Belize

parliamentary democracyIndependence 21 September 1981 (from UK

Belize as the 1991 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 68 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalBelmopan

Area22,960 km2

Populationas each edition published it

228,069 people July 1991 · 219,737 in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.42% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 67.85 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.7 children per woman 1991 · 4.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

35 deaths per 1,000 live births 1991 · 35 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $1,635 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 10% in 1993

Geography

11 fields

Total area

22,960km2

land area: 22,800 km2Comparative area: slightly larger than Massachusetts

Land boundaries

516km total

Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Disputes

claimed by Guatemala, but boundary negotiations to resolve dispute are nearing completion

Climate

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

Terrain

flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Land use

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

Environment

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

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

People

14 fields

Population

228,069

(July 1991), growth rate 3.6% (1991)

Per 1,000 population(1991)

Birth

38Death

5Net migration

Ethnic divisions

Creole 39.7%Mestizo 33.1%Maya 9.5%Garifuna 7.6%East Indian 2.1%other 8.0%

Religion(1980)

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)

Literacy

91%

(male 91%, female 91%) age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)

Language

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

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

Government

Parliamentary democracy

17 fields

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

21 September 1981 (from UK; formerly British Honduras)

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 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) People's United Party (PUP), George PRICE, Florencio MARIN, Said MUSA;
United Democratic Party (UDP), Manuel ESQUIVEL, Dean LINDO, Dean BARROW;
Belize Popular Party (BPP), Louis SYLVESTRE

Suffrage

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 seats, UDP 13 seats;
note--in January 1990 one member expelled from UDP joined PUP, making the seat count 16 PUP, UDP 12

Other political or pressure groups

Society for the Promotion of Education and Research (SPEAR) headed by former PUP minister; United Workers Front

Member of

ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WMO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador James V. HYDE;
Chancery at Suite 2J, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 363-4505;
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] 77161 through 77163

Flag

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

The economy is based primarily on agriculture and merchandising.

17 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$290million

per capita $1,320; real growth rate 9% (1990 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

1.8%

(1990 est.)

Unemployment rate

12%

(1988)

External debt

$169million

(December 1990)

Budget

Revenues

$87.4 millionExpenditures

$130.5 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $53.5 million (FY90 est.)

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.

Exports

$108 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.);
commodities--sugar, clothing, seafood, molasses, citrus, wood and wood products;
partners--US 47%, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada (1987)

Imports

$204 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.);
commodities--machinery and transportation equipment, food, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals;
partners--US 55%, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Mexico (1987)

Industrial production

growth rate 9.7% (1989); accounts for 16% of GDP

Electricity

34,700 kW capacity; 90 million kWh produced, 410 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries

garment production, citrus concentrates, sugar refining, rum, beverages, tourism

Agriculture

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

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