Guide to Belize Introduction 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 increasing urban crime.
Geography Location: Central 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
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundaries: total
Coastline: 386 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea
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
Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower
Land use: arable land
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
Geography - note: only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean
People Population: 279,457 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years
Median age: total
Population growth rate: 2.33% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 29.34 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth
Infant mortality rate: total
Life expectancy at birth: total population
Total fertility rate: 3.68 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.4% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,600 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality: noun
Ethnic groups: mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7%
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: English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole
Literacy: definition
Government Country name: conventional long form
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
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 members appointed by the governor general - six on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and one 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; 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
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 [Dean BARROW, party leader; Douglas SINGH, party chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Adele CATZIM]
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
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 Economy - overview: In this small, essentially private enterprise economy the tourism industry is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by 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 6% in 1999-2004. 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): $1.778 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture
Labor force: 90,000 note
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 27%, industry 18%, services 55% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate: 12.9% (2003)
Population below poverty line: 33% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.9% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): 33.6% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget: revenues
Agriculture - products: bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments
Industries: garment production, food processing, tourism, construction
Industrial production growth rate: 4.6% (1999)
Electricity - production: 117 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel
Electricity - consumption: 108.8 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA
Oil - imports: NA
Current account balance: $-115 million (2004 est.)
Exports: $401.4 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
Exports - partners: US 37.2%, UK 26.8%, Jamaica 4.6% (2004)
Imports: $579.9 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco
Imports - partners: US 30.1%, Mexico 12%, Guatemala 7.4%, Cuba 7.2%, China 4.2%, Japan 4.1% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $111.1 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external: $1.362 billion (June 2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: NA
Currency (code): Belizean dollar (BZD)
Currency code: BZD
Exchange rates: Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Telephones - main lines in use: 33,300 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 60,400 (2003)
Telephone system: general assessment
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 133,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)
Televisions: 41,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .bz
Internet hosts: 2,613 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)
Internet users: 30,000 (2002)
Transportation Highways: total
Waterways: 825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2004)
Ports and harbors: Belize City
Merchant marine: total
Airports: 43 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total
Airports - with unpaved runways: total
Military Military branches: Belize Defense Force (BDF)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscription has never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available positions by 3
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $18 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (2003)
Transnational Issues Disputes - international: Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in the largely uninhabited rain forests of Belize's border region; OAS is attempting to revive the 2002 failed Differendum that created a small adjustment to land boundary, a Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean, joint ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and substantial US-UK financial package
Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; money-laundering activity related to narcotics trafficking and offshore sector
Last updated: 20 October, 2005
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