at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and Spanish
disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it formally
became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial disputes
between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize
until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992
and the two countries are involved in an ongoing border dispute.
Guatemala and Belize plan to hold a simultaneous referendum to
determine if this dispute will go before the International Court of
Justice at The Hague, though they have not yet set a date. Tourism
has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include the
country's heavy foreign debt burden, high unemployment, growing
involvement in the South American drug trade, high crime rates, and
increasing incidences of HIV/AIDS.
Geography ::Belize
Location:
Central 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: 22,966 sq km
country comparison to the world: 151
land: 22,806 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:
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
negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with
Guatemala
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry
season (February to May)
Terrain:
flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Doyle's Delight 1,160 m
Natural resources:
arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 3.05%
permanent crops: 1.39%
other: 95.56% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
18.6 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.15 cu km/yr (7%/73%/20%)
per capita: 556 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal
flooding (especially in south)
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents,
agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
only country in Central America without a coastline on the North
Pacific Ocean
People ::Belize
Population:
314,522 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.9% (male 59,462/female 57,117)
15-64 years: 58.6% (male 91,298/female 89,170)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 5,185/female 5,667) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 20.7 years
male: 20.5 years
female: 20.9 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.102% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
Birth rate:
26.84 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
Death rate:
5.82 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 90
Urbanization:
urban population: 52% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 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: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 22.52 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 92
male: 25.22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.23 years
country comparison to the world: 150
male: 66.54 years
female: 70 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.28 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2.1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,600 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Belizean(s)
adjective: Belizean
Ethnic groups:
mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7%
(2000 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican
5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist 3.5%,
Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000)
Languages:
Spanish 46%, Creole 32.9%, Mayan dialects 8.9%, English 3.9%
(official), Garifuna 3.4% (Carib), German 3.3%, other 1.4%, unknown
0.2% (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.9%
male: 76.7%
female: 77.1% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 13 years
female: 12 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
5.1% of GDP (2007)
country comparison to the world: 62
Government ::Belize
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Belize
former: British Honduras
Government type:
parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Belmopan
geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 46 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
Administrative divisions:
6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo
Independence:
21 September 1981 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 September (1981)
Constitution:
21 September 1981
Legal system:
English law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17
November 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Dean Oliver BARROW (since 8
February 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar VEGA (since 12 February
2008)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually
appointed prime minister by the governor general; prime minister
recommends the deputy prime minister
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 seats;
members appointed by the governor general - 6 on the advice of the
prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and
1 each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and
Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce
and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National
Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee; to
serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives (31 seats;
members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held on 6 February 2008
(next to be held in 2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - UDP 56.3%, PUP 40.9%;
seats by party - UDP 25, PUP 6
Judicial branch:
Summary Jurisdiction Courts (criminal) and District Courts (civil
jurisdiction); Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the
governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of
Appeal; Privy Council in the UK; member of the Caribbean Court of
Justice (CCJ)
Political parties and leaders:
National Alliance for Belizean Rights or NABR; National Reform Party
or NRP [Cornelius DUECK]; People's National Party or PNP [Wil
MAHEIA]; People's United Party or PUP [John BRICENO]; United
Democratic Party or UDP [Dean BARROW]; Vision Inspired by the People
or VIP [Paul MORGAN]; We the People Reform Movement or WTP [Hipolito
BAUTISTA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Nicole
HAYLOCK]; Association of Concerned Belizeans or ACB [David VASQUEZ];
National Trade Union Congress of Belize or NTUC/B [Rene GOMEZ]
International organization participation:
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
PetroCaribe, RG, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nestor MENDEZ
chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Vinai THUMMALAPALLY
embassy: Floral Park Road, Belmopan City, Cayo District
mailing address: P.O. Box 497, Belmopan City, Cayo District, Belize
telephone: [501] 822-4011
FAX: [501] 822-4012
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
of 50 mahogany leaves; the colors are those of the two main
political parties: blue for the PUP and red for the UDP; various
elements of the coat of arms - the figures, the tools, the mahogany
tree, and the garland of leaves - recall the logging industry that
led to British settlement of Belize
note: Belize's flag is the only national flag that depicts human
beings; two British overseas territories, Montserrat and the British
Virgin Islands, also depict humans
National anthem:
name: "Land of the Free"
lyrics/music: Samuel Alfred HAYNES/Selwyn Walford YOUNG
note: adopted 1981; as a Commonwealth country, in addition to the
national anthem, "God Save the Queen" serves as the royal anthem
(see United Kingdom)
Economy ::Belize
Economy - overview:
In this small, essentially private-enterprise economy, tourism is
the number one foreign exchange earner followed by exports of marine
products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas, and garments. The
government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in
September 1998, led to sturdy GDP growth averaging nearly 4% in
1999-2007, though growth slipped to 3.8% in 2008, 0% in 2009, and
1.5% in 2010 as a result of the global slowdown, natural disasters,
and the drop in the price of oil. Oil discoveries in 2006 bolstered
economic growth. Exploration efforts continue and production
increased a small amount in 2009. Major concerns continue to be the
sizable trade deficit and heavy foreign debt burden. In February
2007, the government restructured nearly all of its public external
commercial debt, which helped reduce interest payments and relieved
some of the country's liquidity concerns. A key objective remains
the reduction of poverty and inequality with the help of
international donors.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.652 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
$2.613 billion (2009 est.)
$2.613 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.431 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
0% (2009 est.)
3.6% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,400 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
$8,500 (2009 est.)
$8,700 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 29%
industry: 16.9%
services: 54.1% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
120,500
country comparison to the world: 179
note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel
(2008 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 10.2%
industry: 18.1%
services: 71.7% (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
13.1% (2009)
country comparison to the world: 137
8.2% (2008)
Population below poverty line:
33.5% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
26.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.1% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
-1.1% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
12% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 31
12% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.08% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
14.14% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$389.5 million (31 December 2010 est)
country comparison to the world: 161
$336.5 million (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$1.351 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
$1.084 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.291 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
$1.036 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
bananas, cacao, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber
Industries:
garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil
Industrial production growth rate:
1.4% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
Electricity - production:
213.5 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
Electricity - consumption:
198.5 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
248.4 million kWh (2005)
Oil - production:
3,990 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
Oil - consumption:
7,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
Oil - exports:
2,260 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
Oil - imports:
7,204 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
Oil - proved reserves:
6.7 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201
Current account balance:
-$151 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
-$93.3 million (2009 est.)
Exports:
$404 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
$381.9 million (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood,
crude oil
Exports - partners:
US 30.7%, UK 29.77%, Nigeria 4.9%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.45% (2009)
Imports:
$740 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
$620.5 million (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels,
chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco
Imports - partners:
US 33.65%, Mexico 14.17%, Cuba 8.51%, Guatemala 6.75%, Spain 6.07%,
China 4.12% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$219 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
$213.7 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.01 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
$954.1 million (2008 est.)
Exchange rates:
Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar - 2 (2010), 2 (2009), 2 (2008),
2 (2007), 2 (2006)
Communications ::Belize
Telephones - main lines in use:
31,200 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 178
Telephones - mobile cellular:
161,800 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 175
Telephone system:
general assessment: above-average system; trunk network depends
primarily on microwave radio relay
domestic: fixed-line teledensity of 10 per 100 persons;
mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 55 per 100 persons
international: country code - 501; landing point for the Americas
Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic
telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to South and
Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth
station - 8 (Intelsat - 2, unknown - 6) (2008)
Broadcast media:
8 privately-owned TV stations; multi-channel cable TV provides
access to foreign stations; about 25 radio stations broadcasting on
roughly 50 different frequencies; state-run radio was privatized in
1998 (2007)
Internet country code:
.bz
Internet hosts:
2,880 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 147
Internet users:
36,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 177
Transportation ::Belize
Airports:
45 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 96
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 41
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 27 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 3,007 km
country comparison to the world: 165
paved: 575 km
unpaved: 2,432 km (2006)
Waterways:
825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 71
Merchant marine:
total: 231
country comparison to the world: 33
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 37, cargo 146, chemical
tanker 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 7,
refrigerated cargo 27, roll on/roll off 10
foreign-owned: 171 (Chile 1, China 64, Croatia 1, Cyprus 1, Estonia
1, Germany 1, Greece 2, Iceland 2, Italy 3, Japan 1, Latvia 10,
Lithuania 2, Netherlands 1, Nigeria 2, Norway 3, Peru 1, Russia 32,
Singapore 7, Spain 1, Syria 2, Turkey 18, UAE 5, UK 4, Ukraine 6)
(2010)
Ports and terminals:
Belize City, Big Creek
Military ::Belize
Military branches:
Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, BDF Air Wing (includes Special
Boat Unit), BDF Volunteer Guard (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow for
conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscription has
never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available
positions by 3:1 (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 79,088
females age 16-49: 77,147 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 57,759
females age 16-49: 55,903 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 3,678
female: 3,543 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.4% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 107
Transnational Issues ::Belize
Disputes - international:
OAS-initiated Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and
Confidence Building Measures saw cooperation in repatriation of
Guatemalan squatters and other areas, but Guatemalan land and
maritime claims in Belize and the Caribbean Sea remain unresolved;
the Line of Adjacency created under the 2002 Differendum serves in
lieu of the contiguous international boundary to control squatting
in the sparsely inhabited rain forests of Belize's border region;
Honduras claims Belizean-administered Sapodilla Cays in its
constitution but agreed to a joint ecological park under the
Differendum
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Belize is a source, transit, and destination
country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of
commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; the most common
form of trafficking in Belize is the internal sex trafficking of
minors; some Central American men, women, and children, particularly
from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, migrate voluntarily to
Belize in search of work but are subsequently subjected to
conditions of forced labor or forced prostitution
tier rating: Belize is placed on Tier 2 Watch List because it does
not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of
trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so;
despite efforts to raise public awareness of human trafficking and
provide protection services for trafficking victims, the government
did not show evidence of progress in convicting and sentencing
trafficking offenders last year (2009)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of
cannabis, primarily for local consumption; offshore sector
money-laundering activity related to narcotics trafficking and other
crimes (2008)
page last updated on January 12, 2011
======================================================================
@Benin (Africa)
Introduction ::Benin
Background:
Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African
kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French
Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960, as the
Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in
1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment
of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to
representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free
elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as
president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa
from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by
elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were
alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006
and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and
independent. YAYI has begun a high profile fight against corruption
and has strongly promoted accelerating Benin's economic growth.
Geography ::Benin
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and
Togo
Geographic coordinates:
9 30 N, 2 15 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 112,622 sq km
country comparison to the world: 101
land: 110,622 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: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
Natural resources:
small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Land use:
arable land: 23.53%
permanent crops: 2.37%
other: 74.1% (2005)
Irrigated land:
120 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
25.8 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.13 cu km/yr (32%/23%/45%)
per capita: 15 cu m/yr (2001)
Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to
March
Environment - current issues:
inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife
populations; deforestation; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural
harbors, river mouths, or islands
People ::Benin
Population: