Belize

parliamentary democracyIndependence 21 September 1981 (from UK

Belize as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 73 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

229,143 people July 1992 · 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

3.8 children per woman 1992 · 4.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

30 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 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

13 fields

Total area

22,960km2

Comparative area: slightly larger than Massachusetts

Coastline

386km

Land boundaries

516km total

Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Maritime claims

Territorial 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

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

229,143

(July 1992), growth rate 3.0% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

31Death

5Net migration

Ethnic divisions

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

Religions(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)

Nationality

noun - Belizean(s); adjective - Belizean

Languages

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

19 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

Leaders

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)

Political parties and leaders

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

Elections

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

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, 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 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008;
telephone (202) 332-9636

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) 77161;
FAX [501] (2) 30802

Flag

on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland 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)

Economy

17 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

3.5%

(1990 est.)

Unemployment rate

12%

(1988)

External debt

$142million

(December 1991)

Budget

Revenues

$126.8 millionExpenditures

$123.1 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $44.8 million (FY91 est.)

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.)

Exports

$134 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)

commodities:: 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.)

commodities:: machinery and transportation equipment, food, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
partners:: US 56%, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Mexico (1991)

Industrial production

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

Electricity

34,532 kW capacity; 90 million kWh produced, 395 kWh per capita (1991)

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 about 50 metric tons in 1991;
transshipment point for cocaine