General Information
Geography
Belize is a mostly level ground Country. The northern part of Belize is characterized by wide lagoons, while the south is distinguished by the Maya Mountains. In the North, rivers are numerous and they flow to the N.E. direction. The coasts are generally lowland and winding, accompanied with islands and small archipelagos.
Geographic coordinates:
17 15 North, 88 45 West
Area
total: 22.966 km 2
surface water: 160 km.2
land: 22.806
Border Countries
A total of 516 km of Boundaries:
Guatemala 266 km.
Mexico 250 km.
Coast Line
386 km.
LAND
it is level ground, on the coast it is a marshy land, in the South there are mountains, not very high.
HEIGHT
the lowest point is the Caribbean Sea 0 m.
the highest point is Victoria Peak 1.160 m.
NATURAL RESOURCES
Potentially arable land, wood, fish, utilization of water energy.
AVAILMENT OF LAND
Arable land: 3.05%
Steady Harvest: 1.39%
Other: 95.56% (2005)
IRRIGATED LAND
30 sq.km. (1998)
NATURAL RISKS
Frequent, devastating hurricanes (from June to November) and floods along the coast (especially in the South).
PRESENT ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
Deforestation, pollution of waters, due to the outflow of the water itself, industrial pollution, drainage of waters in agriculture, waste deposit.
CLIMATE
Belize has a tropical climate, very hot and humid; the yearly temperature is around 24,1 C°. The rainy season is from May to November. The dry season is from February to May. Spring time is warm and dry.
TIME ZONE
-7 as regards Italy.
POPULATION
287.730 inhabitants ( July 2006)
AGE
0-14 years old: 39,5% (male 57,923/ female 55,678);
15-64 years : 57% (male 82,960/ female 81,046);
65 years and older: 3.5% (male 4,888/ female 5,235 estimated in 2006).
AVERAGE AGE
Total: 19.6 years
male : 19.5 years
female: 19.8 years (estimated in 2006)
POPULATION GROWTH RATE
2.31% (2006)
BIRTH RATE
28.84 birth on 1.000 inhabitants (2006)
DEATH RATE
dead on 1.000 inhabitants (2006)
MIGRATION NET RATE
0 emigrant on 1.000 inhabitans
SEX CONNECTIONS
By birth: 1.05 male for female
Under 15 year: 1,04 male for female
15-64 years: 1,02 male for female
65 year or longer: 1,03 male for female
Total population: 1,03 male for female
RATE OF CHILDREN MORTALITY
Total: 24.89 dead on 1000 born alive
Male: 28.07 dead on 1000 born alive
Female: 21.55 dead on 1000 born alive
EXPECTATIONS OF LIFE
Population: 68.3 years
male : 66.43 years
female: 70.26 years (2006)
FERTILITY RATE
3.6 children per woman (2006)
HIV/AIDS - index of adults diffusion -
2.4 % (2003)
HIV/AIDS – Sick persons-
3,600 (2003)
HIV/AIDS Dead
less than 200 people (2003)
ETHNICAL GROUP
Mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, others 9.7%.
RELIGIONS
Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27%, (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican 5.3%, Adventist5.2%, Mennonist 4.1%, Metodist 3.5%, Jehovah’s Witnesses 1.5%, other 14%, Nothing 9.4% (2000)
LANGUAGES
English (Official Language), Spanish, Maya’s language, Garifuna and Creole.
ALPHABETIZATION
Persons older than 15 years can read and write.
Total population: 94,1%
Male: 94,1%
Female: 94,1 % (2003)
CAPITAL
Belmopan.
PRINCIPAL CITIES
Belize City, San Ignacio, Orange Walk.
INDEPENDENCE
21 September 1981 (from Great Britain)
NATIONAL DAY
Independence’s Day, 21 September 1981
CONSTITUTION
21 September 1981
LEGAL SYSTEM
English law
VOTE
At 18 years old, by universal suffrage.
POLITICAL PARTIES AND LEADERS
People’s United Party or PUP (Mr. Said Musa);
United Democratic Party or UDP (Mr. Dean Barrow, leader of the Party;
Mr. Douglas Singh, President of the Party).
OPPONENT POLITICAL PARTIES AND LEADERS
Society for the Promotion of Education and Research (SPEAR) whose Leader is Adele Catzim.
MEMBERSHIP TO INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTO.
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS ON ENVIRONMENT
Regarding: Biodiversity, Weather changes, changes in the weather foreseen by the Kyoto Protocol, desertification, species faced with the danger of extinction, rubbish deposit, laws regarding the sea water, protection of ozone strata, pollution provoked by motor crafts, submersion of lands.
MONEY
Belizean dollar (BZ$). The exchange rate is 1 USD = 2 BS$.
MILITARY CORPS
Belize Defence Force (BDF):
Army, Navy, Air Force and Volunteer Guard.
LIABILITY FOR NATIONAL MILITARY SERVICE
The requested age to be liable for volunteer national service is 18 years old; the law permits compulsory enlistment only if the number of volunteers is not enough; the compulsory enlistment had never been applied. The volunteers number exceeds generally the number of vacant positions ( 3 to 1).
MANPOWER AVAILABLE FOR MILITARY SERVICE
Males between 18 and 49 year old: 60.750 (2005).
MANPOWER SUITABLE FOR MILITARY SERVICE
Males between 18 and 49 year old: 41.368 (2005).
MANPOWER CALLED UP YEARLY TO MILITARY SERVICE
Male: 3.209 (2005)
MILITARY EXPENSES
US$ 19 million.
MILITARY EXPENSES –in percentage to gross domestic product (GPD)-
1,7% (2005)
