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 has risen to 140% of GDP, and the government is
trying to control its expenditures to bring the figure more into line
with other industrialized countries.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $204.8 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $20,300 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 28%
services : 70% (1994)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 2.1% (1996)
Labor force:
total: 4.126 million
by occupation: services 69.7%, industry 27.7%, agriculture 2.6% (1992)
Unemployment rate: 14% (1996 est.)
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: 3.4% (1995 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 13.59 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 74.4 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 6,823 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain,
tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk
Exports:
total value: $108 billion (f.o.b., 1994) 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: $140 billion (c.i.f., 1994) Belgium-Luxembourg Economic
Union
commodities: fuels, grains, chemicals, foodstuffs
partners: EU 68% (Germany 22.1%), US 8.8%, former Communist countries
0.8% (1994)
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 - 33.067 (January 1997),
30.962 (1996), 29.480 (1995), 33.456 (1994), 34.597 (1993), 32.150
(1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Belgium: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: 3,396 km (2,363 km electrified; 2,563 km double track)
standard gauge : 3,396 km 1.435-m gauge (1995)
Highways:
total: 142,563 km
paved: 142,563 km (including 1,667 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1995 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 102,363 GRT/152,951 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 7, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 2,
liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 10 (1996 est.)
Airports: 42 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total : 39
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 : 21 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49 : 2,559,951 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: 2,122,673 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males : 63,005 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4.6 billion (1995)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.7% (1995)
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, Law of the
Sea, 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: 224,663 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 48,921; female 47,057)
15-64 years: 54% (male 61,133; female 59,466)
65 years and over: 3% (male 3,965; female 4,121) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.42% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 31.91 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.61 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 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
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 33.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.75 years
male: 66.8 years
female: 70.81 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.99 children born/woman (1997 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 S. MURPHY
chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
FAX : [1] (202) 332-6888
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador George Charles BRUNO
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
Economy
Economy - overview: The small, essentially private enterprise economy
is based primarily on agriculture, agro-based industry, and
merchandising, with tourism and construction assuming increasing
importance. Agriculture accounts for about 20% 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: purchasing power parity - $649 million (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,960 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 27%
services : 53% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 6.4% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total : 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)
Unemployment rate: 15% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $140 million
expenditures: $180 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY96/97 est.)
Industries: garment production, food processing, tourism, construction
Industrial production growth rate: 3.7% (1990)
Electricity - capacity: 34,000 kW (1995)
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: bananas, coca, citrus, sugarcane; lumber;
fish, cultured shrimp
Exports:
total value: $204 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: sugar, citrus fruits, bananas, clothing, fish products,
molasses, wood
partners : US 38%, UK, other EU (1994)
Imports:
total value: $264 million (c.i.f., 1996)
commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, food,
manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
partners : US 53%, UK, other EU, Mexico (1994)
Debt - external: $192 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient : ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Belizean dollar (Bz$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Belizean dollars (Bz$) per US$1 - 2.00 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Belize: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 8, shortwave 1
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 2
Televisions: 27,048 (1993 est.)
@Belize:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 2,770 km
paved: 521 km
unpaved : 2,249 km (1995 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: 166 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,592,846 GRT/1,087,555
DWT
ships by type: bulk 17, cargo 117, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk
1, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 13, passenger-cargo
1, refrigerated cargo 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3, specialized tanker
1, vehicle carrier 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 35 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total : 25
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 24 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Navy, Air
Force, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 54,163 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males : 32,176 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males : 2,471 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $8.1 million (FY95/96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: border with Guatemala in dispute; talks to
resolve the dispute are ongoing
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit
producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; minor
money-laundering center
______________________________________________________________________
BENIN
@Benin:Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Nigeria and Togo
Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N, 2 15 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 112,620 sq km
land: 110,620 sq km
water: 2,000 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries:
total: 1,989 km
border countries : Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km,
Togo 644 km
Coastline: 121 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Tanekas 641 m
Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble,
timber
Land use:
arable land: 13%
permanent crops: 4%
permanent pastures: 4%
forests and woodland: 31%
other: 48% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in
winter
Environment - current issues: recent droughts have severely affected
marginal agriculture in north; inadequate supplies of potable water;
poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation;
desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: no natural harbors
@Benin:People
Population: 5,902,178 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 48% (male 1,420,335; female 1,411,160)
15-64 years: 50% (male 1,401,360; female 1,530,626)
65 years and over : 2% (male 60,704; female 77,993) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.31% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 46.28 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 13.14 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 102.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.15 years
male: 51.15 years
female: 55.21 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.56 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
adjective: Beninese
Ethnic groups: African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being
Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500
Religions: indigenous beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian 15%
Languages: French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars
in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
Literacy:
definition : age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37%
male: 48.7%
female: 25.8% (1995 est.)
@Benin:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Benin
conventional short form: Benin
local long form: Republique du Benin
local short form : Benin
former: Dahomey
Data code: BN
Government type: republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped
Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February
1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991
National capital: Porto-Novo
Administrative divisions: 6 provinces; Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou,
Mono, Oueme, Zou
Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: National Day, 1 August (1990)
Constitution: 2 December 1990
Legal system: based on French civil law and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government; Prime Minister Adrien HOUNGBEDJI (since 9 April 1996) acts
as assistant to the president; a prime minister is not provided for in
the constitution but was appointed by President KEREKOU with the
permission of the constitutional court
cabinet: Council of Ministers headed by the prime minister; all are
appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 18 March 1996 (next to be held March 2001)
election results: Mathieu KEREKOU elected president; percent of vote -
Mathieu KEREKOU 52.49%, Nicephore SOGLO 47.51%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 28 March 1995 (next to be held NA 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RB
20, PRD 19, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 7, NCC 3, RDL-VIVOTEN 3, Communist
Party 2, Alliance Chameleon 1, RDP 1, other 17
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle,
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme, High Court of Justice
Political parties and leaders: Alliance of the National Party for
Democracy and Development or PNDD and the Democratic Renewal Party or
PRD [Pascal Chabi KAO]; Action for Renewal and Development or
FARD-ALAFIA [Mathieu KEREKOU]; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party
or PSD and the National Union for Solidarity and Progress or UNSP
[Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Alliance Chameleon; Alliance for Democracy and
Progress or ADP [Adekpedjon AKINDES]; Alliance for Social Democracy or
ASD [Robert DOSSOU]; Assembly of Liberal Democrats for National
Reconstruction or RDL [Severin ADJOVI]; Communist Party of Benin,
[Pascal FATONDJI, First Secretary]; Our Common Cause or NCC [Albert
TEVOEDJRE]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP; The Renaissance
Party of Benin or RB [Nicephore SOGLO]
note: as of February 1996, more than 80 political parties were
officially recognized
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA,
ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM,
OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lucien Edgar TONOUKOUIN
chancery : 2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656, 6657, 6658
FAX : [1] (202) 265-1996
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John M. YATES
embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou
mailing address: B. P. 2012, Cotonou
telephone : [229] 30-06-50, 30-05-13, 30-17-92
FAX: [229] 30-14-39, 30-19-74
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red
with a vertical green band on the hoist side
Economy