|
Country
|
Belize | 
Central African Republic |
|
Leader
|
Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor Prime minister: Dean Barrow
|
President: Francois Bozize
|
|
Population
|
327,719
| 5,057,208
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
68.280 years
| 50.480 years
|
|
Capital City
|
Belmopan
| Bangui
|
|
Largest city
|
| Belize City (population: 61,461) | Bangui (population: 542,393) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.771
| 0.352
|
| GDP per capita |
$8,400 US
| $800 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
76.9%
| 48.6%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
2.9
| 2
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
11.1%
| 10.5%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
|
|
| Unemployment Rate |
13.100%
| 8.000%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Legal
| Abolished in practice
|
| |
|
Political System
|
parliamentary democracy
| republic
|
|
Independence date
|
21 September 1981 (from UK)
| 13 August 1960 (from France)
|
| 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)
| indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%
note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
|
| 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)
| French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages
|
| Exports |
sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
| diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
|
| External Debt |
$1,079,000,000 $
| $483,900,000 US
|
| Exchange Rate |
Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar - 2 (2008 est.), 2 (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004)
| Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar 438.77 (2008 est.), 481.8 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)
|
| Military Budget as percentage of GDP |
1.400%
| 0.900%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
|
|
| Location |
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
| Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
|
| Area |
22,966 km sq
| 622,984 km sq
|
| Coastline |
386 km
| 0 km
|
| Climate |
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
| tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
|
|
|
|
