|
Country
|
Belize |
|
|
Leader
|
Prime minister: Dean Barrow
|
President: Joyce Banda
|
|
Population
|
334,297
| 16,777,547
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
68.400 years
| 52.780 years
|
|
Capital City
|
Belmopan
|
|
|
Largest city
|
| Belize City (population: 61,461) | Lilongwe (population: 646,750) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.771
| 0.457
|
| GDP per capita |
$8,400 US
|
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
76.9%
| 62.7%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
2.9
| 2.8
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
11.1%
| 13%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
|
|
| Unemployment Rate |
11.300%
|
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Legal
| Abolished in practice
|
| |
|
Political System
|
parliamentary democracy
| multiparty democracy
|
|
Independence date
|
21 September 1981 (from UK)
|
|
| 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)
| Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998 census)
|
| 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)
| Chichewa 57.2% (official), Chinyanja 12.8%, Chiyao 10.1%, Chitumbuka 9.5%, Chisena 2.7%, Chilomwe 2.4%, Chitonga 1.7%, other 3.6% (1998 census)
|
| Exports |
sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
|
|
| External Debt |
$1,457,000,000 $
|
|
| Exchange Rate |
Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar - 2 (2008 est.), 2 (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004)
|
|
| Military Budget as percentage of GDP |
1.200%
|
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
|
|
| Location |
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
| Southern Africa, east of Zambia
|
| Area |
22,966 km sq
| 118,484 km sq
|
| Coastline |
386 km
| 0 km
|
| Climate |
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
| sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)
|
|
|
|
