|
Country
|
Mauritania | 
Belize |
|
Leader
|
President: Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz
|
Prime minister: Dean Barrow
|
|
Population
|
3,437,610
| 334,297
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
61.910 years
| 68.400 years
|
|
Capital City
|
Nouakchott
| Belmopan
|
|
Largest city
|
| Nouakchott (population: 661,400) | Belize City (population: 61,461) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.557
| 0.771
|
| GDP per capita |
$2,100 US
| $8,400 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
51.2%
| 76.9%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
2.8
| 2.9
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
19.9%
| 11.1%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
|
|
| Unemployment Rate |
30.000%
| 11.300%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Abolished in practice
| Legal
|
| |
|
Political System
|
military junta
| parliamentary democracy
|
|
Independence date
|
28 November 1960 (from France)
| 21 September 1981 (from UK)
|
| Religions |
Muslim 100%
| 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 |
Arabic (official and national), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French, Hassaniya
| 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 |
iron ore, fish and fish products, gold, copper, petroleum
| sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
|
| External Debt |
$2,942,000,000 $
| $1,457,000,000 US
|
| Exchange Rate |
ouguiyas (MRO) per US dollar - NA (2007), 271.3 (2006), 267.04 (2005), 265.8 (2004), 263.03 (2003)
| Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar - 2 (2008 est.), 2 (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004)
|
| Military Budget as percentage of GDP |
5.500%
| 1.200%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
|
|
| Location |
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara
| Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
|
| Area |
1,030,700 km sq
| 22,966 km sq
|
| Coastline |
754 km
| 386 km
|
| Climate |
desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
| tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
|
|
|
|
