Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor Prime minister: Dean Barrow
Head of State: President Hu Jintau
Population
327,719
1,343,239,923
Life Expectancy
68.280 years
74.840 years
Capital City
Belmopan
Beijing
Largest city
Belize City (population: 61,461)
Shanghai (population: 14,608,500)
Human Development Index
0.771
0.762
GDP per capita
$8,400 US
$8,500 US
Literacy Rate
76.9%
90.9%
Corruption Perception Index
2.9
3.6
Percentage of Women in Parliament
11.1%
21.3%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
Liu Yongxing ($3.0bn US)
Unemployment Rate
13.100%
6.500%
Death Penalty
Legal
Legal
Political System
parliamentary democracy
Communist state
Independence date
21 September 1981 (from UK)
221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty); 1 January 1912 (Qing or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic of China); 1 October 1949 (People's Republic of China established)
Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian 3%-4%, Muslim 1%-2% note: officially atheist (2002 est.)
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)
Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic groups entry)
Exports
sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
electrical and other machinery, including data processing equipment, apparel, textile, iron and steel, optical and medical equipment
External Debt
$1,079,000,000 $
$697,200,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar - 2 (2008 est.), 2 (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004)
Renminbi yuan (RMB) per US dollar - 6.9385 (2008 est.), 7.61 (2007), 7.97 (2006), 8.1943 (2005), 8.2768 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.400%
4.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
100
Location
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam
Area
22,966 km sq
9,596,961 km sq
Coastline
386 km
14,500 km
Climate
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north
