Belize




                                 Geography


Location:
     Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea between Guatemala and
     Mexico
Map references:
     Central America and the Caribbean, North America, Standard Time Zones
     of the World
Area:
total area:
     22,960 sq km
land area:
     22,800 sq km
comparative area:
     slightly larger than Massachusetts
Land boundaries:
     total 516 km, Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
Coastline:
     386 km
Maritime claims:
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
International disputes:
     maritime border with Guatemala in dispute; desultory negotiations to
     resolve the dispute have begun
Climate:
     tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to February)
Terrain:
     flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
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, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Whaling;
     signed, but not ratified - Climate Change
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:
     208,949 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     2.42% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     34.74 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     6 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     -4.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     35.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     68.08 years
male:
     66.14 years
female:
     70.12 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     4.39 children born/woman (1994 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, Maya, Garifuna (Carib)
Literacy:
     age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
total population:
     91%
male:
     91%
female:
     91%




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)


                                Government


Names:
conventional long form:
     none
conventional short form:
former:
     British Honduras
Digraph:
     BH
Type:
     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), 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
Legislative branch:
     bicameral National Assembly
Senate:
     consists of an 8-member body, 5 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
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




Judicial branch:
     Supreme Court
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
Member of:
     ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
     IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL,
     IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
     UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Dean LINDO
chancery:
     2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
     (202) 332-9636
FAX:
     (202) 332-6888
consulate(s) general:
     Miami
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Eugene L. SCASSA
embassy:
     Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City
mailing address:
     P. O. Box 286, Belize City
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


Overview:
     The 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.
National product:
     GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $550 million (1993 est.)




National product real growth rate:
     5.3% (1992)
National product per capita:
     $2,700 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
     5.5% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
     15% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
     $126.8 million
expenditures:
     $123.1 million, including capital expenditures of $44.8 million (FY91
     est.)
Exports:
     $116 million (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities:
     sugar, citrus, clothing, fish products, bananas, molasses, wood
partners:
     US 51%, UK, other EC (1992)
Imports:
     $273 million (c.i.f., 1992 est.)
commodities:
     machinery and transportation equipment, food, manufactured goods,
     fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
partners:
     US 57%, UK 8%, other EC 7%, Mexico (1992)
External debt:
     $143.7 million (1991)
Industrial production:
     growth rate 3.7% (1990); accounts for 12% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
     34,532 kW
production:
     90 million kWh
consumption per capita:
     393 kWh (1992)
Industries:
     garment production, citrus concentrates, sugar refining, rum,
     beverages, tourism
Agriculture:
     accounts for 30% of GDP (including fish and forestry); commercial
     crops include sugar cane, bananas, coca, citrus fruits; expanding
     output of lumber and cultured shrimp; net importer of basic foods
Illicit drugs:
     transshipment point for cocaine; an illicit producer of cannabis for
     the international drug trade; eradication program cut marijuana
     production from 200 metric tons in 1987 to about 50 metric tons in
     1991
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




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


                              Communications


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
Ports:
     Belize City; additional ports for shallow draught craft include
     Corozol, Punta Gorda, Big Creek
Merchant marine:
     25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 53,509 GRT/80,345 DWT, bulk 6,
     cargo 11, container 2, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2,
     roll-on/roll-off cargo 3
Airports:
total:
     47
usable:
     38
with permanent-surface runways:
     3
with runways over 3,659 m:
     0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
     1
with runways 1,229-2,439 m:
     3
Telecommunications:
     8,650 telephones; above-average system based on microwave radio relay;
     broadcast stations - 6 AM, 5 FM, 1 TV, 1 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean
     INTELSAT earth station


                              Defense Forces


Branches:
     British Forces Belize withdrawn by the end of 1993 except for a small
     training detachment, Belize Defense Force (including Army, Navy, Air
     Force, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police
Manpower availability:
     males age 15-49 48,789; fit for military service 29,040; reach
     military age (18) annually 2,175 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
     exchange rate conversion - $4.8 million, 1.8% of GDP (1992)