Military & Security
Belize
Military - note
The Belize Defense Force (BDF) is tasked with external security duties but also extends limited assistance to civilian authorities; it possesses restricted arrest powers within land and coastal regions, whereas the Coast Guard holds arrest authority and jurisdiction over maritime and coastal areas. The origins of the BDF can be traced back to the Prince Regent Royal Honduras Militia, a volunteer unit founded in 1817. The BDF itself was formed in 1978, originating from the dissolved Police Special Force and the Belize Volunteer Guard, with the aim of supporting the stationed British forces in defending Belize against Guatemala.
Since Belize gained independence, the British Army has sustained a military presence in the country, which includes a small training support unit that offers jungle training to troops from the UK and various international partners (2025).
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2020
1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021
1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022
1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023
0.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2024
1% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military and security forces
Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Air Wing; Belize Coast Guard (BCG) (2025)
Military service age and obligation
Individuals aged 18 to 23 are eligible for voluntary military service; legislation permits conscription only when there are insufficient volunteers, although conscription has never been enacted; the initial service commitment is 12 years (2025).
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
The military maintains a modest inventory primarily composed of equipment sourced from the UK and the US (2025).
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 1,500 BDF personnel (2025)