Belize

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

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

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

Ports

Belize City; additional ports for shallow draught craft include Corozol, Punta Gorda, Big Creek

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

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British Forces Belize withdrawn by the end of 1993 except for a small training detachment, Belize Defense Force (including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $4.8 million, 1.8% of GDP (1992)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 48,789; fit for military service 29,040; reach military age (18) annually 2,175 (1994 est.)

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

Budget

revenues: $126.8 million expenditures: $123.1 million, including capital expenditures of $44.8 million (FY91 est.)

Currency

1 Belizean dollar (Bz$) = 100 cents

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

Electricity

capacity: 34,532 kW production: 90 million kWh consumption per capita: 393 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates

Belizean dollars (Bz$) per US$1 - 2.00 (fixed rate)

Exports

$116 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: sugar, citrus, clothing, fish products, bananas, molasses, wood partners: US 51%, UK, other EC (1992)

External debt

$143.7 million (1991)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

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

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)

Industrial production

growth rate 3.7% (1990); accounts for 12% of GDP

Industries

garment production, citrus concentrates, sugar refining, rum, beverages, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.5% (1991)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $550 million (1993 est.)

National product per capita

$2,700 (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

5.3% (1992)

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.

Unemployment rate

15% (1992 est.)

Area

total area: 22,960 sq km land area: 22,800 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Massachusetts

Climate

tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to February)

Coastline

386 km

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

International disputes

maritime border with Guatemala in dispute; desultory negotiations to resolve the dispute have begun

Irrigated land

20 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

total 516 km, Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Land use

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 2% forest and woodland: 44% other: 52%

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

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

Natural resources

arable land potential, timber, fish

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

Terrain

flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Administrative divisions

6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo

Capital

Belmopan

Constitution

21 September 1981

Digraph

BH

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Dean LINDO chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 332-9636

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

FAX

(202) 332-6888 consulate(s) general: Miami

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

Independence

21 September 1981 (from UK)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

English law

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly

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

Names

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Belize former: British Honduras

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Other political or pressure groups

Society for the Promotion of Education and Research (SPEAR), Assad SHOMAN; United Workers Front, leader NA

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

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type

parliamentary democracy

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

Birth rate

34.74 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate

6 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic divisions

mestizo 44%, Creole 30%, Maya 11%, Garifuna 7%, other 8%

Infant mortality rate

35.6 deaths/1,000 live births (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)

Languages

English (official), Spanish, Maya, Garifuna (Carib)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 68.08 years male: 66.14 years female: 70.12 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970) total population: 91% male: 91% female: 91%

Nationality

noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean

Net migration rate

-4.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population

208,949 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

2.42% (1994 est.)

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)

Total fertility rate

4.39 children born/woman (1994 est.)