|
Country
|
Belize | 
Dominican Republic |
|
Leader
|
Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor Prime minister: Dean Barrow
|
President: Danilo Medina
|
|
Population
|
327,719
| 10,088,598
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
68.280 years
| 77.440 years
|
|
Capital City
|
Belmopan
| Santo Domingo
|
|
Largest city
|
| Belize City (population: 61,461) | Juan Dolio (population: 8,581,480) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.771
| 0.768
|
| GDP per capita |
$8,400 US
| $9,400 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
76.9%
| 87%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
2.9
| 3
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
11.1%
| 17.1%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
|
|
| Unemployment Rate |
13.100%
| 13.100%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Legal
| Abolished
|
| |
|
Political System
|
parliamentary democracy
| democratic republic
|
|
Independence date
|
21 September 1981 (from UK)
| 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
|
| 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)
| Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%
|
| 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)
| Spanish
|
| Exports |
sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
| ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods
|
| External Debt |
$1,079,000,000 $
| $14,420,000,000 US
|
| Exchange Rate |
Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar - 2 (2008 est.), 2 (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004)
| Dominican pesos (DOP) per US dollar - 34.775 (2008 est.), 33.113 (2007), 33.406 (2006), 30.409 (2005), 42.12 (2004)
|
| Military Budget as percentage of GDP |
1.400%
| 0.700%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
0
| 2
|
| Location |
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
| Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
|
| Area |
22,966 km sq
| 48,670 km sq
|
| Coastline |
386 km
| 1,288 km
|
| Climate |
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
| tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
|
|
|
|
