1998 Edition

Area

total: 22,960 sq km land: 22,800 sq km water: 160 sq km

Area-comparative

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Climate

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

Coastline

386 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m

Environment-current issues

deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff

Environment-international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

17 15 N, 88 45 W

Geography-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

Irrigated land

20 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 516 km border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Land use

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 2% forests and woodland: 92% other: 3% (1993 est.)

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 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

Natural hazards

frequent, devastating hurricanes (September to December) and coastal flooding (especially in south)

Natural resources

arable land potential, timber, fish

Terrain

flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Age structure

0-14 years: 42% (male 49,486; female 47,596) 15-64 years: 54% (male 63,259; female 61,567) 65 years and over: 4% (male 4,048; female 4,204) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

31.05 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

5.5 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

32.36 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 68.97 years male: 67.01 years female: 71.03 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 14 and over has ever attended school total population: 70.3% male: 70.3% female: 70.3% (1991 est.) note: other sources list the literacy rate as high as 75%

Nationality

noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean

Net migration rate

-1.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

230,160 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

2.42% (1998 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)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.87 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Administrative divisions

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

Constitution

21 September 1981

Country name

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

Data code

BH

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (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 July 1993) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen; prime minister appointed by the governor general

FAX

[1] (202) 332-6888 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles mailing address: 5825 W. Sunset Boulevard, Suite 206, Hollywood, CA 90028 telephone: [1] (213) 469-7343 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carolyn CURIEL embassy: Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Unit 7401, APO AA 34025 telephone: [501] (2) 77161 through 77163

[501] (2) 30802

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

21 September 1981 (from UK)

International organization participation

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James Schofield MURPHY chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister Political parties and leaders: People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Manuel ESQUIVEL, Dean BARROW]; National Alliance for Belizean Rights or NABR [Philip GOLDSON] Political pressure groups and leaders: Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Assad SHOMAN]; United Workers Front

Legal system

English law

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (8 members; members are appointed for five-year terms, five on the advice of the prime minister, two on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and one 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.) and the National Assembly (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly-last held 30 June 1993 (next to be held no later than September 1998) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-PUP 13, UDP 15, NABR 1

National capital

Belmopan

National holiday

Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture-products

bananas, coca, citrus, sugarcane; lumber; fish, cultured shrimp

Budget

revenues: $140 million expenditures: $142 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY97/98 est.)

Currency

1 Belizean dollar (Bz$) = 100 cents

Debt-external

$217 million (1996)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

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 more than one-third of exports, while the banana industry is the country's largest employer. The government's tough austerity program in 1997 resulted in an economic slowdown that is likely to continue in 1998. Political tension in the run-up to the elections will tend to discourage investment, already suffering as a result of tight monetary and fiscal policies. The trade deficit has been growing, mostly as a result of low export prices for sugar and bananas and could increase further if a pre-election boost in government spending leads to a rise in imports. The ruling in 1997 by the World Trade Organization against the European Union's banana import regime-which had granted Belize preferential treatment - is also hurting the prospects for growth, and could contribute to an increase in already high unemployment.

Electricity-capacity

23,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

491 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

105 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Belizean dollars (Bz$) per US$1-2.0000 (fixed rate)

Exports

total value: $166 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: sugar, citrus fruits, bananas, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood partners: US 44%, UK 42%, other EU 5%, Canada 3% (1996)

Fiscal year

1 April-31 March Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$680 million (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 20% industry: 27% services: 53% (1996 est.)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$3,000 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

2.9% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $262 million (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, food, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals partners: US 55%, Mexico 12%, UK 5% (1997)

Industrial production growth rate

0.2% (1996 est.)

Industries

garment production, food processing, tourism, construction

Inflation rate-consumer price index

1% (1997 est.)

Labor force

total: 71,000 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 (1997 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 9, shortwave 1

Radios

NA

Telephone system

above-average system domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

29,000 (1996 est.)

Television broadcast stations

2

Televisions

27,048 (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

13% (1997 est.)

Airports

44 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 41 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 30 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 2,248 km paved: 427 km unpaved: 1,821 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 265 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,298,562 GRT/2,055,027 DWT ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 184, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 1, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 26, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 8, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 8 countries: Cuba 1, Cyprus 1, Greece 1, Hong Kong 1, Panama 1, Singapore 2, UAE 2, and US 1 (1997 est.)

Railways

0 km

Waterways

825 km river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally navigable Ports and harbors: Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda

Military branches

Belize Defense Force (includes Ground Forces, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$15 million (FY97/98)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

2%

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 56,142 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 33,328 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-military age

18 years of age

Military manpower-reaching military age annually

males: 2,536 (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

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

Illicit drugs

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