Statistical information Belize 1992

Belize in the World
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 22,960 km²
Land: 22,800 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Massachusetts
Land boundaries: 516 km total; Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
Coastline: 386 km
Maritime claimsTerritorial sea:12 nm in the north and 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 the Republic of
Guatemala''
Disputes: claimed by Guatemala, but boundary 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
ElevationNatural resources: arable land: potential, timber, fish
Land use: arable land: 2%; permanent crops: NEGL%; meadows and pastures 2%; forest and woodland 44%; other 52%, includes irrigated NEGL%
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 229,143 (July 1992), growth rate 3.0% (1992)
Nationality: noun - Belizean(s; adjective - Belizean
Ethnic groups:
Creole 39.7%, Mestizo 33.1%, Maya 9.5%, Garifuna 7.6%,
East Indian 2.1%, other 8.0%
Languages: English (official), Spanish, Maya, Garifuna (Carib)
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%, unknown 3%, other 3% (1980)
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 31 births/1000 population (1992)
Death rate: 5 deaths/1000 population (1992)
Net migration rate: 4 migrants/1000 population (1992)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: frequent devastating hurricanes (September to December) and coastal flooding (especially in south); deforestation
Current issues 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
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 30 deaths/1000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth: 67 years male, 73 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate: 3.8 children born/woman (1992)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 91% (male 91%, female 91%) age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: none
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Belmopan
Administrative divisions:
6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange
Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo
Dependent areasIndependence: 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 participationCitizenshipSuffrage: universal at age 18
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
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICO, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM,
OAS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WMO
Diplomatic representation:Ambassador James V. HYDE; Chancery at 2,535
Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008; telephone (202) 332-9,636
US:Ambassador Eugene L. SCASSA; Embassy at Gabourel Lane and Hutson
Street, Belize City (mailing address is P. O. Box 286, Belize City); telephone 501 (2) 77,161; FAX 501 (2) 30,802
Diplomatic representationFlag 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 RA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade)
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy 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.
GDP: exchange rate conversion - $373 million, per capita $1,635; real growth rate 10% (1990 est.)
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capitaGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture 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: garment production, citrus concentrates, sugar refining, rum, beverages, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 9.7% (1989; accounts for 16% of GDP
Labor force: 51,500; agriculture 30.0%, services 16.0%, government 15.4%, commerce 11.2%, manufacturing 10.3%; shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (1985)
Organized labor: 12% of labor force; 7 unions currently active
Unemployment rate: 12% (1988)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $126.8 million; expenditures $123.1 million, including capital expenditures of $44.8 million (FY91 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $134 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
Commodoties: sugar, clothing, seafood, molasses, citrus, wood and wood products
Partners: US 47%, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada (1987)
Imports: $194 million (c.i.f., 1991 est.)
Commodoties: machinery and transportation equipment, food, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
Partners: US 56%, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Mexico (1991)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Belizean dollars (Bz$) per US$1 - 2.00 (fixed rate)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 34,532 kW capacity; 90 million kWh produced, 395 kWh per capita (1991)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp:exchange rate conversion - $4.8 million, 1.8% of
GDP (FY91)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports:
44 total, 34 usable; 3 with permanent-surface runways; none
with runways over 2,439 m; 2
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: 825 km river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally navigable
Merchant marine:
2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,127
GRT/5,885 DWT
Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft
Ports and terminalsBelize - Transnational issues 1992
top of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit 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