1986 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1986 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Agriculture
main products — sugarcane, citrus fruits, corn, molasses, rice, beans, bananas, livestock products, honey; net importer of food; an illegal producer of cannabis for the international drug trade
Aid
US economic commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-84), $3.0 million; ODA and OOF commitments from Western (non-US) countries (1970-83), $160 million
Area
22,963 km2; slightly larger than Massachusetts; 46% exploitable forest, 38% agricultural (5% cultivated); 16% urban, waste, water, offshore islands, or other
Branches
bicameral legislature (National Assembly — electoral redistricting in October 1984 expanded House of Representatives from 18 to 28 seats; eight-member appointed Senate; either house may choose its speaker or president, respectively, from outside its membership); Cabinet; judiciary
Budget
revenues, $49 million; expenditures, $90 million (budget for 1984/85)
Capital
Belmopan
Coastline
386 km People
Communists
negligible
Elections
parliamentary elections held December 1984 Political parties and leaders: United Democratic Party (UDP), Manuel Esquivel, Curl Thompson, Dean Lindo; People's United Party (PUP), George Price
Electric power
23,000 k W capacity (1985); 56 million kWh produced (1985), 340 kWh per capita
Ethnic divisions
51 % black, 22% mestizo, 19% Amerindian, 8% other
Exports
$93 million (f.o.b., 1984 est); sugar, garments, seafood, molasses, citrus fruits, wood and wood products
Fiscal year
1 April-31 March
Fishing
catch 1,349 metric tons(1980)
GDP
$193 million (1985), $1,200 per capita (1985); real growth rate 1.5% (1983)
Government leaders
Manuel A. ESQUIVEL, Prime Minister (since December 1984); Dr. Elmira Minita GORDON, Governor General (since December 1981)
Imports
$126 million (c.i.f., 1984 est.); machinery and transportation equipment, food, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
Infant mortality rate
56/1,000(1984)
Labor force
51,500 (1984); 30.0% agriculture, 16.0% services, 15.4% government, 11.2% commerce, 10.3% manufacturing; shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel; over 14% are unemployed
Land boundaries
515 km Water
Language
English (official), Spanish Maya, Carib
Legal system
English law
Life expectancy
66
Limits of territorial waters (claimed)
3 nm
Literacy
about 90%
Major industries
sugar refining, garments, timber and forest products, furniture, rum, soap, beverages, cigarettes
Major trade partners
exports — US 36%, UK 22%, Trinidad and Tobago 11%, Canada 10%; imports— US 55%, UK 17%, Netherlands Antilles 8%, Mexico 7% (1983)
Member of
CARICOM, CDB, Commonwealth, FAO, GATT, IBRD, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, G-77, ISO, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO Economy
Monetary conversion rate
2 Belize dollars=US$l (December 1985)
Nationality
noun — Belizean(s); adjective — Belizean
Natural resources
arable land, timber, fish
Official name
Belize
Organized labor
15% of labor force Government
Other political or pressure groups
United Workers Union, which is connected with PUP
Political subdivisions
6 districts
Population
168,000 (July 1986), average annual growth rate 2.2%
Religion
50% Roman Catholic; Anglican, Seventh-Day Adventist, Methodist, Baptist, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mennonite
Suffrage
universal adult at age 18
Type
parliamentary; independent state; a member of the Commonwealth
Voting strength
(December 1984) National Assembly— UDP 21 seats (25,785— 54.1%), PUP 7 seats (20,971—44.0%); before redistricting, PUP held 13 seats, UDP 4 seats, and independents 1 seat