World Countries Info 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 of Belize
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Location:
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Middle America, bordering
the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico |
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Geographic coordinates:
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17 15 N, 88 45 W |
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Area:
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total: 22,966 sq km
water: 160 sq km
land: 22,806 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
|
slightly smaller than
Massachusetts |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 516 km
border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km |
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Coastline:
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386 km |
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Maritime claims:
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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 |
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Climate:
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tropical; very hot and
humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May) |
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Terrain:
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flat, swampy coastal plain;
low mountains in south |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m |
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Natural resources:
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arable land potential,
timber, fish, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land: 2.81%
permanent crops: 1.1%
other: 96.09% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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30 sq km (1998 est.) |
|
Natural hazards:
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frequent, devastating
hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south) |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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only country in Central
America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean
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More Geography
Population of Belize
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Population:
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272,945 (July 2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 40.6% (male 56,530;
female 54,322)
15-64 years: 55.8% (male 77,118; female 75,309)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,674; female 4,992) (2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 19.1 years
male: 19 years
female: 19.3 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.39% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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29.89 births/1,000 |
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Death rate:
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6.04 deaths/1,000 |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 26.37 deaths/1,000 live
births
female: 22.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 29.75 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 67.43 years
male: 65.11 years
female: 69.86 years (2004 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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3.77 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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2% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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2,500 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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300 (2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Belizean(s)
adjective: Belizean |
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Ethnic groups:
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mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%,
Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7% |
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Religions:
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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) |
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Languages:
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English (official), Spanish, Mayan,
Garifuna (Carib), Creole |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 94.1%
male: 94.1%
female: 94.1% (2003 est.)
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Government
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Belize
former: British Honduras |
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Government type:
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parliamentary democracy |
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Capital:
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Belmopan |
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Administrative divisions:
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6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange
Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo |
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Independence:
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21 September 1981 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 21 September (1981) |
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Constitution:
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21 September 1981 |
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Legal system:
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English law |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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 28 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; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader
of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general;
prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister |
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Legislative branch:
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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 5 March 2003 (next to be held NA
March 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PUP 21, UDP 8 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court (the chief justice is
appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA];
United Democratic Party or UDP [Dean BARROW, party leader; Douglas SINGH, party chairman] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Society for the Promotion of Education and
Research or SPEAR [Adele CATZIM] |
Economy
In this small, essentially private enterprise economy the tourism industry is the
number one foreign exchange earner followed by cane sugar, citrus, marine products,
bananas, and garments. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies,
initiated in September 1998, led to GDP growth of 6.5% in 1999, 10.8% in 2000, 4.6% in
2001, and 3.7% in 2002. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit and
foreign debt. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help
of international donors.
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $1.28 billion
(2002 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
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3.7% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2002
est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 18%
industry: 24%
services: 58% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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33% (1999 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1.9% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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90,000
note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2001 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 27%, industry 18%, services 55%
(2001 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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9.1% (2002) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $224 million
expenditures: $209 million, including capital expenditures of $70 million (2002
est.) |
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Industries:
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garment production, food processing,
tourism, construction |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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4.6% (1999) |
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Electricity - production:
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199.5 million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 59.9%
hydro: 40.1%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
|
Electricity - consumption:
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185.5 million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish,
cultured shrimp; lumber; garments |
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Exports:
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$207.8 million f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish
products, molasses, wood |
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Exports - partners:
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Mexico 68.3%, US 12.6%, UK 7.1% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$500.6 million f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and transport equipment,
manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco |
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Imports - partners:
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Mexico 69%, US 12%, Netherlands Antilles
2.3% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$475 million (2001 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$NA |
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Currency:
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Belizean dollar (BZD) |
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Currency code:
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BZD |
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Exchange rates:
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Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2003),
2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000), 2 (1999) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
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