|
Country
|
Belize |
|
|
Leader
|
Prime minister: Dean Barrow
|
Prime minister: Kenny Anthony
|
|
Population
|
334,297
| 162,781
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
68.400 years
| 77.220 years
|
|
Capital City
|
Belmopan
|
|
|
Largest city
|
| Belize City (population: 61,461) | Bisee (population: 12,980) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.771
| 0.821
|
| GDP per capita |
$8,400 US
|
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
76.9%
| 90.1%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
2.9
| 7.1
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
11.1%
| 17.2%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
|
|
| Unemployment Rate |
11.300%
|
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Legal
| Legal
|
| |
|
Political System
|
parliamentary democracy
| parliamentary 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)
| Roman Catholic 67.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.5%, Pentecostal 5.7%, Rastafarian 2.1%, Anglican 2%, Evangelical 2%, other Christian 5.1%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.5% (2001 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)
| English (official), French patois
|
| 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
| Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
|
| Area |
22,966 km sq
| 616 km sq
|
| Coastline |
386 km
| 158 km
|
| Climate |
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
| tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season January to April, rainy season May to August
|
|
|
|
