2 definitions found
From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]:
Belize
n : a country of Central America on the Caribbean; formerly
under British control [syn: {Belize}, {British Honduras}]
From The CIA World Factbook (1995) [world95]:
Belize
Belize:Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
Guatemala and Mexico
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total area: 22,960 sq km
land area: 22,800 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Massachusetts
Land boundaries: total 516 km 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 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: border with Guatemala in dispute; talks to
resolve the dispute are stalled
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
Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 2%
forest and woodland: 44%
other: 52%
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
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, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
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: 214,061 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44% (female 45,812; male 47,618)
15-64 years: 53% (female 55,630; male 57,230)
65 years and over: 3% (female 3,970; male 3,801) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.42% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 33.71 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 5.86 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 34.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.32 years
male: 66.37 years
female: 70.36 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.25 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Belizean(s)
adjective: Belizean
Ethnic divisions: 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, Maya, Garifuna (Carib)
Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970)
total population: 91%
male: 91%
female: 91%
Labor force: 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)
Belize:Government
Names:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Belize
former: British Honduras
Digraph: BH
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
Legal system: English law
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 (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 appointed body; 5 members 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 (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.)
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 ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT
(nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LAES, NAM,
OAS, UN UNCTAD UNESCO, UNIDO UPU, WCL, WHO WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dean R. LINDO
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
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador George Charles BRUNO
embassy: Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City
mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Belize City; APO: Unit 7401, APO AA
34025
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
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 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 parity - $575 million (1994
est.)
National product real growth rate: 2% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $2,750 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.5% (1991)
Unemployment rate: 10% (1993 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $126.8 million
expenditures: $123.1 million, including capital expenditures of $44.8
million (FY90/91 est.)
Exports: $115 million (f.o.b., 1993)
commodities: sugar, citrus fruits, bananas, clothing, fish products,
molasses, wood
partners: US 51%, UK other EC (1992)
Imports: $281 million (c.i.f., 1993)
commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, food,
manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
partners: US 57%, UK 8%, other EC 7%, Mexico (1992)
External debt: $158 million (1992)
Industrial production: growth rate 3.7% (1990); accounts for 12% of
GDP
Electricity:
capacity: 34,532 kW
production: 110 million kWh
consumption per capita: 490 kWh (1993)
Industries: garment production, food processing, tourism, construction
Agriculture: commercial crops: bananas, coca, citrus fruits, fish,
cultured shrimp, lumber
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine; an illicit producer of
cannabis for the international drug trade minor money-laundering
center
Economic aid:
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
Belize:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways:
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, Big Creek, Corozol Punta Gorda
Merchant marine:
total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 170,002 GRT/270,893 DWT
ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 25, container 4, oil tanker 2,
refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3, vehicle carrier 1
Airports:
total: 46
with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
with paved runways under 914 m: 35
with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 9
Belize:Communications
Telephone system: 8,650 telephones; above-average system based on
microwave radio relay
local: NA
intercity: microwave radio relay
international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station
Radio:
broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1
radios: NA
Television:
broadcast stations: 1
televisions: NA
Belize:Defense Forces
Branches: Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and
Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 50,499; males fit for military
service 30,040; males reach military age (18) annually 2,285 (1995
est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $11 million, 2.2% of
GDP (FY93/94)
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