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| Belize |
 Click to enlarge |
Home Reference Maps Appendixes
| Background: |
Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize (formerly British Honduras) until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. The country remains plagued by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, and increased urban crime. |
| Location: |
Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
17 15 N, 88 45 W |
| Map
references: |
Central America and the Caribbean |
| Area: |
total: 22,966 sq km water: 160 sq km land: 22,806 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: |
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 |
| 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: Victoria Peak 1,160 m |
| Natural
resources: |
arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 2.81% permanent crops: 1.1% other: 96.09% (1998 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
30 sq km (1998 est.) |
| 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, 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 |
| Population: |
266,440 (July 2003 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: 41.1% (male 55,880; female 53,706) 15-64 years: 55.3% (male 74,612; female 72,813) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,571; female 4,858) (2003 est.) |
| Median
age: |
total: 18.9 years male: 18.8 years female: 19 years (2002) |
| Population
growth rate: |
2.44% (2003 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
30.46 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
6.05 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 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: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
total: 27.07 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 30.56 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population: 67.36 years male: 65.19 years female: 69.63 years (2003 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
3.86 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean |
| Ethnic
groups: |
mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7% |
| Religions: |
Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Anglican 5.3%, Methodist 3.5%, Mennonite 4.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Pentecostal 7.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), none 9.4%, other 14% (2000) |
| Languages: |
English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole |
| Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.1% male: 94.1% female: 94.1% (2003 est.) |
| Economy
- overview: |
In this small, essentially private enterprise economy the tourism industry is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by cane sugar, citrus, marine products, bananas, and garments. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to GDP growth of 6.5% in 1999, 10.8% in 2000, 4.6% in 2001, and 3.7% in 2002. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit and foreign debt. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international donors. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $1.28 billion (2002 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
3.7% (2002 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2002 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 18% industry: 24% services: 58% (2001 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
33% (1999 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
1.9% (2002 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
90,000 note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 27%, industry 18%, services 55% (2001 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
9.1% (2002) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $224 million expenditures: $209 million, including capital expenditures of $70 million (2002 est.) |
| Industries: |
garment production, food processing, tourism, construction |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
4.6% (1999) |
| Electricity
- production: |
199.5 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel: 59.9% hydro: 40.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
185.54 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (2001) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (2001) |
| Oil
- production: |
0 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
| Oil
- consumption: |
5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
| Oil
- exports: |
NA (2001) |
| Oil
- imports: |
NA (2001) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments |
| Exports: |
$290 million f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood |
| Exports
- partners: |
US 53.8%, UK 23.0%, Caricom 6.4%, Mexico 1.0% (2001) |
| Imports: |
$430 million c.i.f. (2002 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco |
| Imports
- partners: |
US 47.2%, Mexico 11.2%, Central America 5.0%, UK 2.7% (2001) |
| Debt
- external: |
$475 million (2001 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$NA |
| Currency: |
Belizean dollar (BZD) |
| Currency
code: |
BZD |
| Exchange
rates: |
Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000), 2 (1999), 2 (1998) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 April - 31 March |
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