Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor Prime minister: Dean Barrow
President: Jacob Zuma
Population
327,719
48,810,427
Life Expectancy
68.280 years
49.410 years
Capital City
Belmopan
Pretoria (administrative capital)
Largest city
Belize City (population: 61,461)
Cape Town (population: 3,433,440)
Human Development Index
0.771
0.67
GDP per capita
$8,400 US
$11,100 US
Literacy Rate
76.9%
86.4%
Corruption Perception Index
2.9
4.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
11.1%
33.9%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
Nicky Oppenheimer & family ($5.0bn US)
Unemployment Rate
13.100%
24.900%
Death Penalty
Legal
Abolished
Political System
parliamentary democracy
republic
Independence date
21 September 1981 (from UK)
31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State); 31 May 1961 (republic declared) 27 April 1994 (majority rule)
Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%, Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (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)
IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi 9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%, other 7.2% (2001 census)
Exports
sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment
External Debt
$1,079,000,000 $
$46,070,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar - 2 (2008 est.), 2 (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004)
rand (ZAR) per US dollar - 7.9576 (2008 est.), 7.05 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.400%
1.700%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
1
Location
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Area
22,966 km sq
1,219,090 km sq
Coastline
386 km
2,798 km
Climate
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
