2002 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2002 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
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.
Geography
Area
total: 22,966 sq km water: 160 sq km land: 22,806 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Climate
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
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; 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
Geographic coordinates
17 15 N, 88 45 W
Geography - note
only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean
Irrigated land
30 sq km (1998 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 516 km border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
Land use
arable land: 3% permanent crops: 1% other: 96% (1998 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 (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south)
Natural resources
arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower
Terrain
flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
People and Society
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.)
Birth rate
31.08 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate
4.6 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Ethnic groups
mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
2.01% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
170 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
2,400 (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate
24.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Languages
English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole
Life expectancy at birth
73.87 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.96 children born/woman (2002 est.)
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%
Nationality
noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Population
262,999 (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate
2.65% (2002 est.)
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)
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.)
Government
Administrative divisions
6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo
Capital
Belmopan
Constitution
21 September 1981
Country name
Belize former: Government type: parliamentary democracy
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] (2) 77161 FAX: [501] (2) 30802
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa M. SHOMAN consulate(s) general: Los [1] (202) 332-9636 chancery:
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 27 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; governor general appoints the member of the House of Representatives who is leader of the majority party to be prime minister
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
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, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister)
Legal system
English law
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 27 August 1998 (next to be held by NA August 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 59.2%, UDP 40.8%; seats by party - PUP 26, UDP 3
National holiday
Independence Day, 21 September (1981)
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 [Diane HAYLOCK]; United Worker's Front
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture - products
bananas, coca, citrus, sugarcane; lumber; fish, cultured shrimp
Budget
revenues: $186 million expenditures: $253 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Currency
Belizean dollar (BZD)
Currency code
BZD
Debt - external
$500 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$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 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.
Electricity - consumption
178.56 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production
192 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 58.33% hydro: 41.67% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Exchange rates
Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)
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)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
GDP
purchasing power parity - $830 million (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 18% industry: 24% services: 58% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $3,250 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
3% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
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)
Industrial production growth rate
4.6% (1999)
Industries
garment production, food processing, tourism, construction
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.)
Population below poverty line
33% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate
11.5% (2000)
Communications
Internet country code
.bz
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
2 (2000)
Internet users
15,000 (2000)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
133,000 (1997)
Telephone system
general assessment: above-average system domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use
31,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular
3,023 (1997)
Television broadcast stations
2 (1997)
Televisions
41,000 (1997)
Transportation
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 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 40 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 29 (2001)
Highways
total: 2,880 km paved: 490 km unpaved: 2,390 km (1998 est.)
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.)
Ports and harbors
Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda
Railways
0 km
Waterways
825 km (river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally navigable)
Military and Security
Military expenditures - dollar figure
$7.7 million (FY00/01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
1.87% (FY00/01)
Military manpower - availability
males age 15-49: 64,909 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service
males age 15-49: 38,472 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age
18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually
males: 2,847 (2002 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
the "Line of Adjacency" established in 2000 as an agreed limit to check squatters settling in Belize, remains in place while the Organization of American States (OAS) assists states to resolve Guatemalan territorial claims in Belize and Guatemalan maritime access to the Caribbean Sea; Honduras claims the Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize
Illicit drugs
major transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; minor money-laundering center This page was last updated on 1 January 2002 Bosnia and Herzegovina