Belize

parliamentary democracyIndependence 21 September 1981 (from UK)

Belize as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 120 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
LocationMiddle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea between Guatemala and
1994

Every edition of Belize

Populationas each edition published it
208,949 people July 1994 est. · 219,737 in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.42% 1994 est. · 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
4.39 children per woman 1994 est. · 4.8 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
35.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 35 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$2,700 1993 est. · $1,635 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
5.3% 1992 · 10% in 1993

Geography

Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea between Guatemala and | Mexico

23 fields
Land boundaries
516km
total · Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
Irrigated land
20sq km
(1989 est.)

Location

Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea between Guatemala and Mexico

Map references

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

total area

22,960 sq km

land area

22,800 sq km

comparative area

slightly larger than Massachusetts

territorial sea

12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south

note

  • from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, 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

maritime border with Guatemala in dispute; desultory 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

arable land

2%

permanent crops

0%

meadows and pastures

2%

forest and woodland

44%

other

52%

current issues

deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff

natural hazards

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

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change

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

22 fields
Population
208,949
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 2.42% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
34.74Death
6Net migration
-4.56

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)
Literacy
15
age · and over having ever attended school (1970)

Infant mortality rate

35.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

68.08 years

male

66.14 years

female

70.12 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.39 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Belizean(s)

adjective

Belizean

Languages

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

total population

91%

male

91%

female

91%

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)

Government

Parliamentary democracy

33 fields

Legislature, 28 seatsone dot, one seat

PUP 13 UDP 15

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)

National holiday

Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Constitution

21 September 1981

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG (since 17 November 1993)

head of government

Prime Minister Manuel ESQUIVEL (since July 1993); Deputy Prime Minister Dean BARROW (since NA 1993)

cabinet

Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on advice from the prime minister

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly

Senate

consists of an 8-member body, 5 are appointed on the advice of the prime minister, 2 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 1 after consultation with the Belize Advisory Council

National Assembly

  • elections last held 30 June 1993 (next to be held June 1998);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (28 total) PUP 13 UDP 15

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

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, Philip GOLDSON

Other political or pressure groups

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

Member of

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

chief of mission

Ambassador Dean LINDO

chancery

2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

(202) 332-9636

FAX

(202) 332-6888

consulate(s) general

Miami

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

The economy is based primarily on agriculture, agro-based industry, | and merchandising, with tourism and construction assuming increasing | importance.

26 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$2,700
(1993 est.)
Real growth rate
5.3%
(1992)industrial production growth: growth rate 3.7% (1990); accounts for 12% of GDP
Unemployment rate
15%
(1992 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 - purchasing power equivalent - $550 million (1993 est.)

revenues

$126.8 million

expenditures

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

Exports

$116 million (f.o.b., 1992)

commodities

sugar, citrus, clothing, fish products, bananas, molasses, wood

partners

US 51%, UK, other EC (1992)

Imports

$273 million (c.i.f., 1992 est.)

commodities

machinery and transportation equipment, food, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

partners

US 57%, UK 8%, other EC 7%, Mexico (1992)

External debt

$143.7 million (1991)

capacity

34,532 kW

production

90 million kWh

consumption per capita

393 kWh (1992)

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • accounts for 30% of GDP (including fish and forestry);
  • commercial crops include sugar cane, bananas, coca, citrus fruits;
  • expanding output of lumber and cultured shrimp;
  • net importer of basic foods

Illicit drugs

  • transshipment point for cocaine;
  • 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

recipient

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

13 fields

total

2,710 km

paved

500 km

unpaved

  • gravel 1,600 km;
  • improved earth 300 km;
  • unimproved earth 310 km

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

Merchant marine

25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 53,509 GRT/80,345 DWT, bulk 6, cargo 11, container 2, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3

total

47

usable

38

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 m

3

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 withdrawn by the end of 1993 except for a small | training detachment, Belize Defense Force (including Army, Navy, Air | Force, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police

3 fields

Branches

British Forces Belize withdrawn by the end of 1993 except for a small training detachment, Belize Defense Force (including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 48,789;
  • fit for military service 29,040;
  • reach military age (18) annually 2,175 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $4.8 million, 1.8% of GDP (1992)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Belize.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/belize/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →