Little Belize is a colony of conservative Plautdietsch-speaking "Russian" Mennonites, known as "Old Colony Mennonites", in the Corozal District of Belize. It is part of the Corozal South East constituency.[2] Little Belize is located east of Progresso at an elevation of 1 meter above sea level. Because the Mennonite colony is close to Progresso, it is sometimes called "Progresso".

Little Belize
Little Belize is located in Belize
Little Belize
Little Belize
Coordinates: 18°12′N 88°21′W / 18.200°N 88.350°W / 18.200; -88.350
Country Belize
DistrictCorozal District
ConstituencyCorozal South East
Established1978
Area
  Total
143.6 km2 (55.4 sq mi)
Population
 (2022[1])
  Total
2,888
  Density20.11/km2 (52.1/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central)
ClimateAw

According to the 2000 census, the population of Little Belize was 2,059 people. In 2010 the population had grown to 2,650 people in 427 households.[3] Of these, 98.8% were Mennonite, 0.8% Mestizo, 0.2% Mixed, 0.1% Yucatec Maya and 0.1% Ketchi Maya.

In terms of languages spoken (multiple answers allowed), 98.3% spoke German, 19.5% Spanish, 4.5% English and 0.2% Garifuna; 0.3% could not speak.[4]

In 2017 population has reached 2,830 people. Little Belize is the second most populous Mennonite settlement in the country, after Shipyard.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1987 1,004    
2000 2,207+119.8%
2010 2,650+20.1%
2022 2,888+9.0%
[5][6][1]

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 2022 Housing and Population Census
  2. Elections & Boundaries Department
  3. Belize Population and Housing Census - Country Report 2010 Archived 2016-01-27 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Population & Housing Census 2010
  5. Carel Roessingh and Kees Boersma: ‘We are growing Belize’: modernisation and organisational change in the Mennonite settlement of Spanish Lookout, Belize. 2011
  6. Belize Population and Housing Census - Country Report 2010 Archived 27 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine
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18°12′N 88°24′W / 18.200°N 88.400°W / 18.200; -88.400