Merchant marine:
total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 35,668 GRT/56,412 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 8, chemical tanker 8, oil tanker 6
(1998 est.)
Airports: 42 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 6 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 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: 2,537,544 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:
males age 15–49: 2,098,883 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually:
males: 64,180 (1999 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
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@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; Hurricane Mitch
damage
Environment—international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertication, 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
People
Population: 235,789 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 42% (male 49,991; female 48,074)
15–64 years: 55% (male 65,507; female 63,796)
65 years and over: 3% (male 4,129; female 4,292) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.42% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 30.22 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.39 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: −0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 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 (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 31.57 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.2 years male: 67.23 years female: 71.26 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.74 children born/woman (1999 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%
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Belize former: British Honduras
Data code: BH
Government 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