Match 28 DB Rec# - 7,480 Dataset-WOFACT
Title :Belize
Text :
Belize
Geography
Location:
Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total area:
22,960 sq km
land area:
22,800 sq km
comparative area:
slightly larger than Massachusetts
Land boundaries:
total 516 km, 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 miles; 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
International disputes:
border with Guatemala in dispute; talks to resolve the dispute are stalled
Climate:
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to February)
Terrain:
flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
Natural resources:
arable land potential, timber, fish
Land use:
arable land:
2%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
2%
forest and woodland:
44%
other:
52%
Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents,
agricultural runoff
natural hazards:
frequent, devastating hurricanes (September to December) and coastal
flooding (especially in south)
international agreements:
party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping
Note:
national capital moved 80 km inland from Belize City to Belmopan because of
hurricanes; only country in Central America without a coastline on the North
Pacific Ocean
People
Population:
214,061 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
44% (female 45,812; male 47,618)
15-64 years:
53% (female 55,630; male 57,230)
65 years and over:
3% (female 3,970; male 3,801) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.42% (1995 est.)
Birth rate:
33.71 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate:
5.86 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate:
-3.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
34.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
68.32 years
male:
66.37 years
female:
70.36 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.25 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Belizean(s)
adjective:
Belizean
Ethnic divisions:
mestizo 44%, Creole 30%, Maya 11%, Garifuna 7%, other 8%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 30% (Anglican 12%, Methodist 6%, Mennonite
4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Pentecostal 2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1%, other
2%), none 2%, other 6% (1980)
Languages:
English (official), Spanish, Maya, Garifuna (Carib)
Literacy:
age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970)
total population:
91%
male:
91%
female:
91%
Labor force:
51,500
by occupation:
agriculture 30%, services 16%, government 15.4%, commerce 11.2%,
manufacturing 10.3%
note:
shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (1985)
Government
Names:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Belize
former:
British Honduras
Digraph:
BH
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 (since 17 November 1993)
head of government:
Prime Minister Manuel ESQUIVEL (since July 1993); Deputy Prime Minister Dean
BARROW (since NA 1993)
cabinet:
Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on advice from the prime minister
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly
Senate:
consists of an 8-member appointed body; 5 members are appointed on the
advice of the prime minister, 2 on the advice of the leader of the
opposition, and 1 after consultation with the Belize Advisory Council (this
council serves as an independent body to advise the governor-general with
respect to difficult decisions such as granting pardons, commutations, stays
of execution, the removal of justices of appeal who appear to be
incompetent, etc.)
National Assembly:
elections last held 30 June 1993 (next to be held June 1998); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (28 total) PUP 13 UDP 15
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
People's United Party (PUP), George PRICE, Florencio MARIN, Said MUSA;
United Democratic Party (UDP), Manuel ESQUIVEL, Dean LINDO, Dean BARROW;
National Alliance for Belizean Rights, Philip GOLDSON
Other political or pressure groups:
Society for the Promotion of Education and Research (SPEAR), Assad SHOMAN;
United Workers Front, leader NA
Government
Member of:
ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user),
INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Dean R. LINDO
chancery:
2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 332-9636
FAX:
[1] (202) 332-6888
consulate(s) general:
Los Angeles
consulate(s):
New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador George Charles BRUNO
embassy:
Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City
mailing address:
P. O. Box 286, Belize City; APO: Unit 7401, APO AA 34025
telephone:
[501] (2) 77161 through 77163
FAX:
[501] (2) 30802
Flag:
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 increasing importance. Agriculture accounts for about
30% of GDP and provides 75% of export earnings, while sugar, the chief crop,
accounts for almost 40% of hard currency earnings. The US, Belize's main
trading partner, is assisting in efforts to reduce dependency on sugar with
an agricultural diversification program.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power parity - $575 million (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate:
2% (1994 est.)
National product per capita:
$2,750 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.5% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
10% (1993 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$126.8 million
expenditures:
$123.1 million, including capital expenditures of $44.8 million (FY90/91
est.)
Exports:
$115 million (f.o.b., 1993)
commodities:
sugar, citrus fruits, bananas, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
partners:
US 51%, UK, other EC (1992)
Imports:
$281 million (c.i.f., 1993)
commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, food, manufactured goods, fuels,
chemicals, pharmaceuticals
partners:
US 57%, UK 8%, other EC 7%, Mexico (1992)
External debt:
$158 million (1992)
Industrial production:
growth rate 3.7% (1990); accounts for 12% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
34,532 kW
production:
110 million kWh
consumption per capita:
490 kWh (1993)
Industries:
garment production, food processing, tourism, construction
Agriculture:
commercial crops: bananas, coca, citrus fruits, fish, cultured shrimp,
lumber
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine; an illicit producer of cannabis for the
international drug trade; minor money-laundering center
Economy
Economic aid:
recipient:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $104 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $215 million
Currency:
1 Belizean dollar (Bz$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
Belizean dollars (Bz$) per US$1 - 2.00 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Transportation
Railroads:
0 km
Highways:
total:
2,710 km
paved:
500 km
unpaved:
gravel 1,600 km; improved earth 300 km; unimproved earth 310 km
Inland waterways:
825 km river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally navigable
Ports:
Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda
Merchant marine:
total:
41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 170,002 GRT/270,893 DWT
ships by type:
bulk 5, cargo 25, container 4, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 3, vehicle carrier 1
Airports:
total:
46
with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:
1
with paved runways under 914 m:
35
with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m:
1
with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m:
9
Communications
Telephone system:
8,650 telephones; above-average system based on microwave radio relay
local:
NA
intercity:
microwave radio relay
international:
1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station
Radio:
broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1
radios:
NA
Television:
broadcast stations:
1
televisions:
NA
Defense Forces
Branches:
Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Volunteer Guard),
Belize National Police
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 50,499; males fit for military service 30,040; males reach
military age (18) annually 2,285 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $11 million, 2.2% of GDP (FY93/94)
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The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995
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