Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
belize

more about belize

belize


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  Belize 
  n  :  a  country  of  Central  America  on  the  Caribbean;  formerly 
  under  British  control  [syn:  {Belize},  {British  Honduras}] 
 
  From  The  CIA  World  Factbook  (1995)  [world95]: 
 
  Belize 
 
  Belize:Geography 
 
  Location:  Middle  America,  bordering  the  Caribbean  Sea,  between 
  Guatemala  and  Mexico 
 
  Map  references:  Central  America  and  the  Caribbean 
 
  Area: 
  total  area:  22,960  sq  km 
  land  area:  22,800  sq  km 
  comparative  area:  slightly  larger  than  Massachusetts 
 
  Land  boundaries:  total  516  km  Guatemala  266  km  Mexico  250  km 
 
  Coastline:  386  km 
 
  Maritime  claims: 
  exclusive  economic  zone:  200  nm 
  territorial  sea:  12  nm  in  the  north,  3  nm  in  the  south;  note  -  from 
  the  mouth  of  the  Sarstoon  River  to  Ranguana  Cay,  Belize's  territorial 
  sea  is  3  miles;  according  to  Belize's  Maritime  Areas  Act  1992,  the 
  purpose  of  this  limitation  is  to  provide  a  framework  for  the 
  negotiation  of  a  definitive  agreement  on  territorial  differences  with 
  Guatemala 
 
  International  disputes:  border  with  Guatemala  in  dispute;  talks  to 
  resolve  the  dispute  are  stalled 
 
  Climate:  tropical;  very  hot  and  humid;  rainy  season  (May  to  February) 
 
  Terrain:  flat,  swampy  coastal  plain;  low  mountains  in  south 
 
  Natural  resources:  arable  land  potential,  timber,  fish 
 
  Land  use: 
  arable  land:  2% 
  permanent  crops:  0% 
  meadows  and  pastures:  2% 
  forest  and  woodland:  44% 
  other:  52% 
 
  Irrigated  land:  20  sq  km  (1989  est.) 
 
  Environment: 
  current  issues:  deforestation;  water  pollution  from  sewage,  industrial 
  effluents,  agricultural  runoff 
  natural  hazards:  frequent,  devastating  hurricanes  (September  to 
  December)  and  coastal  flooding  (especially  in  south) 
  international  agreements:  party  to  -  Biodiversity,  Climate  Change, 
  Endangered  Species,  Law  of  the  Sea,  Marine  Dumping 
 
  Note:  national  capital  moved  80  km  inland  from  Belize  City  to  Belmopan 
  because  of  hurricanes;  only  country  in  Central  America  without  a 
  coastline  on  the  North  Pacific  Ocean 
 
  Belize:People 
 
  Population:  214,061  (July  1995  est.) 
 
  Age  structure: 
  0-14  years:  44%  (female  45,812;  male  47,618) 
  15-64  years:  53%  (female  55,630;  male  57,230) 
  65  years  and  over:  3%  (female  3,970;  male  3,801)  (July  1995  est.) 
 
  Population  growth  rate:  2.42%  (1995  est.) 
 
  Birth  rate:  33.71  births/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Death  rate:  5.86  deaths/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Net  migration  rate:  -3.7  migrant(s)/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Infant  mortality  rate:  34.7  deaths/1,000  live  births  (1995  est.) 
 
  Life  expectancy  at  birth: 
  total  population:  68.32  years 
  male:  66.37  years 
  female:  70.36  years  (1995  est.) 
 
  Total  fertility  rate:  4.25  children  born/woman  (1995  est.) 
 
  Nationality: 
  noun:  Belizean(s) 
  adjective:  Belizean 
 
  Ethnic  divisions:  mestizo  44%,  Creole  30%,  Maya  11%,  Garifuna  7%, 
  other  8% 
 
  Religions:  Roman  Catholic  62%,  Protestant  30%  (Anglican  12%,  Methodist 
  6%,  Mennonite  4%,  Seventh-Day  Adventist  3%,  Pentecostal  2%,  Jehovah's 
  Witnesses  1%,  other  2%),  none  2%,  other  6%  (1980) 
 
  Languages:  English  (official),  Spanish,  Maya,  Garifuna  (Carib) 
 
  Literacy:  age  15  and  over  has  ever  attended  school  (1970) 
  total  population:  91% 
  male:  91% 
  female:  91% 
 
  Labor  force:  51,500 
  by  occupation:  agriculture  30%,  services  16%,  government  15.4%, 
  commerce  11.2%,  manufacturing  10.3% 
  note:  shortage  of  skilled  labor  and  all  types  of  technical  personnel 
  (1985) 
 
  Belize:Government 
 
  Names: 
  conventional  long  form:  none 
  conventional  short  form:  Belize 
  former:  British  Honduras 
 
  Digraph:  BH 
 
  Type:  parliamentary  democracy 
 
  Capital:  Belmopan 
 
  Administrative  divisions:  6  districts;  Belize,  Cayo,  Corozal  Orange 
  Walk,  Stann  Creek,  Toledo 
 
  Independence:  21  September  1981  (from  UK) 
 
  National  holiday:  Independence  Day  21  September  (1981) 
 
  Constitution:  21  September  1981 
 
  Legal  system:  English  law 
 
  Suffrage:  18  years  of  age;  universal 
 
  Executive  branch: 
  chief  of  state:  Queen  ELIZABETH  II  (since  6  February  1952), 
  represented  by  Governor  General  Sir  Colville  YOUNG  (since  17  November 
  1993) 
  head  of  government:  Prime  Minister  Manuel  ESQUIVEL  (since  July  1993); 
  Deputy  Prime  Minister  Dean  BARROW  (since  NA  1993) 
  cabinet:  Cabinet;  appointed  by  the  governor  general  on  advice  from  the 
  prime  minister 
 
  Legislative  branch:  bicameral  National  Assembly 
  Senate:  consists  of  an  8-member  appointed  body;  5  members  are 
  appointed  on  the  advice  of  the  prime  minister,  2  on  the  advice  of  the 
  leader  of  the  opposition,  and  1  after  consultation  with  the  Belize 
  Advisory  Council  (this  council  serves  as  an  independent  body  to  advise 
  the  governor-general  with  respect  to  difficult  decisions  such  as 
  granting  pardons,  commutations,  stays  of  execution,  the  removal  of 
  justices  of  appeal  who  appear  to  be  incompetent,  etc.) 
  National  Assembly:  elections  last  held  30  June  1993  (next  to  be  held 
  June  1998);  results  -  percent  of  vote  by  party  NA  seats  -  (28  total) 
  PUP  13  UDP  15 
 
  Judicial  branch:  Supreme  Court 
 
  Political  parties  and  leaders:  People's  United  Party  (PUP),  George 
  PRICE,  Florencio  MARIN,  Said  MUSA;  United  Democratic  Party  (UDP), 
  Manuel  ESQUIVEL  Dean  LINDO,  Dean  BARROW;  National  Alliance  for 
  Belizean  Rights,  Philip  GOLDSON 
 
  Other  political  or  pressure  groups:  Society  for  the  Promotion  of 
  Education  and  Research  (SPEAR),  Assad  SHOMAN;  United  Workers  Front, 
  leader  NA 
 
  Member  of:  ACP,  C,  CARICOM  CDB,  ECLAC  FAO,  G-77,  GATT,  IADB,  IBRD, 
  ICAO,  ICFTU  ICRM,  IDA,  IFAD,  IFC,  IFRCS  ILO,  IMF,  IMO,  INTELSAT 
  (nonsignatory  user),  INTERPOL,  IOC,  IOM  (observer),  ITU,  LAES,  NAM, 
  OAS,  UN  UNCTAD  UNESCO,  UNIDO  UPU,  WCL,  WHO  WMO 
 
  Diplomatic  representation  in  US: 
  chief  of  mission:  Ambassador  Dean  R.  LINDO 
  chancery:  2535  Massachusetts  Avenue  NW  Washington,  DC  20008 
  telephone:  [1]  (202)  332-9636 
  FAX:  [1]  (202)  332-6888 
  consulate(s)  general:  Los  Angeles 
  consulate(s):  New  York 
 
  US  diplomatic  representation: 
  chief  of  mission:  Ambassador  George  Charles  BRUNO 
  embassy:  Gabourel  Lane  and  Hutson  Street,  Belize  City 
  mailing  address:  P.  O.  Box  286,  Belize  City;  APO:  Unit  7401,  APO  AA 
  34025 
  telephone:  [501]  (2)  77161  through  77163 
  FAX:  [501]  (2)  30802 
 
  Flag:  blue  with  a  narrow  red  stripe  along  the  top  and  the  bottom 
  edges;  centered  is  a  large  white  disk  bearing  the  coat  of  arms;  the 
  coat  of  arms  features  a  shield  flanked  by  two  workers  in  front  of  a 
  mahogany  tree  with  the  related  motto  SUB  UMBRA  FLOREO  (I  Flourish  in 
  the  Shade)  on  a  scroll  at  the  bottom,  all  encircled  by  a  green  garland 
 
  Economy 
 
  Overview:  The  small  essentially  private  enterprise  economy  is  based 
  primarily  on  agriculture,  agro-based  industry,  and  merchandising,  with 
  tourism  and  construction  assuming  increasing  importance.  Agriculture 
  accounts  for  about  30%  of  GDP  and  provides  75%  of  export  earnings, 
  while  sugar,  the  chief  crop,  accounts  for  almost  40%  of  hard  currency 
  earnings.  The  US  Belize's  main  trading  partner,  is  assisting  in 
  efforts  to  reduce  dependency  on  sugar  with  an  agricultural 
  diversification  program. 
 
  National  product:  GDP  -  purchasing  power  parity  -  $575  million  (1994 
  est.) 
 
  National  product  real  growth  rate:  2%  (1994  est.) 
 
  National  product  per  capita:  $2,750  (1994  est.) 
 
  Inflation  rate  (consumer  prices):  5.5%  (1991) 
 
  Unemployment  rate:  10%  (1993  est.) 
 
  Budget: 
  revenues:  $126.8  million 
  expenditures:  $123.1  million,  including  capital  expenditures  of  $44.8 
  million  (FY90/91  est.) 
 
  Exports:  $115  million  (f.o.b.,  1993) 
  commodities:  sugar,  citrus  fruits,  bananas,  clothing,  fish  products, 
  molasses,  wood 
  partners:  US  51%,  UK  other  EC  (1992) 
 
  Imports:  $281  million  (c.i.f.,  1993) 
  commodities:  machinery  and  transportation  equipment,  food, 
  manufactured  goods,  fuels,  chemicals,  pharmaceuticals 
  partners:  US  57%,  UK  8%,  other  EC  7%,  Mexico  (1992) 
 
  External  debt:  $158  million  (1992) 
 
  Industrial  production:  growth  rate  3.7%  (1990);  accounts  for  12%  of 
  GDP 
 
  Electricity: 
  capacity:  34,532  kW 
  production:  110  million  kWh 
  consumption  per  capita:  490  kWh  (1993) 
 
  Industries:  garment  production,  food  processing,  tourism,  construction 
 
  Agriculture:  commercial  crops:  bananas,  coca,  citrus  fruits,  fish, 
  cultured  shrimp,  lumber 
 
  Illicit  drugs:  transshipment  point  for  cocaine;  an  illicit  producer  of 
  cannabis  for  the  international  drug  trade  minor  money-laundering 
  center 
 
  Economic  aid: 
  recipient:  US  commitments,  including  Ex-Im  (FY70-89),  $104  million; 
  Western  (non-US)  countries,  ODA  and  OOF  bilateral  commitments 
  (1970-89),  $215  million 
 
  Currency:  1  Belizean  dollar  (Bz$)  =  100  cents 
 
  Exchange  rates:  Belizean  dollars  (Bz$)  per  US$1  -  2.00  (fixed  rate) 
 
  Fiscal  year:  1  April  -  31  March 
 
  Belize:Transportation 
 
  Railroads:  0  km 
 
  Highways: 
  total:  2,710  km 
  paved:  500  km 
  unpaved:  gravel  1,600  km  improved  earth  300  km  unimproved  earth  310 
  km 
 
  Inland  waterways:  825  km  river  network  used  by  shallow-draft  craft; 
  seasonally  navigable 
 
  Ports:  Belize  City,  Big  Creek,  Corozol  Punta  Gorda 
 
  Merchant  marine: 
  total:  41  ships  (1,000  GRT  or  over)  totaling  170,002  GRT/270,893  DWT 
  ships  by  type:  bulk  5,  cargo  25,  container  4,  oil  tanker  2, 
  refrigerated  cargo  1,  roll-on/roll-off  cargo  3,  vehicle  carrier  1 
 
  Airports: 
  total:  46 
  with  paved  runways  1,524  to  2,437  m:  1 
  with  paved  runways  under  914  m:  35 
  with  unpaved  runways  2,438  to  3,047  m:  1 
  with  unpaved  runways  914  to  1,523  m:  9 
 
  Belize:Communications 
 
  Telephone  system:  8,650  telephones;  above-average  system  based  on 
  microwave  radio  relay 
  local:  NA 
  intercity:  microwave  radio  relay 
  international:  1  INTELSAT  (Atlantic  Ocean)  earth  station 
 
  Radio: 
  broadcast  stations:  AM  6,  FM  5,  shortwave  1 
  radios:  NA 
 
  Television: 
  broadcast  stations:  1 
  televisions:  NA 
 
  Belize:Defense  Forces 
 
  Branches:  Belize  Defense  Force  (includes  Army,  Navy,  Air  Force,  and 
  Volunteer  Guard),  Belize  National  Police 
 
  Manpower  availability:  males  age  15-49  50,499;  males  fit  for  military 
  service  30,040;  males  reach  military  age  (18)  annually  2,285  (1995 
  est.) 
 
  Defense  expenditures:  exchange  rate  conversion  -  $11  million,  2.2%  of 
  GDP  (FY93/94) 
 
 
 




more about belize