@node Geography (Belize)
@section Geography (Belize)

@display

Location:
  Central 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 km2
 land area:
  22,800 km2
 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 Caye, 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:
  border with Guatemala in dispute; 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 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
  frequent devastating hurricanes (September to December) and coastal flooding
  (especially in south); deforestation
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



@end display

@node People (Belize)
@section People (Belize)

@display

Population:
  203,957 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  2.42% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  35.75 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  6.15 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  -5.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  36.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  67.85 years
 male:
  65.91 years
 female:
  69.88 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  4.53 children born/woman (1993 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)



@end display

@node Government (Belize)
@section Government (Belize)

@display

Names:
 conventional long form:
  none
 conventional short form:
  Belize
 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)
Constitution:
  21 September 1981
Legal system:
  English law
National holiday:
  Independence Day, 21 September
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, leader NA
Other political or pressure groups:
  Society for the Promotion of Education and Research (SPEAR), Assad SHOMAN;
  United Workers Front, leader NA
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 National Assembly:
  last held 4 September 1989 (next to be held September 1994); results -
  percent of vote by party NA; seats - (28 total) PUP 15, UDP 13; note - in
  January 1990 one member expelled from UDP joined PUP, making the seat count
  PUP 16, UDP 12
Executive branch:
  British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister,
  Cabinet
Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Assembly consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower
  house or House of Representatives
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court
Leaders:
 Chief of State:
  Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General
  Dame Minita Elmira GORDON (since 21 September 1981)
 Head of Government:
  Prime Minister George Cadle PRICE (since 4 September 1989)
Member of:
  ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAS, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador James V. HYDE



@end display

@node Government (Belize 2. usage)
@section Government (Belize 2. usage)

@display

 chancery:
  2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
 telephone:
  (202) 332-9636
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



@end display

@node Economy (Belize)
@section Economy (Belize)

@display

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 - exchange rate conversion - $373 million (1990 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  10% (1990)
National product per capita:
  $1,635 (1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.5% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
  12% (1991 est.)
Budget:
  revenues $126.8 million; expenditures $123.1 million, including capital
  expenditures of $44.8 million (FY91 est.)
Exports:
  $95.6 million (f.o.b., 1991)
 commodities:
  sugar, citrus, clothing, bananas, fish products, molasses
 partners:
  US 49%, UK, EC, Mexico (1991)
Imports:
  $194 million (c.i.f., 1991 est.)
 commodities:
  machinery and transportation equipment, food, manufactured goods, fuels,
  chemicals, pharmaceuticals
 partners:
  US 60%, UK, EC, Mexico (1991)
External debt:
  $143.7 million (1991)
Industrial production:
  growth rate 3.7% (1990); accounts for 12% of GDP
Electricity:
  34,532 kW capacity; 90 million kWh produced, 393 kWh per capita (1992)
Industries:
  garment production, citrus concentrates, sugar refining, rum, beverages,
  tourism
Agriculture:
  accounts for 22% of GDP (including fish and forestry); commercial crops
  include sugarcane, bananas, coca, citrus fruits; expanding output of lumber
  and cultured shrimp; net importer of basic foods
Illicit drugs:
  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; transshipment point for cocaine
Economic aid:
  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)



@end display

@node Economy (Belize 2. usage)
@section Economy (Belize 2. usage)

@display

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March



@end display

@node Communications (Belize)
@section Communications (Belize)

@display

Highways:
  2,710 km total; 500 km paved, 1,600 km gravel, 300 km improved earth, and
  310 km unimproved earth
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:
  4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,768 GRT/12,721 DWT; includes 3 cargo,
  1 roll-on/roll-off
Airports:
 total:
  42
 usable:
  32
 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 mr:
  2
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



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Belize)
@section Defense Forces (Belize)

@display

Branches:
  British Forces Belize, Belize Defense Force (including Army, Navy, Air
  Force, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 47,135; fit for military service 28,070; reach military age
  (18) annually 2,066 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:   exchange rate conversion - $5.4 million, 2% of GDP (1992)



@end display