By Breaking Belize News Staff (HP): Belize recorded another year of economic growth in 2025, but the pace of expansion slowed while public debt remained substantial, according to the U.S. State Department’s latest investment climate assessment.
The 2026 report states that Belize’s real gross domestic product grew by 2.7 percent in 2025, compared with 3.5 percent in 2024.
This marked the country’s fifth consecutive year of economic expansion following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Growth was supported primarily by agriculture, forestry, fishing and construction.
The primary sector expanded by 7.8 percent, while construction grew by nine percent.
Financial services and arts and recreation also recorded gains, despite weaker activity in tourism.
However, the report highlights Belize’s public debt, which reached $4.68 billion, equivalent to 70.2 percent of gross domestic product.
The assessment describes the country’s investment environment as gradually improving, supported by tourism-related construction, infrastructure activity and government efforts to attract foreign capital.
It also identifies renewable energy, agriculture, tourism, business process outsourcing, digital services and aquaculture as priority sectors for investment.
Despite these opportunities, the State Department warns that high energy costs, expensive logistics, bureaucratic delays and shortages of skilled workers continue to constrain business activity.
The report says Belize’s stable exchange rate and openness to foreign ownership remain important advantages.
Nevertheless, it emphasizes that continued economic progress will depend partly on addressing longstanding structural weaknesses and implementing announced reforms.
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