Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 6, FM 8, shortwave 1

Radios [time series]

NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

above-average system domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay international : satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

29,000 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

2

Televisions [time series]

27,048 (1993 est.)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

bananas, coca, citrus, sugarcane; lumber; fish, cultured shrimp

Budget [time series]

revenues: $140 million expenditures: $180 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY96/97 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Belizean dollar (Bz$) = 100 cents

Debt - external [time series]

$192 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid [time series]

recipient : ODA, $NA

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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 20% 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.

Electricity - capacity [time series]

34,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita [time series]

NA kWh

Electricity - production [time series]

NA kWh

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

total value: $204 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: sugar, citrus fruits, bananas, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood partners : US 38%, UK, other EU (1994)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $649 million (1996 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 20% industry: 27% services : 53% (1995 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $2,960 (1996 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

3% (1996 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $264 million (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, food, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals partners : US 53%, UK, other EU, Mexico (1994)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

3.7% (1990)

Industries [time series]

garment production, food processing, tourism, construction

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate - consumer price index) [time series]

6.4% (1996 est.)

Labor force [time series]

total : 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 [time series]

15% (1996 est.)

Area [time series]

total : 22,960 sq km land: 22,800 sq km water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

386 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

17 15 N, 88 45 W

Geography - note [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

20 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 516 km border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 2% forests and woodland: 92% other: 3% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural hazards [time series]

frequent, devastating hurricanes (September to December) and coastal flooding (especially in south)

Natural resources [time series]

arable land potential, timber, fish

Terrain [time series]

flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Constitution [time series]

21 September 1981

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

BH

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador George Charles BRUNO embassy : Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Unit 7401, APO AA 34025 telephone: [501] (2) 77161 through 77163

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador James S. MURPHY chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (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 July 1993) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen; prime minister appointed by the governor general

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (202) 332-6888 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[501] (2) 30802

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Independence [time series]

21 September 1981 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

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, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court, the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister

Legal system [time series]

English law

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (8 members; members are appointed for five-year terms, five 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.) and the National Assembly (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly - last held 30 June 1993 (next to be held no later than September 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PUP 13, UDP 15, NABR 1

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Belmopan

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Manuel ESQUIVEL, Dean BARROW]; National Alliance for Belizean Rights or NABR [Philip GOLDSON]

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Assad SHOMAN]; United Workers Front

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$8.1 million (FY95/96)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 54,163 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males : 32,176 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age [time series]

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually [time series]

males : 2,471 (1997 est.)

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 43% (male 48,921; female 47,057) 15-64 years: 54% (male 61,133; female 59,466) 65 years and over: 3% (male 3,965; female 4,121) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

31.91 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.61 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

33.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 68.75 years male: 66.8 years female: 70.81 years (1997 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 14 and over has ever attended school total population: 70.3% male: 70.3% female: 70.3% (1991 est.) note : other sources list the literacy rate as high as 75%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean

Net migration rate [time series]

-2.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population [time series]

224,663 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.42% (1997 est.)

Religions [time series]

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)

Sex ratio [time series]

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 total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.99 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

border with Guatemala in dispute; talks to resolve the dispute are ongoing

Illicit drugs [time series]

transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; minor money-laundering center BENIN

Airports [time series]

35 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total : 25 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 24 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 (1996 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 2,770 km paved: 521 km unpaved : 2,249 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 166 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,592,846 GRT/1,087,555 DWT ships by type: bulk 17, cargo 117, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 13, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 (1996 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda

Railways [time series]

0 km

Waterways [time series]

825 km river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally navigable