List of municipalities in Belize

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Belize has 247 recognized municipalities, consisting of 2 cities, 7 towns, and 238 villages.[1][2][3] Each type of municipality has a different form of government as defined by Title VIII of the Laws of Belize.[1] The largest municipality by population in Belize is Belize City with a population of 57,164.[4] The smallest municipalities by population are the villages of Estrella and Honey Camp, each with 37 residents.[4]

Cities and towns

There are two cities (Belize City and Belmopan) and seven towns in Belize.[5] As of 2000, the seven towns are Benque Viejo del Carmen, Corozal Town, Dangriga, Orange Walk Town, Punta Gorda, San Ignacio, and San Pedro.[6]

City and town councils consist of a mayor and a number of councillors (ten in Belize City, six in Belmopan and the towns). Mayors and councillors are directly elected to three-year terms, using the first past the post system. The mayor (except in Belize City) acts as the chief executive of the city or town, and allocates portfolios to the other councillors.

City and town councils have a wide range of functions. According to the Government of Belize website, "urban authorities are responsible for street maintenance and lighting, drains, refuse collection and public cemeteries. They also have discretionary powers over other services including infrastructure, parks and playgrounds, markets and slaughter-houses, public libraries, public buildings and the amenities of the city or town centre."[5]

Villages

Villages in Belize are typically governed by a village council. Village councils began in the 1950s and were formalized by the Village Councils Act 1999 which legalized their role and authority to administer village affairs. Villages are declared by ministerial order and one qualification for village status is a minimum of 200 voters. The council is required to meet at least once every quarter and has discretionary powers to appoint committees. Decisions of village committees are subject to the approval of their council. There are over 180 village councils in Belize. Village councils consist of a chairperson and six councillors, who are directly elected by registered villagers. Village councils have existed in Belize on an informal basis since the 1950s, but they were first put on a statutory footing by the Village Councils Act 1999. After the Act came into force, the first elections for village councils were held in March and April 2001. Village councils have a more limited range of functions than town councils. They "encourage and assist co-operation on economic and social development and general welfare", and can run community centres and advise the national government on the affairs of the locality.[5]

Some rural villages in Belize have an alcalde: a local magistrate who has both an administrative and a judicial role. In addition to presiding over local courts, alcaldes are responsible for managing communal land and act as school officers. This form of local governance is practised mainly in Mayan communities in Belize, but any rural community can choose to appoint an alcalde.[5]

List of municipalities

  • Largest cities, towns, and villages in Belize by population
  • Aerial view of Belize City
    Aerial view of Belize City, the largest local municipality in Belize
  • Street in San Ignacio
    San Ignacio/Santa Elena, Belize's second largest municipality by population
  • Downtown Belmopan
    Parliament in Belmopan, Belize's capital city and third largest municipality by population
  • Downtown Orange Walk Town
    Orange Walk Town is the fourth largest municipality by population in Belize
Name Type District Population
(2010)[4] 		Population
(2000)[4] 		Change[4]
Belize City City Belize 57,164 51,085 +11.9%
Bermudian Landing Village Belize 183 214 −14.5%
Biscayne Village Belize 517 386 +33.9%
Bomba Village Belize 71 91 −22.0%
Boston Village Belize 127 146 −13.0%
Burrell Boom Village Belize 2,218 1,204 +84.2%
Caye Caulker Village Belize 1,763 706 +149.7%
Corozalito Village Belize 84 94 −10.6%
Crooked Tree Village Belize 805 697 +15.5%
Double Head Cabbage Village Belize 406 405 +0.2%
Flowers Bank Village Belize 121 110 +10.0%
Freetown Sibun Village Belize 78 82 −4.9%
Gales Point Village Belize 297 277 +7.2%
Gardenia Village Belize 303 286 +5.9%
Gracie Rock Village Belize 255 195 +30.8%
Hattieville Village Belize 2,344 1,642 +42.8%
Isabella Bank Village Belize 143 139 +2.9%
La Democracia Village Belize 353 56 +530.4%
Ladyville Village Belize 5,458 3,891 +40.3%
Lemonal Village Belize 169 0[a] NA
Lord's Bank Village Belize 3,140 1,233 +154.7%
Lucky Strike Village Belize 244 120 +103.3%
Mahogany Heights Village Belize 1,063 0[a] NA
Maskall Village Belize 803 656 +22.4%
May Pen Village Belize 50 66 −24.2%
Mile 25 Village Village Belize 69 0[a] NA
Rancho Dolores Village Belize 217 192 +13.0%
Rock Stone Pond Village Belize 154 0[a] NA
San Pedro Town Belize 11,767 4,268 +175.7%
Sandhill Village Belize 1,842 1,385 +33.0%
Santana Village Belize 104 140 −25.7%
Scotland Halfmoon Village Belize 259 81 +219.8%
St. Ann's Village Belize 97 0[a] NA
St. George's Caye Village Belize 656 0[a] NA
St. Paul's Bank Village Belize 153 301 −49.2%
Western Paradise/West Lake/8 Miles Village Belize 1,258 0[a] NA
Willows Bank Village Belize 185 175 +5.7%
Armenia Village Cayo 1,395 682 +104.5%
Belmopan City Cayo 13,919 5,089 +173.5%
Benque Viejo del Carmen Town Cayo 6,148 5,419 +13.5%
San Ignacio Town Cayo 10,490 0[b] NA
Santa Elena Town Cayo 7,389 0[b] NA
Arenal Village Cayo 613 475 +29.1%
Lower Barton Creek Village Cayo 193 0[c] NA
Billy White Village Cayo 586 258 +127.1%
Blackman Eddy Village Cayo 533 435 +22.5%
Branch Mouth Village Cayo 127 275 −53.8%
Buena Vista Village Cayo 599 306 +95.8%
Bullet Tree Falls Village Cayo 2,124 1,376 +54.4%
Calla Creek Village Cayo 286 248 +15.3%
Camalote Village Cayo 2,562 1,376 +86.2%
Central farm Village Cayo 205 199 +3.0%
Cotton Tree Village Cayo 1,573 865 +81.8%
Cristo Rey Village Cayo 874 735 +18.9%
Duck Run I Village Cayo 663 0[d] NA
Duck Run II Village Cayo 370 0[d] NA
Duck Run III Village Cayo 400 0[d] NA
Esperanza Village Cayo 1,262 1,154 +9.4%
Franks Eddy Village Cayo 378 212 +78.3%
Georgeville Village Cayo 922 573 +60.9%
La Gracia Village Cayo 271 110 +146.4%
Los Tambos Village Cayo 358 172 +108.1%
More Tomorrow Village Cayo 154 128 +20.3%
Ontario Village Cayo 775 621 +24.8%
Paslow Falls/Plant Village Cayo 194 0[e] NA
Roaring Creek Village Cayo 1,974 1,749 +12.9%
Ringtail Village Village Cayo 187 0[a] NA
San Antonio Village Cayo 1,847 1,491 +23.9%
San Jose Succotz Village Cayo 2,322 1,927 +20.5%
San Marcos Village Cayo 142 0[a] NA
Santa Familia Village Cayo 1,597 907 +76.1%
Santa Marta Village Cayo 1,136 711 +59.8%
Santa Rosa Village Cayo 64 104 −38.5%
Santa Teresita Village Cayo 83 0[a] NA
Selena Village Cayo 201 190 +5.8%
Seven Miles Village Cayo 482 0[a] NA
Spanish Lookout Village Cayo 2,253 1,899 +18.6%
Springfield Village Cayo 270 0[a] NA
St. Matthews Village Cayo 1,153 541 +113.1%
Teakettle Village Cayo 1,746 1,362 +28.2%
Unitedville Village Cayo 971 593 +63.7%
Upper Barton Creek Village Cayo 380 0[c] NA
Valley of Peace Village Cayo 2,111 1,894 +11.5%
Yalbac Village Cayo 131 56 +133.9%
Corozal Town Town Corozal 10,287 7,986 +28.8%
Altamira Village Corozal 210 0[a] NA
Buena Vista Village Corozal 494 419 +17.9%
Calcutta Village Corozal 846 813 +4.1%
Caledonia Village Corozal 1,400 1,329 +5.3%
Carolina Village Corozal 206 175 +17.7%
Chan Chen Village Corozal 715 627 +14.0%
Chunox Village Corozal 1,375 1,113 +23.5%
Concepción Village Corozal 1,256 940 +33.6%
Consejo Village Corozal 351 228 +53.9%
Copper Bank Village Corozal 470 385 +22.1%
Cristo Rey Village Corozal 868 781 +11.1%
Estrella Village Corozal 37 31 +19.4%
Libertad Village Corozal 1,607 1,496 +7.4%
Little Belize Village Corozal 2,650 2,207 +20.1%
Louisville Village Corozal 880 681 +29.2%
Paraiso Village Corozal 1,008 878 +14.8%
Patchakan Village Corozal 1,374 1,202 +14.3%
Progresso Village Corozal 1,356 1,211 +12.0%
Ranchito Village Corozal 1,340 1,100 +21.8%
San Andrés Village Corozal 1,049 779 +34.7%
San Antonio Village Corozal 569 264 +115.5%
San Joaquín Village Corozal 1,470 1,251 +17.5%
San Narciso Village Corozal 2,423 2,183 +11.0%
San Pedro Village Corozal 520 455 +14.3%
San Román Village Corozal 883 691 +27.8%
San Víctor Village Corozal 962 676 +42.3%
Santa Clara Village Corozal 862 790 +9.1%
Sarteneja Village Corozal 1,824 1,674 +9.0%
Xaibe Village Corozal 1,575 1,316 +19.7%
Yo Chen Village Corozal 80 63 +27.0%
Orange Walk Town Town Orange Walk 13,700 13,741 −0.3%
August Pine Ridge Village Orange Walk 1,794 1,701 +5.5%
Blue Creek Village Orange Walk 407 767 −46.9%
Carmelita Village Orange Walk 1,475 834 +76.9%
Chan Chich Village Orange Walk 52 44 +18.2%
Chan Pine Ridge Village Orange Walk 445 372 +19.6%
Cuatro Leguas Village Orange Walk 154 0[a] NA
Douglas Village Orange Walk 521 564 −7.6%
Fire Burn Village Orange Walk 103 112 −8.0%
Guinea Grass Village Orange Walk 3,218 2,651 +21.4%
Honey Camp Village Orange Walk 37 0[a] NA
Indian Church Village Orange Walk 267 221 +20.8%
Indian Creek Village Orange Walk 904 747 +21.0%
Indian Hill Estate Village Orange Walk 43 0[a] NA
Petville Village Orange Walk 67 0[a] NA
Richmond Hill Village Orange Walk 38 41 −7.3%
San Antonio Village Orange Walk 402 397 +1.3%
San Carlos Village Orange Walk 138 180 −23.3%
San Estevan Village Orange Walk 1,661 1,566 +6.1%
San Felipe Village Orange Walk 1,501 1,099 +36.6%
San José Village Orange Walk 2,861 2,381 +20.2%
San José Palmar Village Orange Walk 1,355 914 +48.2%
San Juan Village Orange Walk 320 254 +26.0%
San Lorenzo Village Orange Walk 404 0[a] NA
San Lázaro Village Orange Walk 1,050 959 +9.5%
San Luis Village Orange Walk 258 236 +9.3%
San Pablo Village Orange Walk 1,129 974 +15.9%
San Román Village Orange Walk 437 486 −10.1%
Santa Cruz Village Orange Walk 260 264 −1.5%
Santa Marta Village Orange Walk 600 438 +37.0%
Shipyard Village Orange Walk 3,345 2,334 +43.3%
Sylvestre Camp Village Orange Walk 88 218 −59.6%
Tower Hill Village Orange Walk 314 273 +15.0%
Tres Leguas Village Orange Walk 158 0[a] NA
Trial Farm Village Orange Walk 4,264 3,344 +27.5%
Trinidad Village Orange Walk 570 577 −1.2%
Yo Creek Village Orange Walk 1,413 1,386 +1.9%
Dangriga Town Stann Creek 9,583 8,767 +9.3%
Alta Vista Village Stann Creek 369 646 −42.9%
Cow Pen Village Stann Creek 1,042 415 +151.1%
George Town Village Stann Creek 473 794 −40.4%
Hope Creek Village Stann Creek 1,128 604 +86.8%
Hopkins Village Stann Creek 1,610 1,034 +55.7%
Hummingbird Community Village Stann Creek 466 336 +38.7%
Independence Village Stann Creek 4,014 2,995 +34.0%
Kendall Village Stann Creek 118 99 +19.2%
Mango Creek Village Stann Creek 80 0[a] NA
Maya Beach Village Stann Creek 229 0[a] NA
Maya Center Village Stann Creek 386 305 +26.6%
Maya Mopan Village Stann Creek 632 444 +42.3%
Middlesex Village Stann Creek 222 314 −29.3%
Mullins River Village Stann Creek 235 206 +14.1%
Placencia Village Stann Creek 1,752 477 +267.3%
Pomona Village Stann Creek 1,730 1,146 +51.0%
Red Bank Village Stann Creek 1,201 684 +75.6%
Riversdale Village Stann Creek 567 713 −20.5%
San Juan Village Stann Creek 438 432 +1.4%
San Román Village Stann Creek 894 365 +144.9%
Santa Cruz Village Stann Creek 774 56 +1,282.1%
Santa Rosa Village Stann Creek 542 193 +180.8%
Sarawee Village Stann Creek 525 211 +148.8%
Seine Bight Village Stann Creek 1,310 865 +51.4%
Silk Grass Village Stann Creek 1,092 758 +44.1%
Sittee River Village Stann Creek 439 325 +35.1%
South Stann Creek Village Stann Creek 686 411 +66.9%
Steadfast Village Stann Creek 482 398 +21.1%
Valley Community Village Stann Creek 627 216 +190.3%
Punta Gorda Town Toledo 5,351 4,455 +20.1%
Aguacate Village Toledo 369 595 −38.0%
Barranco Village Toledo 157 252 −37.7%
Bella Vista Village Toledo 3,508 741 +373.4%
Big Falls Village Toledo 845 956 −11.6%
Bladden Village Toledo 466 408 +14.2%
Blue Creek Village Toledo 365 241 +51.5%
Boom Creek Village Toledo 96 104 −7.7%
Cattle Landing Village Toledo 226 209 +8.1%
Conejo Village Toledo 209 137 +52.6%
Corazon Village Toledo 188 140 +34.3%
Crique Jute Village Toledo 223 226 −1.3%
Crique Largo Village Toledo 46 111 −58.6%
Crique Sarco Village Toledo 328 255 +28.6%
Crique Trosa Village Toledo 84 40 +110.0%
Dolores Village Toledo 460 316 +45.6%
Dump Village Toledo 198 292 −32.2%
Elridge Village Toledo 513 388 +32.2%
Forest Home Village Toledo 479 503 −4.8%
Golden Stream Village Toledo 349 331 +5.4%
Graham Creek Village Toledo 110 54 +103.7%
Hicattee Village Toledo 95 139 −31.7%
Hicattee Southern Highway Village Toledo 363 0[a] NA
Indian Creek Village Toledo 722 592 +22.0%
Jacinto/Westmoreland Village Toledo 337 216 +56.0%
Jalacte Village Toledo 769 716 +7.4%
Jordan Village Toledo 146 36 +305.6%
Laguna Village Toledo 257 324 −20.7%
Mabilha Village Toledo 205 193 +6.2%
Mafredi Village Toledo 149 168 −11.3%
Mango Walk Village Toledo 244 353 −30.9%
Medina Bank Village Toledo 237 97 +144.3%
Midway Village Toledo 240 112 +114.3%
Monkey River Village Toledo 196 184 +6.5%
Moody Hill Village Toledo 44 0[a] NA
Na Luum Ca Village Toledo 66 72 −8.3%
New Road Area Village Toledo 357 241 +48.1%
Otoxha Village Toledo 263 261 +0.8%
Pinehill Village Toledo 206 97 +112.4%
Pueblo Viejo Village Toledo 432 571 −24.3%
Punta Negra Village Toledo 43 28 +53.6%
San Antonio Village Toledo 1,204 1,209 −0.4%
San Benito Poite Village Toledo 542 373 +45.3%
San Felipe Village Toledo 353 313 +12.8%
San Jose Village Toledo 849 816 +4.0%
San Isidro Village Toledo 374 0[a] NA
San Lucas Village Toledo 121 126 −4.0%
San Marcos Village Toledo 622 557 +11.7%
San Miguel Village Toledo 537 458 +17.2%
San Pablo Village Toledo 250 208 +20.2%
San Pedro Columbia Village Toledo 1,703 1,524 +11.7%
San Vicente Village Toledo 441 405 +8.9%
Santa Ana Village Toledo 290 245 +18.4%
Santa Cruz Village Toledo 387 337 +14.8%
Santa Elena Village Toledo 200 158 +26.6%
Santa Teresa Village Toledo 369 368 +0.3%
Silver Creek Village Toledo 476 345 +38.0%
Sunday Wood Village Toledo 285 218 +30.7%
Swasey Village Toledo 257 302 −14.9%
Tambran Village Toledo 63 65 −3.1%
Trio Village Toledo 899 400 +124.8%
Wilson Road Village Toledo 56 32 +75.0%
Yemeri Grove Village Toledo 265 108 +145.4%

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Population figures for this municipality are not available in the 2000 census.[4]
  2. ^ a b The 2000 census lists the population of San Ignacio as 13,542 which includes the sister city of Santa Elena.[4]
  3. ^ a b The 2000 census lists the population of Barton creek as 508.[4]
  4. ^ a b c The 2000 census lists the population of Duck Run as 767.[4]
  5. ^ The 2000 census lists the population of Paslow Falls - Plant Sucker - Remanzo as 339.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b "Title VIII: Local Government". Laws of Belize. Government of Belize.
  2. ^ "Local Government". Government of Belize. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  3. ^ "Village Council Elections 2013 Results". Elections and Boundaries Department, Government of Belize. 2013.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Census Data".
  5. ^ a b c d Government of Belize - Local Government
  6. ^ "Chapter 87: Town Councils Act" (PDF). The Laws of Belize. Government of Belize. Retrieved 23 November 2013.