Belize

parliamentary democracyIndependence 21 September 1981 (from UK)

Belize as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 77 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
LocationCentral America, bordering the Caribbean Sea between Guatemala and Mexico
1993

Every edition of Belize

Populationas each edition published it
203,957 people July 1993 est. · 219,737 in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.42% 1993 est. · 1.47% in 2025
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 18.9 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
67.85 years 1993 est. · 74.3 yrs in 2025
Fertility ratechildren per woman
4.53 children per woman 1993 est. · 4.8 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
36.5 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 35 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,635 1990 est. · $13,300 in 2025
GDP real growth% a year
10% 1990 · 8.2% in 2025

Geography

Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea between Guatemala and Mexico

14 fields

Land useshare of 22,960 km2

permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 2%forest and woodland 44%other 52%arable land 2% in all · irrigated 20 km2 (1989 est.)
Area
22,960km2
land area: 22,800 km2comparative area: slightly larger than Massachusetts
Land boundaries
516km
total · Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Location

Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea between Guatemala and Mexico

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean, North America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

territorial sea:
12 nm in the north, 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 Guatemala

International disputes

border with Guatemala in dispute; 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

Natural resources

arable land potential, timber, fish

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
203,957
(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 2.42% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth
35.75Death
6.15Net migration
-5.44

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years67.85
65.91 · 69.88
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy91%
91% · 91%
MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)

Ethnic divisions

Mestizo 44%Creole 30%Maya 11%Garifuna 7%other 8%

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%other 6% (1980)
Labor force
51,500
by occupation: agriculture 30%, services 16%, government 15.4%, commerce 11.2%, manufacturing 10.3%note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (1985)

Infant mortality rate

36.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.53 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Belizean(s)
adjective:
Belizean

Languages

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

Government

Parliamentary democracy

21 fields

Names

conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Belize
former:
British Honduras

Type

parliamentary democracy

Capital

Belmopan

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

21 September 1981 (from UK)

Constitution

21 September 1981

National holiday

Independence Day, 21 September

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;
  • National Alliance for Belizean Rights, leader NA

Other political or pressure groups

Society for the Promotion of Education and Research (SPEAR), Assad SHOMAN; United Workers Front, leader NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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

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

Leaders

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

Member of

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

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:
Ambassador James V. HYDE
chancery:
2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 332-9636

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:
Ambassador Eugene L. SCASSA
embassy:
Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City
mailing address:
P. O. Box 286, Belize City
telephone:
[501] (2) 77161 through 77163
FAX:
[501] (2) 30802

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

19 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,635
(1990 est.)
Real growth rate
10%
(1990)industrial production growth: growth rate 3.7% (1990); accounts for 12% of GDP
Unemployment rate
12%
(1991 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$126.8 millionExpenditures
$123.1 million
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $44.8 million (FY91 est.)

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.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $373 million (1990 est.)

Exports

$95.6 million (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:
sugar, citrus, clothing, bananas, fish products, molasses
partners:
US 49%, UK, EC, Mexico (1991)

Imports

$194 million (c.i.f., 1991 est.)

commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, food, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
partners:
US 60%, UK, EC, Mexico (1991)

External debt

$143.7 million (1991)

Electricity

34,532 kW capacity; 90 million kWh produced, 393 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • accounts for 22% 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

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $104 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $215 million

Currency

1 Belizean dollar (Bz$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

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

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Communications

6 fields

Merchant marine, 4 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 3roll-on/roll-off 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,768 GRT/12,721 DWT

Highways

2,710 km total; 500 km paved, 1,600 km gravel, 300 km improved earth, and 310 km unimproved earth

Inland waterways

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

Ports

Belize City; additional ports for shallow draught craft include Corozol, Punta Gorda, Big Creek

Airports

total:
42
usable:
32
with permanent-surface runways:
3
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
1
with runways 1,229-2,439 mr:
2

Telecommunications

  • 8,650 telephones;
  • above-average system based on microwave radio relay;
  • broadcast stations - 6 AM, 5 FM, 1 TV, 1 shortwave;
  • 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

British Forces Belize, Belize Defense Force (including Army, Navy, Air | Force, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police

3 fields

Branches

British Forces Belize, Belize Defense Force (including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 47,135;
  • fit for military service 28,070;
  • reach military age (18) annually 2,066 (1993 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $5.4 million, 2% of GDP (1992)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Belize.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/belize/1993.

How to cite ← 1992 edition 1994 edition →