water, polluted from steel production wastes; other rivers polluted by
animal wastes and fertilizers; industrial air pollution contributes to
acid rain in neighboring countries
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Law of
the Sea
Geography-note: crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West
European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels which is the seat of
both the EU and NATO
@Belgium:People
Population: 10,174,922 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 17% (male 903,954; female 860,940)
15-64 years: 66% (male 3,387,329; female 3,318,221)
65 years and over: 17% (male 693,519; female 1,010,959) (July 1998
est.)
Population growth rate: 0.09% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 10.21 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 10.41 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
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: 0.68 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.27 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.35 years
male: 74.13 years
female: 80.74 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.49 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Belgian(s)
adjective: Belgian
Ethnic groups: Fleming 55%, Walloon 33%, mixed or other 12%
Religions: Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%
Languages: Flemish 56%, French 32%, German 1%, legally bilingual 11%
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
@Belgium:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
conventional short form: Belgium
local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie
local short form: Belgique/Belgie
Data code: BE
Government type: federal parliamentary democracy under a
constitutional monarch
National capital: Brussels
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (French: provinces,
singular-province; Flemish: provincien, singular-provincie);
Antwerpen, Brabant, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur,
Oost-Vlaanderen, West-Vlaanderen
note: constitutional reforms passed by Parliament in 1993
theoretically increased the number of provinces to 10 by splitting the
province of Brabant into two new provinces, Flemish Brabant and
Walloon Brabant, but this has not been confirmed by the US Government
Independence: 4 October 1830 (from the Netherlands)
National holiday: National Day, 21 July (ascension of King LEOPOLD to
the throne in 1831)
Constitution: 7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament
approved a constitutional package creating a federal state
Legal system: civil law system influenced by English constitutional
theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent
Prince PHILIPPE, son of the king
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Luc DEHAENE (since 6 March
1992)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the king and approved by
Parliament
elections: none; the king is a constitutional monarch; prime minister
appointed by the king and then approved by Parliament
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or
Senaat in Flemish, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly
elected, 31 will be indirectly elected at a later date; members serve
four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van
Volksvertegenwoordigers in Flemish, Chambre des Representants in
French (150 seats; members are directly elected by proportional
representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies-last held 21 May 1995 (next
to be held by the end of 1999)
election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by
party-CVP 7, SP 6, VLD 6, VU 2, AGALEV 1, VB 3, PS 5, PRL 5, PSC 3,
ECOLO 2; note-before the 1995 elections, there were 184 seats; Chamber
of Deputies-percent of vote by party-CVP 17.2%, PS 11.9%, SP 12.6%,
VLD 13.1%, PRL 10.3%, PSC 7.7%, VB 7.8%, VU 4.7%, ECOLO 4.0%, AGALEV
4.4%, FN 2.3%; seats by party-CVP 29, PS 21, SP 20, VLD 21, PRL 18,
PSC 12, VB 11, VU 5, ECOLO 6, AGALEV 5, FN 2; note-before the 1995
elections, there were 212 seats
note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered
devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of
government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a
complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six
governments each with its own legislative assembly; for other acronyms
of the listed parties see Political parties and leaders
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie in
Flemish, Cour de Cassation in French, judges are appointed for life by
the Belgian monarch
Political parties and leaders: Flemish Christian Democrats or CVP
(Christian People's Party) [Marc VAN PEEL, president]; Francophone
Christian Democrats or PSC (Social Christian Party) [Gerard DEPREZ,
president]; Flemish Socialist Party or SP [Louis TOBBACK, president];
Francophone Socialist Party or PS [Philippe BUSQUIN, president];
Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Herman DE CROO, president];
Francophone Liberal Reformation Party or PRL [Louis MICHEL,
president]; Francophone Democratic Front or FDF [Olivier MAINGAIN,
president]; Volksunie or VU [Bert ANCIAUX, president]; Vlaams Blok or
VB [Karel DILLEN]; National Front or FN [Frank VANHECKE, president];
AGALEV (Flemish Greens) [no president]; ECOLO (Francophone Greens) [no
president]; other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: Christian and Socialist Trade
Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations
representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the
legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the
cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such
as the Flemish Action Committee Against Nuclear Weapons and Pax
Christi
International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer),
AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE,
EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Andre ADAM
chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900
FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. BLINKEN
embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels
mailing address: APO AE 09724, PSC 82, Box 002, Brussels
telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111
FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side),
yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France
@Belgium:Economy
Economy-overview: This highly developed private enterprise economy has
capitalized on its central geographic location, highly developed
transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base.
Industry is concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the
north, although the government is encouraging reinvestment in the
southern region of Walloon. With few natural resources, Belgium must
import substantial quantities of raw materials and export a large
volume of manufactures, making its economy unusually dependent on the
state of world markets. Two-thirds of its trade is with other EU
countries. The economy grew at a strong 4% annual pace during the
period 1988-90, slowed to 1% in 1991-92, dropped by 1.5% in 1993,
recovered with moderate 2.3% growth in 1994 and 1995, and fell off
again to 1.4% in 1996, with continued substantial unemployment.
Belgium's public debt fell from 127% of GDP in 1996 to 124% in 1997,
and the government is trying to control its expenditures to bring the
figure more into line with other industrialized countries. GDP growth
of 2.5% is forecast for 1998.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$236.3 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 2.3% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$23,200 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 28%
services: 70% (1994)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 1.7% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 4.283 million (1997)
by occupation: services 69.7%, industry 27.7%, agriculture 2.6% (1992)
Unemployment rate: 12.75% (1997)
Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly,
processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles,
glass, petroleum, coal
Industrial production growth rate: 9.7% (1995)
Electricity-capacity: 13.592 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 69.56 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 7,306 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture-products: sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain,
tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk
Exports:
total value: $172 billion (f.o.b., 1997) Belgium-Luxembourg Economic
Union (BLEU)
commodities: iron and steel, transportation equipment, tractors,
diamonds, petroleum products
partners: EU 67.2% (Germany 19%), US 5.8%, former Communist countries
1.4% (1994)
Imports:
total value: $158.5 billion (c.i.f., 1997) Belgium-Luxembourg Economic
Union
commodities: fuels, grains, chemicals, foodstuffs
partners: EU 75% (Germany 22.1%), US 5%, former Communist countries
0.8% (1997)
Debt-external: $31.3 billion (1992 est.)
Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $808 million (1993)
Currency: 1 Belgian franc (BF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Belgian francs (BF) per US$1-37.459 (January 1998),
35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996), 29.480 (1995), 33.456 (1994), 34.597
(1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 5.691 million (1992 est.)
Telephone system: highly developed, technologically advanced, and
completely automated domestic and international telephone and
telegraph facilities
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable
network; limited microwave radio relay network
international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 39, shortwave 0
Radios: 100,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 32 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 3,315,662 (1993 est.)
@Belgium:Transportation
Railways:
total: 3,368 km (2,386 km electrified; 2,563 km double track)
standard gauge: 3,368 km 1.435-m gauge (1996)
Highways:
total: 143,175 km
paved: 143,175 km (including 1,674 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use)
Pipelines: crude oil 161 km; petroleum products 1,167 km; natural gas
3,300 km
Ports and harbors: Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge,
Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge
Merchant marine:
total: 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 60,082 GRT/93,973 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 7, chemical tanker 5, liquefied gas
tanker 1, oil tanker 10 (1997 est.)
Airports: 42 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 24
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 6 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 15 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)
@Belgium:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie
Military manpower-military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 2,549,277 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 2,111,332 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 63,937 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $4.6 billion (1995)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.7% (1995)
@Belgium:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
Illicit drugs: source of precursor chemicals for South American
cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish,
and marijuana entering Western Europe
______________________________________________________________________
BELIZE
@Belize:Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
Guatemala and Mexico
Geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 45 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 22,960 sq km
land: 22,800 sq km
water: 160 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundaries:
total: 516 km
border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
Coastline: 386 km
Maritime claims:
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
Climate: tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to February)
Terrain: flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m
Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish
Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 2%
forests and woodland: 92%
other: 3% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent, devastating hurricanes (September to
December) and coastal flooding (especially in south)
Environment-current issues: deforestation; water pollution from
sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Marine Dumping, Ship
Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-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
@Belize:People
Population: 230,160 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 49,486; female 47,596)
15-64 years: 54% (male 63,259; female 61,567)
65 years and over: 4% (male 4,048; female 4,204) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.42% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 31.05 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.5 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 32.36 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.97 years
male: 67.01 years
female: 71.03 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.87 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Belizean(s)
adjective: Belizean
Ethnic groups: mestizo 44%, Creole 30%, Maya 11%, Garifuna 7%, other
8%
Religions: 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)
Languages: English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib)
Literacy:
definition: age 14 and over has ever attended school
total population: 70.3%
male: 70.3%
female: 70.3% (1991 est.)
note: other sources list the literacy rate as high as 75%
@Belize:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Belize
former: British Honduras
Data code: BH
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National 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
Legal system: English law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (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 July 1993)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general
appointed by the queen; prime minister appointed by the governor
general
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate
(8 members; members are appointed for five-year terms, five on the
advice of the prime minister, two on the advice of the leader of the
opposition, and one after consultation with the Belize Advisory
Council-this council serves as an independent body to advise the
governor general with respect to difficult decisions such as granting
pardons, commutations, stays of execution, the removal of justices of
appeal who appear to be incompetent, etc.) and the National Assembly
(29 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly-last held 30 June 1993 (next to be held
no later than September 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-PUP 13,
UDP 15, NABR 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, the chief justice is appointed by the
governor general on advice of the prime minister
Political parties and leaders: People's United Party or PUP [Said
MUSA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Manuel ESQUIVEL, Dean BARROW];
National Alliance for Belizean Rights or NABR [Philip GOLDSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Society for the Promotion of
Education and Research or SPEAR [Assad SHOMAN]; United Workers Front
International organization participation: 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 (observer),
ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO,
WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James Schofield MURPHY
chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
mailing address: 5825 W. Sunset Boulevard, Suite 206, Hollywood, CA
90028
telephone: [1] (213) 469-7343
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Carolyn CURIEL
embassy: Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City
mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Unit 7401, APO AA 34025
telephone: [501] (2) 77161 through 77163
FAX: [501] (2) 30802
Flag description: 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
@Belize:Economy
Economy-overview: 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 more than one-third 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 is likely to continue in 1998. Political
tension in the run-up to the elections will tend to discourage
investment, already suffering as a result of tight monetary and fiscal
policies. The trade deficit has been growing, mostly as a result of
low export prices for sugar and bananas and could increase further if
a pre-election boost in government spending leads to a rise in
imports. The ruling in 1997 by the World Trade Organization against
the European Union's banana import regime-which had granted Belize
preferential treatment - is also hurting the prospects for growth, and
could contribute to an increase in already high unemployment.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$680 million (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 2.9% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$3,000 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 27%
services: 53% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 1% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 71,000
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
(1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 13% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $140 million
expenditures: $142 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY97/98 est.)
Industries: garment production, food processing, tourism, construction
Industrial production growth rate: 0.2% (1996 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 23,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 105 million kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 491 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: bananas, coca, citrus, sugarcane; lumber; fish,
cultured shrimp
Exports:
total value: $166 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: sugar, citrus fruits, bananas, clothing, fish products,
molasses, wood
partners: US 44%, UK 42%, other EU 5%, Canada 3% (1996)
Imports:
total value: $262 million (c.i.f., 1996)
commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, food,
manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
partners: US 55%, Mexico 12%, UK 5% (1997)
Debt-external: $217 million (1996)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Belizean dollar (Bz$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Belizean dollars (Bz$) per US$1-2.0000 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Telephones: 29,000 (1996 est.)
Telephone system: above-average system
domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 9, shortwave 1
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 2
Televisions: 27,048 (1993 est.)
@Belize:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 2,248 km
paved: 427 km
unpaved: 1,821 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 825 km river network used by shallow-draft craft;
seasonally navigable
Ports and harbors: Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda
Merchant marine:
total: 265 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,298,562 GRT/2,055,027
DWT
ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 184, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk
1, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 26, passenger-cargo
2, refrigerated cargo 8, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4, specialized tanker
2, vehicle carrier 1
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 8 countries:
Cuba 1, Cyprus 1, Greece 1, Hong Kong 1, Panama 1, Singapore 2, UAE 2,
and US 1 (1997 est.)
Airports: 44 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)