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