Country
Belize Jordan
Leader
Population
327,719 6,508,887
Life Expectancy
68.280 years 80.180 years
Capital City
Belmopan Amman
Largest city
Belize City (population: 61,461) Amman (population: 1,275,860)
Human Development Index
0.771 0.769 GDP per capita $8,400 US $6,000 US
Literacy Rate
76.9% 89.9%
Corruption Perception Index
2.9 5.1
Percentage of Women in Parliament
11.1% 8.5% Wealthiest Citizens Unemployment Rate 13.100% 12.300%
Death Penalty
Legal Legal
Political System
parliamentary democracy constitutional monarchy
Independence date
21 September 1981 (from UK) 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration) 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) Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shia Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 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) Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes Exports sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood clothing, fertilizers, potash, phosphates, vegetables, pharmaceuticals External Debt $1,079,000,000 $ $7,644,000,000 US Exchange Rate Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar - 2 (2008 est.), 2 (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004) Jordanian dinars (JOD) per US dollar - 0.709 (2008 est.), 0.709 (2007), 0.709 (2006), 0.709 (2005), 0.709 (2004) Military Budget as percentage of GDP 1.400% 8.600% Beijing Olympics Medal Count Location Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia Area 22,966 km sq 89,342 km sq Coastline 386 km 26 km Climate tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May) mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
