Report on Belize

Introduction | Geography | People | Government | Economy| Communications | Transportation | Military | Transnational Issues

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 increased urban crime.

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

17 15 N, 88 45 W

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total:  22,966 sq km

land:  22,806 sq km

water:  160 sq km

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

total:  516 km

border countries:  Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

386 km

exclusive economic zone:  200 NM

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 NM; 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

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

flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

lowest point:  Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point:  Victoria Peak 1,160 m

arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

arable land:  10%

permanent crops:  1%

permanent pastures:  2%

forests and woodland:  84%

other:  3% (2000 est.)

20 sq km (1993 est.)

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

deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid waste disposal

pparty to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:  none of the selected agreements

only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean

256,062 (July 2001 est.)

0-14 years:  42.04% (male 54,876; female 52,780)

15-64 years:  54.43% (male 70,534; female 68,837)

65 years and over:  3.53% (male 4,403; female 4,632) (2001 est.)

2.7% (2001 est.)

31.69 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

4.7 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

at birth:  1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:  1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:  1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over:  0.95 male(s)/female

total population:  1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

25.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

total population:  71.19 years

male:  68.91 years

female:  73.57 years (2001 est.)

4.05 children born/woman (2001 est.)

2.01% (1999 est.)

2,400 (1999 est.)

170 (1999 est.)

noun:  Belizean(s)

adjective:  Belizean

mestizo 43.7%, Creole 29.8%, Maya 10%, Garifuna 6.2%, other 10.3%

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)

English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole

definition:  age 15 and over can read and write

total population:  70.3%

male:  70.3%

female:  70.3% (1991 est.)

note:  other sources list the literacy rate as high as 75%

conventional long form:  none

conventional short form:  Belize

former:  British Honduras

parliamentary democracy

Belmopan

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

21 September 1981 (from UK)

Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

21 September 1981

English law

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 Said MUSA (since 27 August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September 1998)

cabinet:  Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections:  none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; governor general appoints the member of the House of Representatives who is leader of the majority party to be prime minister

bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (eight members, five appointed on the advice of the prime minister, two on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and one by the governor general; 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:  House of Representatives - last held 27 August 1998 (next to be held by NA August 2003)

election results:  percent of vote by party - PUP 59.2%, UDP 40.8%; seats by party - PUP 26, UDP 3

Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister)

People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Manuel ESQUIVEL, Dean BARROW, Doug SINGH]

Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Diane HAYLOCK]; United Worker's Front

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

chief of mission:  Ambassador Lisa M. SHOMAN

chancery:  2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:  [1] (202) 332-9636

FAX:  [1] (202) 332-6888

consulate(s) general:  Los Angeles

chief of mission:  Ambassador Carolyn CURIEL

embassy:  29 Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City

mailing address:  P. O. Box 286, Unit 7401, APO AA 34025

telephone:  [501] (2) 77161

FAX:  [501] (2) 30802

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

The small, essentially private enterprise economy is based primarily on agriculture, agro-based industry, and merchandising, with tourism and construction assuming greater importance. Sugar, the chief crop, accounts for nearly half of exports, while the banana industry is the country's largest employer. The government's tough austerity program in 1997 resulted in an economic slowdown that continued in 1998. The trade deficit has been growing, mostly as a result of low export prices for sugar and bananas. The tourist and construction sectors strengthened in early 1999, supporting growth of 6% in 1999 and 4% in 2000. Aided by international donors, the government's key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty.

purchasing power parity - $790 million (2000 est.)

4% (2000 est.)

purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2000 est.)

agriculture:  18%

industry:  24%

services:  58% (2000 est.)

33% (1999 est.)

lowest 10%:  NA%

highest 10%:  NA%

2% (2000 est.)

71,000

note:  shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (1997 est.)

agriculture 38%, industry 32%, services 30% (1994)

12.8% (1999)

revenues:  $157 million

expenditures:  $279 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

garment production, food processing, tourism, construction

4.6% (1999)

185 million kWh (1999)

fossil fuel:  56.76%

hydro:  43.24%

nuclear:  0%

other:  0% (1999)

172.1 million kWh (1999)

0 kWh (1999)

0 kWh (1999)

bananas, coca, citrus, sugarcane; lumber; fish, cultured shrimp

$235.7 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

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

US 42%, UK 33%, EU 12%, Caricom 4.8%, Canada 2%, Mexico 1% (1999)

$413 million (c.i.f., 2000 est.)

machinery and transportation equipment, manufactured goods; food, beverages, tobacco; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

US 58%, Mexico 12%, UK 5% EU 5%, Central America 5%, Caricom 4% (1998)

$338 million (1998)

$NA

Belizean dollar (BZD)

BZD

Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)

1 April - 31 March

31,000 (1997)

3,023 (1997)

general assessment:  above-average system

domestic:  trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay

international:  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

AM 1, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

133,000 (1997)

2 (1997)

41,000 (1997)

.bz

2 (2000)

12,000 (2000)

0 km

total:  2,872 km

paved:  488 km

unpaved:  2,384 km (1998 est.)

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

Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda

total:  402 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,575,851 GRT/2,241,731 DWT

ships by type:  bulk 27, cargo 265, chemical tanker 6, combination ore/oil 1, container 14, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 56, refrigerated cargo 18, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 3

note:  includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Cuba 1, Singapore 1, US 1 (2000 est.)

44 (2000 est.)

total:  4

1,524 to 2,437 m:  1

914 to 1,523 m:  1

under 914 m:  2 (2000 est.)

total:  40

2,438 to 3,047 m:  1

914 to 1,523 m:  10

under 914 m:  29 (2000 est.)

Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard)

18 years of age

males age 15-49:  62,698 (2001 est.)

males age 15-49:  37,174 (2001 est.)

males:  2,847 (2001 est.)

$17 million (FY98/99)

2.4% (FY98/99)

Guatemala periodically asserts claims to territory in southern Belize; to deter cross-border squatting, both states in 2000 agreed to a "line of adjacency" based on the de facto boundary, which is not recognized by Guatemala

minor transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; minor money-laundering center