Читать книгу The 2001 CIA World Factbook - United States. Central Intelligence Agency - Страница 67

Land use: arable land: 10%

permanent crops: 1%

permanent pastures: 2%

forests and woodland: 84%

other: 3% (2000 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent, devastating hurricanes (September to

December) and coastal flooding (especially in south)

Environment - current issues: deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid waste disposal

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,

Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous

Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean

Belize People

Population: 256,062 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0–14 years: 42.04% (male 54,876; female 52,780)

15–64 years: 54.43% (male 70,534; female 68,837)

65 years and over: 3.53% (male 4,403; female 4,632) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.7% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 31.69 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 4.7 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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: 0.95 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 25.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.19 years

male: 68.91 years

female: 73.57 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.05 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2,400 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 170 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Belizean(s)

adjective: Belizean

Ethnic groups: mestizo 43.7%, Creole 29.8%, Maya 10%, Garifuna 6.2%, other 10.3%

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, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib),

Creole

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 70.3%

male: 70.3%

female: 70.3% (1991 est.)

note: other sources list the literacy rate as high as 75%

Belize Government

Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Belize

former: British Honduras

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Belmopan

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

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 (since 17 November 1993)

head of government: Prime Minister Said MUSA (since 27 August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September 1998)

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; governor general appoints the member of the House of Representatives who is leader of the majority party to be prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (eight members, five appointed on the advice of the prime minister, two on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and one by the governor general; members are appointed for five-year terms); and the House of Representatives (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 27 August 1998 (next to be held by NA August 2003)

election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 59.2%, UDP 40.8%; seats by party - PUP 26, UDP 3

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister)

Political parties and leaders: People's United Party or PUP [Said

MUSA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Manuel ESQUIVEL, Dean BARROW,

Doug SINGH]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Society for the Promotion of

Education and Research or SPEAR [Diane HAYLOCK]; United Worker's

Front

International organization participation: 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, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,

WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador

Lisa M. SHOMAN

chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332–9636