|
Country
|
Lesotho | 
Belize |
|
Leader
|
Head of state: King Letsie III
|
Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor Prime minister: Dean Barrow
|
|
Population
|
1,930,493
| 327,719
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
51.860 years
| 68.280 years
|
|
Capital City
|
Maseru
| Belmopan
|
|
Largest city
|
| Maseru (population: 118,355) | Belize City (population: 61,461) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.496
| 0.771
|
| GDP per capita |
$2,000 US
| $8,400 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
84.8%
| 76.9%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
3.2
| 2.9
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
25.8%
| 11.1%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
|
|
| Unemployment Rate |
45.000%
| 13.100%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Legal
| Legal
|
| |
|
Political System
|
parliamentary constitutional monarchy
| parliamentary democracy
|
|
Independence date
|
4 October 1966 (from UK)
| 21 September 1981 (from UK)
|
| Religions |
Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
| 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)
|
| Languages |
Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
| 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)
|
| Exports |
manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)
| sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
|
| External Debt |
$729,900,000 $
| $1,079,000,000 US
|
| Exchange Rate |
maloti (LSL) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.25 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)
| Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar - 2 (2008 est.), 2 (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004)
|
| Military Budget as percentage of GDP |
2.600%
| 1.400%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
|
|
| Location |
Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
| Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
|
| Area |
30,355 km sq
| 22,966 km sq
|
| Coastline |
0 km
| 386 km
|
| Climate |
temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
| tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
|
|
|
|
