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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1 (Voice of America relay station), FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios [time series]

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 (1997)

Televisions [time series]

27,048 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture--products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $140 million expenditures: $142 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY97/98 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Belizean dollar (Bz$) = 100 cents

Debt - external (Debt--external) [time series]

$288 million (1996)

Economic aid (Economic aid--recipient) [time series]

$23.4 million (1995)

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 greater importance. Sugar, the chief crop, accounts for nearly half of exports, while the banana industry is the country's largest employer. The government's tough austerity program in 1997 resulted in an economic slowdown that continued in 1998. The trade deficit has been growing, mostly as a result of low export prices for sugar and bananas. The new government faces important challenges to economic stability. Rapid action to improve tax collection has been promised, but a lack of progress in reigning in spending could bring the exchange rate under pressure.

Electricity - consumption (Electricity--consumption) [time series]

145 million kWh (1996)

Electricity - exports (Electricity--exports) [time series]

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity - imports (Electricity--imports) [time series]

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity - production (Electricity--production) [time series]

145 million kWh (1996)

Electricity - production by source (Electricity--production by source) [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Exchange rates [time series]

Belizean dollars (Bz$) per US$1--2.0000 (fixed rate)

Exports [time series]

$95.3 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports - commodities (Exports--commodities) [time series]

sugar 46%, bananas 26%, citrus fruits, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood

Exports - partners (Exports--partners) [time series]

US 45%, UK 30%, Mexico 3%, Canada 3% (1997)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April--31 March

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

purchasing power parity--$700 million (1998 est.)

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

agriculture: 22% industry: 22% services: 56% (1997 est.)

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

purchasing power parity?$3,000 (1998 est.)

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

0.5% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$149.7 million (c.i.f., 1998)

Imports - commodities (Imports--commodities) [time series]

machinery and transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners (Imports--partners) [time series]

US 52%, Mexico 13%, UK 5% (1997)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

0.2% (1996 est.)

Industries [time series]

garment production, food processing, tourism, construction

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

-0.5% (1998 est.)

Labor force [time series]

71,000 note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation (Labor force--by occupation) [time series]

agriculture 30%, services 16%, government 15.4%, commerce 11.2%, manufacturing 10.3%

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

13% (1997 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

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

Area - comparative (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 (Environment--current issues) [time series]

deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; Hurricane Mitch damage

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

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertication, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, 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 (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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Belmopan

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]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Carolyn CURIEL embassy: Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Unit 7401, APO AA 34025

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador James Schofield MURPHY chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Executive branch [time series]

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 Said MUSA (since 2 August 1998); 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 monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister appointed by the governor general

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 (eight 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 1 August 1998 (next to be held NA August 2003) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PUP 26, UDP 3

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

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

People's United Party or PUP [Said GOLDSON]

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

Society for the Promotion Front

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military

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

Belize Defense Force (includes Ground Forces, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures--dollar figure) [time series]

$15 million (FY97/98)

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

2% (FY97/98)

Military manpower - availability (Military manpower--availability) [time series]

males age 15-49: 58,201 (1999 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service (Military manpower--fit for military service) [time series]

males age 15-49: 34,531 (1999 est.)

Military manpower - military age (Military manpower--military age) [time series]

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually (Military manpower--reaching military age annually) [time series]

males: 2,619 (1999 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 42% (male 49,991; female 48,074) 15-64 years: 55% (male 65,507; female 63,796) 65 years and over: 3% (male 4,129; female 4,292) (1999 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

30.22 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.39 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

31.57 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 69.2 years male: 67.23 years female: 71.26 years (1999 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]

-0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Population [time series]

235,789 (July 1999 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.42% (1999 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 (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.74 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes--international) [time series]

border with Guatemala in dispute

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Transportation

Airports [time series]

44 (1998 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports--with paved runways) [time series]

total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports--with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 41 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 30 (1998 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 2,248 km paved: 427 km unpaved: 1,821 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 403 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,740,325 GRT/2,511,709 DWT ships by type: bulk 34, cargo 259, chemical tanker 5, container 9, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 58, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 21, roll-on/roll-off cargo 8, short-sea/passenger 3, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 7 countries: Cuba 2, Cyprus 1, Greece 1, Singapore 2, UAE 12, UK 1, and US 1 (1998 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