1988 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1988 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Climate
tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds
Coastline
2,528 km
Comparative area
about the size of Connecticut
Contiguous zone
24 nm
Continental shelf
edge of continental margin or 200 nm
Environment
subject to cyclones (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes; over 80 islands
Ethnic divisions
51% black, 22% mestizo, 19% Amerindian, 8% other
Extended economic zone
200 nm
Infant mortality rate
56/1,000 (1984)
Labor force
51,500 (1985); 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 use
1% arable land; 5% permanent crops; 2% meadows and pastures; 1% forest and woodland; 91% other
Language
English (official), Spanish Maya, Carib
Life expectancy
66
Literacy
about 90%
Maritime claims
(measured from claimed archipelagic baselines)
Nationality
noun — Belizean(s); adjective— Belizean
Organized labor
15% of labor force; 7 of 16 registered unions currently active
Population
168,204 (July 1987), average annual growth rate 1.95%
Religion
50% Roman Catholic; Anglican, Seventh-Day Adventist, Methodist, Baptist, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mennonite
Special notes
none
Terrain
mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
14,760 km2; land area: 14,760 km2
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
90% indigenous Melanesian; 8% French; remainder Vietnamese, Chinese, and various Pacific Islanders
Language
English and French (official); pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama)
Life expectancy
55
Literacy
probably 10-20%
Nationality
noun — Vanuatuan(s); adjective— Vanuatuan
Population
149,652 (July 1987), average annual growth rate 3.36%
Religion
most at least nominally Christian
Government
Administrative divisions
- 6 districts
- four administrative districts
Branch
unicameral legislature (39-member Parliament), elected November 1983
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
Capital
- Belmopan
- PortVila
Elections
parliamentary elections held December 1984; municipal elections held December 1986 Political parties and leaders: United Democratic Party (UDP), Manuel Esquivel, Curl Thompson, Dean Lindo; People's United Party (PUP), George Price, Florencio Marin, Said Musa; Belize Popular Party (BPP), Louis Sylvestre
Government leader
Father Walter Hadye LINI, Prime Minister (since 1980) Political parties and leaders: National Party (Vanuaaku Pali), Walter Lini, chairman
Government leaders
Manuel A. ESQUIVEL, Prime Minister (since December 1984); Dr. Elmira Minita GORDON, Governor General (since December 1981)
Legal system
- English law
- unified system being created from former dual French and British systems
Member of
ADB, Commonwealth, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, ITU, NAM, SPF, UN, WHO, WMO
Official name
- Belize
- Republic of Vanuatu
Suffrage
universal adult at age 18
Type
- parliamentary; independent state; a member of the Commonwealth
- republic, formerly Anglo-French condominium of New Hebrides, independent 30 July 1980
Economy
Agriculture
export crops of copra, cocoa, coffee, some livestock and fish production; subsistence crops of copra, taro, yams
Aid
Australia (1970-84), $43.0 million
Electric power
10,000 kW capacity; 20 million kWh produced, 150 kWh per capita (1986)
Exports
$18.1 million (1985); 24% copra, 59% frozen fish, meat
Fishing
catch, 2,470 metric tons (1983)
GDP
$79 million, $600 per capita (1984); GDP decline of 2.0% (1986 est.)
Imports
$52.3 million (1985); 18% food
Major industries
fish-freezing, canneries, tourism
Monetary conversion rate
118.57 vatu=US$l; 1.55 Australian dollars=US$l (6 February 1986)
Natural resources
manganese, hardwood forests, cattle
Communications
Airfields
31 total, 27 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways, 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
no major transport aircraft
Highways
1,027 km total; at least 240 km sealed or all-weather roads
Inland waterways
none
Personnel
no military forces maintained; however, a paramilitary force is responsible for internal and external security
Ports
3 minor (PortVila, Luganville, Palikoulo)
Railroads
none
Telecommunications
2 AM stations; 3,000 telephones (2.2 per 100 popl.); 1 satellite ground station Defense Forces