1995 Edition

Area

total area: 22,960 sq km land area: 22,800 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Massachusetts

Climate

tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to February)

Coastline

386 km

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

International disputes

border with Guatemala in dispute; talks to resolve the dispute are stalled

Irrigated land

20 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

total 516 km, Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Land use

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 2% forest and woodland: 44% other: 52%

Location

Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

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

Natural resources

arable land potential, timber, fish

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

Terrain

flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

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.)

Birth rate

33.71 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate

5.86 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic divisions

mestizo 44%, Creole 30%, Maya 11%, Garifuna 7%, other 8%

Infant mortality rate

34.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

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)

Languages

English (official), Spanish, Maya, Garifuna (Carib)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 68.32 years male: 66.37 years female: 70.36 years (1995 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970) total population: 91% male: 91% female: 91%

Nationality

noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean

Net migration rate

-3.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population

214,061 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate

2.42% (1995 est.)

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)

Total fertility rate

4.25 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Administrative divisions

6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo

Capital

Belmopan

Constitution

21 September 1981

Digraph

BH

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Dean R. LINDO chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636

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

FAX

[1] (202) 332-6888 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York

[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

Independence

21 September 1981 (from UK)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

English law

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly

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

Names

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Belize former: British Honduras

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Other political or pressure groups

Society for the Promotion of Education and Research (SPEAR), Assad SHOMAN; United Workers Front, leader NA

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

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.)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type

parliamentary democracy

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

Agriculture

commercial crops: bananas, coca, citrus fruits, fish, cultured shrimp, lumber

Budget

revenues: $126.8 million expenditures: $123.1 million, including capital expenditures of $44.8 million (FY90/91 est.)

Currency

1 Belizean dollar (Bz$) = 100 cents

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

Electricity

capacity: 34,532 kW production: 110 million kWh consumption per capita: 490 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

Belizean dollars (Bz$) per US$1 - 2.00 (fixed rate)

Exports

$115 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: sugar, citrus fruits, bananas, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood partners: US 51%, UK, other EC (1992)

External debt

$158 million (1992)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for cocaine; an illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; minor money-laundering center

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)

Industrial production

growth rate 3.7% (1990); accounts for 12% of GDP

Industries

garment production, food processing, tourism, construction

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.5% (1991)

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $575 million (1994 est.)

National product per capita

$2,750 (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate

2% (1994 est.)

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.

Unemployment rate

10% (1993 est.)

Radio

broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 radios: NA

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

Television

broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA

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

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

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

Ports

Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda

Railroads

0 km

Branches

Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $11 million, 2.2% of GDP (FY93/94) ________________________________________________________________________ BENIN

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.)