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Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 22,966 sq km land: 22,806 sq km water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries:

total: 516 km border countries: 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 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 negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

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

Terrain:

flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Doyle's Delight 1,160 m

Natural resources:

arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 3.05% permanent crops: 1.39% other: 95.56% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

18.6 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.15 cu km/yr (7%/73%/20%) per capita: 556 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south)

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean

People

Belize

Population:

301,270 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0–14 years: 38.4% (male 58,987/female 56,674) 15–64 years: 58.1% (male 88,521/female 86,450) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 5,095/female 5,543) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.1 years male: 20 years female: 20.3 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.207% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

27.84 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

5.77 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

NA (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15–64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 23.65 deaths/1,000 live births male: 26.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 68.19 years male: 66.39 years female: 70.08 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.44 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

2.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

3,600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)

Nationality:

noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean

Ethnic groups:

mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7% (2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican 5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist 3.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000)

Languages:

Spanish 46%, Creole 32.9%, Mayan dialects 8.9%, English 3.9% (official), Garifuna 3.4% (Carib), German 3.3%, other 1.4%, unknown 0.2% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.9% male: 76.7% female: 77.1% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

5.3% of GDP (2004)

Government

Belize

Country name:

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

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Belmopan geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 46 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

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

Independence:

21 September 1981 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Constitution:

21 September 1981

Legal system:

English law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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 Dean BARROW (since 8 February 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar VEGA (since 12 February 2008) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: 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

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 6 on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 1 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; to serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives (31 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 6 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDP 25, PUP 6

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Judicature (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

National Alliance for Belizean Rights or NABR; National Reform Party

or NRP [Cornelius DUECK]; People's National Party or PNP [Wil

MAHEIA]; People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic

Party or UDP [Dean BARROW]; Vision Inspired by the People or VIP

[Paul MORGAN]; We the People Reform Movement or WTP [Hipolito

BAUTISTA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR

[Gustavo PERERA]; Association of Concerned Belizeans or ACB [David

VASQUEZ]; National Trade Union Congress of Belize or NTUC/B [Rene

GOMEZ]

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,

IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC,

LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Nestor MENDEZ chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332–9636 FAX: [1] (202) 332–6888 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert J. DIETER embassy: Floral Park Road, Belmopan City, Cayo District mailing address: P.O. Box 497, Belmopan City, Cayo District, Belize telephone: [501] 822–4011 FAX: [501] 822–4012

Flag description:

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

Economy

Belize

Economy - overview:

In this small, essentially private-enterprise economy, tourism is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by exports of marine products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas, and garments. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to sturdy GDP growth averaging nearly 4% in 1999–2007. Oil discoveries in 2006 bolstered the economic growth in 2006 and 2007. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit and unsustainable foreign debt. In February 2007, the government restructured nearly all of its public external commercial debt, which will reduce interest payments and relieve liquidity concerns. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international donors.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.444 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.274 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.2% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,900 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 21.3% industry: 13.7% services: 65% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

113,000 note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 22.5% industry: 15.2% services: 62.3% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

9.4% (2006)

Population below poverty line:

33.5% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

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

Investment (gross fixed):

19.7% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $307 million expenditures: $344 million (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

12% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

14.33% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$323.9 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$549 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$877.6 million (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, cacao, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments

Industries:

garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil

Industrial production growth rate:

0.5% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

213.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - consumption: