forest Waters    Indigenous People    Deforestation    Consequences    Saving Rainforests    Amazon    Borneo    Congo    New Guinea    Sulawesi    REDD    Country Profiles    Statistics    Works Cited    For Kids    For Teachers    Photos/Images    Expert Interviews    Rainforest News   Forest data    Global deforestation    Tropical deforestation    By country    Deforestation charts    Regional forest data    Deforestation drivers  XML Feeds  Pictures  Books  Education  Newsletter  Contact

Belize: Forest Cover, 2010 Total Land Area (1000 ha) 2281 Total Forest Area (1000 ha) 1393 Percent Forest Cover 61 Primary Forest Cover (1000 ha) 599 Primary Forest, % total forest 43 Other wooded land (1000 ha) 113 Percent other wooded land 5 Belize: Breakdown of forest types, 2010 Primary forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) 599 43 Other naturally regenerated forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) 792 57 Planted Forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) 2 n.s. Belize: Trends in Total (Net) Forest Cover, 1990-2010 TOTAL FOREST COVER (1000 ha) 1990 2000 2005 2010 1586 1489 1441 1393 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 -10 -10 -10 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 -0.63 -0.65 -0.68 Belize: Trends in Natural Forest Cover (Deforestation), 1990-2010 FOREST COVER (excluding planted forests) (1000 ha) 1990 2000 2005 2010 1584 1487 1439 1391 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 -10 -10 -10 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 -0.6 -0.61 -0.65 Belize: Trends in Primary or Old Growth Forest Cover, 1990-2010 PRIMARY FOREST COVER (1000 ha) 1990 2000 2005 2010 599 599 599 599 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 0 0 0 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 0 0 0 Belize: Trends in Planted Forest Cover, 1990-2010 PLANTED FOREST COVER (1000 ha) 1990 2000 2005 2010 2 2 2 2 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 n.s. 0 n.s. ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 0.45 0 0.85 Belize: Primary designated function (percent) Production Protection of soil and water Conservation of biodiversity Social services Multiple use Other None or unknown 0 0 43 0 0 0 57 Belize: Forest ownership and management rights 2005 (percent) OWNERSHIP PATTERN Public ownership Private ownership Other - - - PRIVATE OWNERSHIP Individuals Business entities and institutions Local, indigenous and tribal communities - - - HOLDER OF MANAGEMENT RIGHTS OF PUBLIC FORESTS Public administration Individuals Business entities and Institutions Communities Other - - - - - Belize: Growing stock in forest GROWING STOCK IN FOREST Total (million m3) Per hectare (m3) Coniferous (million m3) Broadleaved (million m3) % commercial species 226 162 - - - GROWING STOCK IN FOREST Total (million m3) Per hectare (m3) Coniferous (million m3) Broadleaved (million m3) % commercial species - - Belize: Trends in carbon stock in living forest biomass 1990-2010 CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS (million metric tons) 1990 2000 2005 2010 195 184 178 171 CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS (per hectare in tons) 2000 123 ANNUAL CHANGE (1 000 t/yr) 1990 2000 2005 2010 -1 -1 -1 ANNUAL CHANGE PER HECTARE (t/ha/yr) 1990 2000 2005 2010 n.s. n.s. n.s. Belize: Area of forest affected by fire and other disturbances 2005 FOREST FIRE 1000 ha % wild fire (not managed burn) - - EXCLUDING FOREST FIRE Insects Diseases Other biotic agents Abiotic factors Total (excluding fire) % of 2005 forest area - - - - - - Belize: Trends in removals of wood products 1990-2005 INDUSTRIAL ROUNDWOOD Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) 1990 2000 2005 percent of which from forest 2005 71 71 59 - WOODFUEL Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) 1990 2000 2005 percent of which from forest 2005 145 145 270 - Belize: Value of wood and NWFP removals 2005 Value of removals (million US$) Value per ha forest (US$) Industrial roundwood Woodfuel NWFP Total - - - - - Belize: Employment in forestry 1990-2005 TOTAL (1000 full-time employees) 1990 2000 2005 - - - IN PRIMARY PRODUCTION OF GOODS-FORESTRY (1000 full-time employees) 1990 2000 2005 - - - IN MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS-CONSERVATION (1000 full-time employees) 1990 2000 2005 - - - Belize: Forest policy and legal framework 2008 National forest policy (year): - (-) Sub-national forest policy: - National forest program (year) - status: - (-) - National forest law (year): - (-) Sub-national forest law: - Belize: Human resources within public forest institutions 2000-2008 2000 2005 2008 # % female # % female # % female - - - - - - Belize: Forest revenue and public expenditure on forestry 2005 Forest revenue Public expenditure (1000 US$) Domestic funding External funding Total (1000 US$) Operational expenditure Transfer payments Operational expenditure Transfer payments Operational expenditure Transfer payments - - - - - - - Belize: Status of ratification of international conventions and agreements as of 1 January 2010 CbD: UNFCCC: Kyoto Protocol: UNCCD: ITTA: CITeS: Ramsar: World Heritage Convention: NlbI: [an error occurred while processing this directive] Belize: Environment Environment - current issues deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Natural hazards frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south) Belize: Land use / Resources Land use (%) arable land: 2.85% permanent crops: 1.71% other: 95.44% (2001) Natural resources arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower Belize: Economy Economy - overview: In this small, essentially private enterprise economy the tourism industry is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by marine products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas, and garments. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to sturdy GDP growth averaging nearly 5% in 1999-2005. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit and foreign debt. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international donors. GDP - per capita $6,800 (2005 est.) GDP - real growth rate (%) 3.8% (2005 est.) Agriculture - products bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments GDP - composition by sector (%) agriculture: 22.5%, industry: 23%, services: 54.5% (2004 est.) Industries garment production, food processing, tourism, construction Economic aid - recipient NA Debt - external $1.362 billion (June 2004 est.) Population below poverty line (%) 33% (1999 est.) Labor force - by occupation (%) agriculture 27%, industry 18%, services 55% (2001 est.) Belize: Population / Demographics Population (July 2005) 279,457 Population growth rate (%) (2005) 2.33% Population density (people/sq km) (2005) 12.3 Percent rural (2003) 51.7% Median age (years) total: 19.35 years Total fertility rate (children born/woman) 3.68 (2005 est.) Ethnic groups (%) mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7% [an error occurred while processing this directive]--> Belize: Infrastructure Telephones - main lines in use 33,300 (2003) Telephones - mobile cellular 60,400 (2003) Roadways (km) total: 2,872 km paved: 488 km unpaved: 2,384 km (1999) Belize: Health Life expectancy at birth (years) total population: 68.44 years male: 66.54 years female: 70.44 years (2005 est.) Infant mortality rate 25.69 deaths/1,000 live births HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%) 2.4% (2003 est.) Belize : References & Data Sources  Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005  Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005 & 2010) and the State of the World's Forests (2009, 2007, 2005, 2003, 2001)  Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.  Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.  RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.  World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site  The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species  Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund  With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com Select a Country or Region INDEX Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Caribbean Cayman Islands Central African Republic Central America Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo Costa Rica Cote d�Ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic DR Congo East Timor Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea Norway Oceania Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russia Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Helena Saint Lucia Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South America South Korea Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States United States of America United States Virgin Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Vietnam Virgin Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Tropical rainforest information  World Rainforests  Rainforest Structure  Rainforest Biodiversity  Canopy  Forest Floor  Rainforest Waters  Indigenous People  Deforestation  Global Importance  Rainforest Conservation  Country Reports update soon  References  Deforestation Tables  The Amazon Rainforest update soon  The Congo Rainforest update soon  Deforestation in Brazil  Rainforest Images   Web mongabay.com Mongabay Rainforests Mongabay News Mongabay Photos