The 1996 CIA World Factbook page on Belize

From: The CIA'sTHE WORLD FACTBOOK 1996

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Belize

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Map

Location: 17 15 N, 88 45 W -- Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico

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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

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Geography

Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
Geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 45 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total area: 22,960 sq km
land area: 22,800 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Massachusetts
Land boundaries:
total: 516 km
border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
Coastline: 386 km
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
International disputes: border with Guatemala in dispute; talks to resolve the dispute are stalled
Climate: tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to February)
Terrain: flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m
Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish
Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 2%
forest and woodland: 44%
other: 52%
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1989 est.)
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, Whaling
Geographic 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

People

Population: 219,296 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 48,291; female 46,451)
15-64 years: 53% (male 59,132; female 57,498)
65 years and over: 4% (male 3,881; female 4,043) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.42% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 32.8 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 5.73 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
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
all ages: 1.03 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 33.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.53 years
male: 66.58 years
female: 70.58 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.12 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Belizean(s)
adjective: Belizean
Ethnic divisions: mestizo 44%, Creole 30%, Maya 11%, Garifuna 7%, other 8%
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)
Languages: English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib)
Literacy: age 14 and over has ever attended school (1991 est.)
total population: 70.3%
male: 70.3%
female: 70.3%

Government

Name of country:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Belize
former: British Honduras
Data code: BH
Type of government: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Belmopan
Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo
Independence: 21 September 1981 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September (1981)
Constitution: 21 September 1981
Legal system: English law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), a hereditary monarch, is represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG (since 17 November 1993), who, according to the constitution, must be a Belizean; was appointed by the queen
head of government: Prime Minister Manuel ESQUIVEL (since July 1993) was appointed by the governor general; Deputy Prime Minister Dean BARROW (since NA 1993)
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly
Senate: consists of an eight-member appointed body; five members are appointed 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.)
National Assembly: elections last held 30 June 1993 (next to be held NA June 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (28 total) PUP 13 UDP 15
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 (PUP), George PRICE, Florencio MARIN, Said MUSA; United Democratic Party (UDP), Manuel ESQUIVEL, Dean LINDO, Dean BARROW; National Alliance for Belizean Rights, Philip GOLDSON
Other political or pressure groups: Society for the Promotion of Education and Research (SPEAR), Assad SHOMAN; United Workers Front, leader NA
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, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dean R. LINDO
chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
consulate(s): New York
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
FAX: [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

Economy

Economic 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $575 million (1994 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 2% (1994 est.)
GDP per capita: $2,750 (1994 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 30%
industry: NA
services: NA (1995 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (1994 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)
Unemployment rate: 10% (1993 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $126.8 million
expenditures: $123.1 million, including capital expenditures of $44.8 million (FY90/91 est.)
Industries: garment production, food processing, tourism, construction
Industrial production growth rate: 3.7% (1990)
Electricity:
capacity: 34,532 kW
production: 110 million kWh
consumption per capita: 490 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: bananas, coca, citrus, sugarcane; lumber; fish, cultured shrimp
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine; an illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; minor money-laundering center
Exports: $115 million (f.o.b., 1993)
commodities: sugar, citrus fruits, bananas, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
partners: US 38%, UK, other EC (1994)
Imports: $281 million (c.i.f., 1993)
commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, food, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
partners: US 53%, UK, other EC, Mexico (1994)
External debt: $167.5 million (1992)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Belizean dollar (Bz$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Belizean dollars (Bz$) per US$1 - 2.00 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Transportation

Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 2,560 km
paved: 336 km
unpaved: 2,224 km (1987 est.)
Waterways: 825 km river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally navigable
Ports: Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda
Merchant marine:
total: 89 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 311,731 GRT/470,272 DWT
ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 60, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 (1995 est.)
Airports:
total: 35
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1
with paved runways under 914 m: 25
with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 8 (1995 est.)

Communications

Telephones: 15,917 (1990 est.)
Telephone system: above-average system
domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: 27,048 (1993 est.)

Defense

Branches: Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 52,290
males fit for military service: 31,086
males reach military age (18) annually: 2,390 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $8.1 million, NA% of GDP (FY95/96)

Belize

Original publicaton at http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/nsolo/wfb-all.htm (June 17, 1997).