Country
Namibia Belize
Leader
President: Hifikepunye Pohamba
Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor Prime minister: Dean Barrow
Population
2,165,828 327,719
Life Expectancy
52.170 years 68.280 years
Capital City
Windhoek Belmopan
Largest city
Windhoek (population: 268,132) Belize City (population: 61,461)
Human Development Index
0.634 0.771
GDP per capita
$7,500 US $8,400 US
Literacy Rate
85% 76.9%
Corruption Perception Index
4.5 2.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
26.9% 11.1%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
51.200% 13.100%
Death Penalty
Abolished Legal
Political System
republic parliamentary democracy
Independence date
21 March 1990 (from South African mandate) 21 September 1981 (from UK)
Religions
Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 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
English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages 1% (includes Oshivambo, Herero, Nama) 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
diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
External Debt
$4,537,000,000 $ $1,079,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.18 (2007), 6.7649 (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
3.700% 1.400%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
Area
824,292 km sq 22,966 km sq
Coastline
1,572 km 386 km
Climate
desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)