Legend:
Definition of Term
 Arranged
by Countries Field Listing
| Background: |
Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the
independence of Belize (formerly British Honduras) until 1981.
Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism
has become the mainstay of the economy. The country remains plagued
by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American
drug trade, and increased urban crime. |
| Location: |
Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala
and Mexico |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
17 15 N, 88 45 W |
| Map
references: |
Central America and the Caribbean |
| Area: |
total: 22,966 sq km
water: 160 sq km
land: 22,806 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller than Massachusetts |
| Land
boundaries: |
total: 516 km
border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km |
| Coastline: |
386 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM in the north, 3 NM in the south;
note - from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's
territorial sea is 3 NM; according to Belize's Maritime Areas
Act, 1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework
for the negotiation of a definitive agreement on territorial differences
with Guatemala |
| Climate: |
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November);
dry season (February to May) |
| Terrain: |
flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m |
| Natural
resources: |
arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 2.81%
permanent crops: 1.1%
other: 96.09% (1998 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
30 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal
flooding (especially in south) |
| Environment
- current issues: |
deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents,
agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
|
| Geography
- note: |
only country in Central America without a coastline on the North
Pacific Ocean
|
| Population: |
262,999 (July 2002 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: 41.6% (male 55,716; female 53,581)
15-64 years: 54.9% (male 73,068; female 71,368)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,511; female 4,755) (2002
est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
2.65% (2002 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
31.08 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
4.6 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
24.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population: 71.46 years
female: 73.87 years (2002 est.)
male: 69.17 years |
| Total
fertility rate: |
3.96 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
2.01% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
2,400 (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
170 (1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun: Belizean(s)
adjective: Belizean |
| Ethnic
groups: |
mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other
9.7% |
| Religions: |
Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Anglican 5.3%, Methodist
3.5%, Mennonite 4.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Pentecostal
7.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), none 9.4%, other 14% (2000) |
| Languages: |
English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole |
| Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.3%
male: 70.3%
female: 70.3% (1991 est.)
note: other sources list the literacy rate as high as 75%
|
| Country
name: |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Belize
former: British Honduras |
| Government
type: |
parliamentary democracy |
| Capital: |
Belmopan |
| Administrative
divisions: |
6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek,
Toledo |
| Independence: |
21 September 1981 (from UK) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day, 21 September (1981) |
| Constitution: |
21 September 1981 |
| Legal
system: |
English law |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr.
(since 17 November 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Said Wilbert MUSA (since
28 August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September
1998)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the
advice of the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; prime
minister recommends the deputy prime minister |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 members
appointed by the governor general - six on the advice of the prime
minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition,
and one each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and
Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce
and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National
Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee;
members are appointed for five-year terms) and the House of Representatives
(29 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 5 March
2003 (next to be held NA March 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats
by party - PUP 21, UDP 8 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor
general on the advice of the prime minister) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic Party
or UDP [Dean BARROW, party leader; Douglas SINGH, party chairman]
|
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Adele
CATZIM] |
| International
organization participation: |
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa M. SHOMAN
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20008 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission: Ambassador Russell F. FREEMAN
embassy: 29 Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City
mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Unit 7401, APO AA 34025
telephone: [501] 227-7161
FAX: [501] 230-802 |
| Flag
description: |
blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges;
centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat
of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a
mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish
in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green
garland
|
| Economy
- overview: |
The small, essentially private enterprise economy is based primarily
on agriculture, agro-based industry, and merchandising, with tourism
and construction assuming greater importance. Sugar, the chief
crop, accounts for nearly half of exports, while the banana industry
is the country's largest employer. The government's expansionary
monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led
to GDP growth of 6.4% in 1999 and 10.5% in 2000. Growth decelerated
in 2001 to 3% due to the global slowdown and severe hurricane
damage to agriculture, fishing, and tourism. Major concerns continue
to be the rapidly expanding trade deficit and foreign debt. A
key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with
the help of international donors. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $830 million (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
3% (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $3,250 (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 18%
industry: 24%
services: 58% (2001 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
33% (1999 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
1.7% (2001 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
90,000
note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical
personnel (1997 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 27%, industry 18%, services 55% (2001 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
11.5% (2000) (2000) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $186 million
expenditures: $253 million, including capital expenditures
of $NA (2000 est.) (2000 est.) |
| Industries: |
garment production, food processing, tourism, construction |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
4.6% (1999) (1999) |
| Electricity
- production: |
192 million kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel: 58%
hydro: 42%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
178.56 million kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
bananas, coca, citrus, sugarcane; lumber; fish, cultured shrimp
|
| Exports: |
$239.6 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
|
| Exports
- partners: |
EU 45% (UK 33%), US 42%, Caricom 6%, Canada 1% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$505 million c.i.f. (2001 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and transportation equipment, manufactured goods; food,
beverages, tobacco; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals |
| Imports
- partners: |
US 51%, Mexico 12%, Central America 5%, UK 4% (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$500 million (2000 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$NA |
| Currency: |
Belizean dollar (BZD) |
| Currency
code: |
BZD |
| Exchange
rates: |
Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2.0000 (fixed rate pegged to
the US dollar) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 April - 31 March
|
| Railways: |
0 km |
| Highways: |
total: 2,880 km
paved: 490 km
unpaved: 2,390 km (1998 est.) |
| Waterways: |
825 km (river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally
navigable) |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda |
| Merchant
marine: |
total: 315 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,240,551
GRT/1,761,168 DWT
ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 204, chemical tanker 6, combination
ore/oil 1, container 12, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 39,
refrigerated cargo 15, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea passenger
1, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here
as a flag of convenience: Albania 2, Belgium 3, British Virgin
Islands 6, Cambodia 1, China 38, Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 1,
Equatorial Guinea 1, Eritrea 1, Estonia 7, Germany 3, Greece 4,
Grenada 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 20, Indonesia 6, Italy 2, Japan
4, Jordan 1, Lebanon 1, Liberia 5, Malaysia 3, Malta 2, Man, Isle
of 1, Marshall Islands 13, Mexico 1, Netherlands 1, Nigeria 1,
Panama 12, Philippines 4, Portugal 1, Romania 1, Russia 3, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 22, South
Korea 10, Spain 4, Switzerland 1, Taiwan 1, Thailand 6, Tunisia
1, Turkey 1, Ukraine 3, United Arab Emirates 9, United Kingdom
2, United States 4, Virgin Islands (UK) 6, Yemen 1 (2002 est.)
|
| Airports: |
44 (2001) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 38
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 27 (2002)
|
|
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