Languages of Belize
| Languages of Belize | |
|---|---|
Sign in English at Xunantunich, with the Mayan name translated into English | |
| Official | English |
| Indigenous | Q'eqchi', Mopan, Yucatec Maya |
| Vernacular | Belizean English, Belizean Spanish, Belizean Creole |
| Foreign | Spanish, German, Garifuna, Plautdietsch |
| Signed | American Sign Language |
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The major languages spoken in Belize include English, Spanish and Kriol, all three spoken by more than 40% of the population. Mayan languages are also spoken in certain areas.
English is the official language and the primary language of public education, though spoken natively by a minority of people as a first language. Spanish is taught in primary and secondary schools as well. Bilingualism is very common. The percentage of literacy in Belize as of 2021 is 82.68% for those aged 15 or older.
| Language | speakers | percentage |
|---|---|---|
| English | 183,903 | 62.9% |
| Spanish | 165,296 | 56.6% |
| Belizean Creole | 130,467 | 44.6% |
| Q'eqchi' Maya | 17,581 | 6.0% |
| Mopan Maya | 10,649 | 3.6% |
| German* | 9,364 | 3.2% |
| Garifuna | 8,442 | 2.9% |
| Other languages | 7,847 | 2.7% |
| N.A. | 1,537 | 0.5% |
| Total | 292,263 | 100% |
*German includes Plautdietsch and Standard German