Map of Belize | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize (formerly British Honduras) until 1981. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. The country is plagued by high unemployment growing involvement in the South American drug trade and increased urban crime.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries: 516 km total; Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Coastline: 386 km

Maritime claims: Territorial sea:3 nm

Climate: tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to February)

Terrain: flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Elevation

Natural resources: arable land: potential, timber, fish

Land use: 2% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 2% meadows and pastures; 44% forest and woodland; 52% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
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


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Population: 219,737 (July 1990), growth rate 3.7% (1990)

Nationality: noun--Belizean(s; adjective--Belizean

Ethnic groups: 39.7% Creole, 33.1% Mestizo, 9.5% Maya, 7.6% Garifuna, 2.1% East Indian, 8.0% other

Languages: English (official), Spanish, Maya, Garifuna (Carib)

Religions: 60% Roman Catholic; 40% Protestant (Anglican, Seventh-Day Adventist, Methodist, Baptist, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mennonite)

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 38 births/1000 population (1990)

Death rate: 6 deaths/1000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: 4 migrants/1000 population (1990)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: frequent devastating hurricanes (September to December) and coastal flooding (especially in south; deforestation

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 35 deaths/1000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 67 years male, 72 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 4.8 children born/woman (1990)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 93% (est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: none

Government type: parliamentary

Capital: Belmopan

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 21 September 1981 (from UK; formerly British Honduras)

National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September

Constitution: 21 September 1981

Legal system: English law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Executive branch: Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Elmira Minita GORDON (since 21 September 1981; Head of Government--Prime Minister George Cadle PRICE (since 4 September 1989)

Legislative branch: British Forces Belize, Belize Defense Force, Coast Guard, Police Department

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACP, CARICOM, CDB, Commonwealth, FAO, GATT, IBRD, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, G-77, ISO, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Edward A. LAING; Chancery at Suite 2J, 3,400 International Drive NW, Washington DC 20,008; telephone (202) 363-4,505; US--Ambassador Robert G. RICH, Jr.; Embassy at Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City (mailing address is P. O. Box 286, Belize City; telephone p501o 77,161 through 77,163

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 with a mahogany tree at the top and the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The economy is based primarily on agriculture and merchandising. Agriculture accounts for more than 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. In 1987 the drop in income from sugar sales to the US because of quota reductions was almost totally offset by higher world prices for sugar.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for 30% 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

Industries: sugar refining, clothing, timber and forest products, furniture, rum, soap, beverages, cigarettes, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 6% (1988)

Labor force:

Unemployment rate: 14% (1988 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $94.6 million; expenditures $74.3 million, including capital expenditures of $33.9 million (1988 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $120 million (f.o.b., 1988)
Commodities: sugar, clothing, seafood, molasses, citrus, wood and wood products
Partners: US 47%, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada (1987)

Imports: $176 million (c.i.f., 1988)
Commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, food, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
Partners: US 55%, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Mexico (1987)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $140 million (December 1988)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Belizean dollars (Bz$) per US$1--2.00 (fixed rate)


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Electricity
Capacity: 34,000 kW capacity; 88 million kWh produced, 500 kWh per capita (1989)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 2.0% of GDP, or $4.6 million (1989 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 38 total, 30 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 825 km river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally navigable

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: claimed by Guatemala, but boundary negotiations are under way

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: an illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; eradication program cut marijuana production from 200 metric tons in 1987 to 66 metric tons in 1989; transshipment point for cocaine