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Belize Index
Figure 10. Belize: Mayan Settlements, 700-1700 A.D.
Source: Based on information from Narda Dobson, A History of
Belize, London, 1973, 35.
Perhaps as early as 35,000 years ago, nomadic people came from
Asia to the Americas across the frozen Bering Strait. In the course
of many millennia, their descendants settled in and adapted to
different environments, creating many cultures in North America,
Central America, and South America. The Mayan culture emerged in
the lowland area of the Yucatán Peninsula and the highlands to the
south, in what is now southeastern Mexico, Guatemala, western
Honduras, and Belize. Many aspects of this culture persist in the
area despite nearly half a millennium of European domination. All
evidence, whether from archaeology, history, ethnography, or
linguistic studies, points to a cultural continuity in this region.
The descendants of the first settlers in the area have lived there
for at least three millennia.
Prior to about 2500 B.C., some hunting and foraging bands
settled in small farming villages. While hunting and foraging
continued to play a part in their subsistence, these farmers
domesticated crops such as corn, beans, squash, and chili peppers--
which are still the basic foods in Central America. A profusion of
languages and subcultures developed within the Mayan core culture.
Between about 2500 B.C. and A.D. 250, the basic institutions of
Mayan civilization emerged. The peak of this civilization occurred
during the classic period, which began about A.D. 250 and ended
about 700 years later.
Farmers engaged in various types of agriculture, including
labor-intensive irrigated and ridged-field systems and shifting
slash-and-burn agriculture. Their products fed the civilization's
craft specialists, merchants, warriors, and priest-astronomers, who
coordinated agricultural and other seasonal activities with a cycle
of rituals in ceremonial centers. These priests, who observed the
movements of the sun, moon, planets, and stars, developed a complex
mathematical and calendrical system to coordinate various cycles of
time and to record specific events on carved stelae.
Belize boasts important sites of the earliest Mayan
settlements, majestic ruins of the classic period, and examples of
late postclassic ceremonial construction
(see
fig. 10). About five
kilometers west of Orange Walk, is Cuello, a site from perhaps as
early as 2,500 B.C. Jars, bowls, and other dishes found there are
among the oldest pottery unearthed in present-day Mexico and
Central America. The site includes platforms of buildings arranged
around a small plaza, indicating a distinctly Mayan community. The
presence of shell, hematite, and jade shows that the Maya were
trading over long distances as early as 1500 B.C. The Mayan
economy, however, was still basically subsistence, combining
foraging and cultivation, hunting, and fishing.
Cerros, a site on Chetumal Bay, was a flourishing trade and
ceremonial center between about 300 B.C. and A.D. 100. It displays
some distinguishing features of early Mayan civilization. The
architecture of Mayan civilization included temples and palatial
residences organized in groups around plazas. These structures were
built of cut stone, covered with stucco, and elaborately decorated
and painted. Stylized carvings and paintings of people, animals,
and gods, along with sculptured stelae and geometric patterns on
buildings, constitute a highly developed style of art. Impressive
two-meter-high masks decorate the temple platform at Cerros. These
masks, situated on either side of the central stairway, represent
a serpent god.
The Maya were skilled at making pottery, carving jade, knapping
flint, and making elaborate costumes of feathers. One of the finest
carved jade objects of Mayan civilization, the head of the sun god
Kinich Ahau, was found in a tomb at the classic period site of
Altún Ha, thirty kilometers northwest of present-day Belize City.
Settled at least as early as 200 B.C., the Altún Ha area at its
peak had an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 inhabitants. At the beginning
of the second century A.D., the inhabitants built their first major
structure, a temple. The visitor today sees a group of temples,
priests' residences, and other buildings around two adjacent
plazas. In the vicinity, there are hundreds of other structures,
most of which are still unexcavated. The Maya continued to rebuild
some of the temples until almost the end of the ninth century.
Excavations at Altún Ha have produced evidence suggesting that a
revolt, perhaps of peasants against the priestly class, contributed
to the downfall of the civilization. People may have continued to
live at or to visit the site in the postclassic period, even though
the ceremonial centers were left to decay. Some rubbish found at
Altún Ha shows that people were at the site in the thirteenth and
fourteenth centuries, perhaps to reuse the old structures or
undertake pilgrimages to the old religious center.
Other Mayan centers located in Belize include Xunantunich and
Baking Pot in Cayo District, Lubaantún and Nimli Punit in Toledo
District, and Lamanai on Hill Bank Lagoon in Orange Walk District.
Xunantunich, meaning "Lady of the Rock," was occupied perhaps as
early as 300 B.C., but most of the architecture there was
constructed in the late classic period. As in all the lowland Mayan
centers, the inhabitants continually constructed temples and
residences over older buildings, enlarging and raising the
platforms and structures in the process. The views are breathtaking
from Xunantunich's "El Castillo," which, at thirty-nine meters, is
the tallest man-made structure in Belize. Lamanai, less accessible
to tourists than Altún Ha or Xunantunich, is an important site
because it provides archaeological evidence of the Mayan presence
over many centuries, beginning around A.D. 150. Substantial
populations were present throughout the classic and postclassic
periods. Indeed, people living in the area were still refacing some
of the massive ceremonial buildings after the great centers, such
as Tikal in neighboring Guatemala, had been virtually abandoned in
the tenth century.
In the late classic period, probably at least 400,000 people
inhabited the Belize area. People settled almost every part of the
country worth cultivating, as well as the
cay (see Glossary) and
coastal swamp regions. But in the tenth century, Mayan society
suffered a severe breakdown. Construction of public buildings
ceased, the administrative centers lost power, and the population
declined as social and economic systems lost their coherence. Some
people continued to occupy, or perhaps reoccupied, sites such as
Altún Ha, Xunantunich, and Lamanai. Still, these sites ceased being
splendid ceremonial and civic centers.
The decline of Mayan civilization is still not fully explained.
Rather than identifying the collapse as the result of a single
factor, many archaeologists now believe that the decline of the
Maya was a result of many complex factors and that the decline
occurred at different times in different regions.
Increasing information about Mayan culture and society helps
explain the development, achievements, and decline of their ancient
civilization and suggests more continuities in Mayan history than
once had been considered possible. The excavation of sites, such as
those at Cuello, Cerros, Altún Ha, Xunantunich, and Lamanai, has
shown the extraordinary persistence of Mayan people in Belize over
many centuries.
Data as of January 1992
- Belize-Social Dynamics
- Belize-Climate
- Belize-ANCIENT MAYAN CIVILIZATION
- Belize-Transport and Telecommunications OTHER SERVICES
- Belize-Defense Spending
- Belize-Crime
- Belize-Acknowledgments
- Belize-Electoral Process since Independence
- Belize-Consciousness-Raising Organizations
- Belize-Growth during 1980-85
- Belize-Cultural Pluralism and Ethnic Diversity
- Belize-GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
- Belize-Relations with Britain
- Belize-Constitutional and Political Structures Prior to Independence CONSTITUTIONAL BACKGROUND
- Belize-Chapter 7 - Belize: The Society and Its Environment
- Belize-The Genesis of Modern Politics, 1931-54
- Belize-External Debt
- Belize-Executive
- Belize-BELIZE
- Belize-Beginnings of Self-Government and the Plantocracy
- Belize-The 1960 Constitution
- Belize-Legislature
- Belize-The Small Economy
- Belize-PUBLIC ORDER AND INTERNAL SECURITY
- Belize-Growth after 1985
- Belize-Organization and Equipment
- Belize-The Middle Sector
- Belize-ECONOMY
- Belize-Food and Diet
- Belize-The Colonial Economy GROWTH AND STRUCTURE OF THE ECONOMY
- Belize-Investments
- Belize-Business Community
- Belize-Relations with Other Latin American and Caribbean Countries
- Belize-Structure of the Constitution of 1981
- Belize-Local Government
- Belize-STANDARD OF LIVING
- Belize-NATIONAL SECURITY
- Belize-Electoral Procedures POLITICAL DYNAMICS
- Belize-The Upper Sector
- Belize-Natural Resources
- Belize-Fiscal Performance
- Belize-Mining and Energy INDUSTRY
- Belize-Patterns of Access and Performance
- Belize-BELIZE'S MILITARY HISTORY AND STRATEGIC SETTING
- Belize-Boundaries, Area, and Relative Size GEOGRAPHY
- Belize-Language
- Belize-Religion
- Belize-Formal Establishment of the Colony, 1862-71
- Belize-Mayan Emigration and Conflict
- Belize-Ethnicity THE CULTURAL DIVERSITY OF BELIZEAN SOCIETY
- Belize-The Criminal Justice System
- Belize-Relations with Guatemala
- Belize-The Return to Elected Government, 1936-53
- Belize-School System
- Belize-Bananas
- Belize-Introduction
- Belize-FOREIGN ECONOMIC RELATIONS
- Belize-Constitution of 1981
- Belize-Construction
- Belize-TOURISM
- Belize-Preface
- Belize-Chapter 8 - Belize: The Economy
- Belize-EDUCATION
- Belize
- Belize-Other Crops
- Belize-Foreword
- Belize-The Colonial Order, 1871-1931 COLONIAL STAGNATION AND CRISIS
- Belize
- Belize-TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
- Belize-Economic History
- Belize-Colonial Rivalry Between Spain and Britain THE EMERGENCE OF THE BRITISH SETTLEMENT
- Belize-LABOR
- Belize
- Belize-Peripheral Factors
- Belize-Physical Features
- Belize-Chapter 6 - Belize: Historical Setting
- Belize-SOCIETY
- Belize-Geology
- Belize-Crown Colony, 1871-1935
- Belize-GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS
- Belize-Slavery in the Settlement, 1794-1838
- Belize-Constitution of 1954 and Extension of Suffrage, 1954-60
- Belize -Belize: Country Profile
- Belize-Public Service
- Belize-Chapter 9 - Belize: Government and Politics
- Belize-Other Parties
- Belize
- Belize-Balance of Payments
- Belize-Health and Welfare
- Belize-Sugar AGRICULTURE
- Belize-Personnel and Training
- Belize-Judiciary
- Belize-Political Parties
- Belize
- Belize-GEOGRAPHY
- Belize
- Belize-Relations with Other Countries
- Belize-The Public Meeting and the Superintendent, pre-1854
- Belize-Manufacturing
- Belize-Interest Groups
- Belize-ECONOMIC PROSPECTS
- Belize-The Belize National Police
- Belize-Chapter 10 - Belize: National Security
- Belize
- Belize-Mass Communications
- Belize-THE BELIZE DEFENCE FORCE
- Belize-Internal Self-Rule, 1964-81
- Belize-Banking and Finance
- Belize-Churches and Religious Institutions
- Belize-The Lower Sector
- Belize-Relations with the United States FOREIGN RELATIONS
- Belize-Procedure for Amending the Constitution
- Belize-Foreign Military Relations
- Belize-Citrus
- Belize-Economic Diversification GOVERNMENT POLICY
- Belize-FISHING AND FORESTRY
- Belize-Elected Legislative Assembly, 1854-70
Background | | Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992 and the two countries are involved in an ongoing border dispute. Guatemala and Belize are gearing up for a simultaneous referendum to determine if this dispute will go before the International Court of Justice at The Hague. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include an unsustainable foreign debt, high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, growing urban crime, and increasing incidences of HIV/AIDS.
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Location | | Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
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Area(sq km) | | total: 22,966 sq km land: 22,806 sq km water: 160 sq km
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Geographic coordinates | | 17 15 N, 88 45 W
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Land boundaries(km) | | total: 516 km border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
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Coastline(km) | | 386 km
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Climate | | tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
|
Elevation extremes(m) | | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Doyle's Delight 1,160 m
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Natural resources | | arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower
|
Land use(%) | | arable land: 3.05% permanent crops: 1.39% other: 95.56% (2005)
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Irrigated land(sq km) | | 30 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water resources(cu km) | | 18.6 cu km (2000)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) | | total: 0.15 cu km/yr (7%/73%/20%) per capita: 556 cu m/yr (2000)
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Natural hazards | | frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south)
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Environment - current issues | | deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal
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Environment - international agreements | | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note | | only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean
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Population | | 307,899 (July 2009 est.)
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Age structure(%) | | 0-14 years: 37.9% (male 59,462/female 57,117) 15-64 years: 58.6% (male 91,298/female 89,170) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 5,185/female 5,667) (2009 est.)
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Median age(years) | | total: 20.4 years male: 20.3 years female: 20.6 years (2009 est.)
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Population growth rate(%) | | 2.154% (2009 est.)
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Birth rate(births/1,000 population) | | 27.33 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
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Death rate(deaths/1,000 population) | | 5.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
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Net migration rate(migrant(s)/1,000 population) | | NA (2009 est.)
|
Urbanization(%) | | urban population: 52% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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Sex ratio(male(s)/female) | | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
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Infant mortality rate(deaths/1,000 live births) | | total: 23.07 deaths/1,000 live births male: 26 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth(years) | | total population: 68.2 years male: 66.44 years female: 70.05 years (2009 est.)
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Total fertility rate(children born/woman) | | 3.36 children born/woman (2009 est.)
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Nationality | | noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean
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Ethnic groups(%) | | mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7% (2000 census)
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Religions(%) | | 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)
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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)
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Country name | | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Belize former: British Honduras
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Government type | | parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
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Capital | | name: Belmopan geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 46 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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Administrative divisions | | 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo
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Constitution | | 21-Sep-81
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Legal system | | English law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage | | 18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch | | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17 November 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Dean Oliver BARROW (since 8 February 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar VEGA (since 12 February 2008) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
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Legislative branch | | bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 6 on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 1 each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee; to serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives (31 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 6 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - UDP 56.3%, PUP 40.9%; seats by party - UDP 25, PUP 6
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Judicial branch | | Summary Jurisdiction Courts (criminal) and District Courts (civil jurisdiction); Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal; Privy Council in the UK; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)
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Political pressure groups and leaders | | Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Gustavo PERERA]; Association of Concerned Belizeans or ACB [David VASQUEZ]; National Trade Union Congress of Belize or NTUC/B [Rene GOMEZ]
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International organization participation | | ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, PetroCaribe, RG, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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Flag description | | 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
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Economy - overview | | In this small, essentially private-enterprise economy, tourism is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by exports of marine products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas, and garments. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to sturdy GDP growth averaging nearly 4% in 1999-2007, though growth slipped to 3.8% in 2008 as a result of the global slowdown, natural disasters, and the drop in the price of oil. Oil discoveries in 2006 bolstered the economic growth. Exploration efforts continue and a small increase in production is expected in 2009. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit and unsustainable foreign debt equivalent to nearly 70% of GDP. In February 2007, the government restructured nearly all of its public external commercial debt, which helped reduce interest payments and relieve some of the country's liquidity concerns. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international donors.
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GDP (purchasing power parity) | | $2.542 billion (2008 est.) $2.468 billion (2007 est.) $2.43 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars
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GDP (official exchange rate) | | $1.359 billion (2008 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate(%) | | 3% (2008 est.) 1.6% (2007 est.) 5.3% (2006 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP) | | $8,400 (2008 est.) $8,400 (2007 est.) $8,400 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars
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GDP - composition by sector(%) | | agriculture: 29% industry: 16.9% services: 54.1% (2008 est.)
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Labor force | | 122,300 note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2008 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation(%) | | agriculture: 10.2% industry: 18.1% services: 71.7% (2007)
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Unemployment rate(%) | | 8.1% (2008) 9.4% (2006)
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Population below poverty line(%) | | 33.5% (2002 est.)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share(%) | | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
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Investment (gross fixed)(% of GDP) | | 27.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
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Budget | | revenues: $347 million expenditures: $386.5 million (2008 est.)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices)(%) | | 6.4% (2008 est.) 2.3% (2007 est.)
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Stock of money | | $345.7 million (31 December 2008) $323.9 million (31 December 2007)
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Stock of quasi money | | $653.8 million (31 December 2008) $549 million (31 December 2007)
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Stock of domestic credit | | $955 million (31 December 2008) $877.6 million (31 December 2007)
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Market value of publicly traded shares | | $NA
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Economic aid - recipient | | $12.91 million (2005)
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Agriculture - products | | bananas, cacao, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments
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Industries | | garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil
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Industrial production growth rate(%) | | 1.8% (2008 est.)
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Current account balance | | -$153.7 million (2008 est.) -$51.1 million (2007 est.)
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Exports | | $464.7 million (2008 est.) $425.6 million (2007 est.)
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Exports - commodities(%) | | sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood, crude oil
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Exports - partners(%) | | US 35.6%, UK 21.5%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.3%, Italy 4.5%, Nigeria 4% (2008)
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Imports | | $788.1 million (2008 est.) $642 million (2007 est.)
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Imports - commodities(%) | | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco
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Imports - partners(%) | | US 37.4%, Mexico 12.9%, Cuba 7.7%, Guatemala 6.1%, Russia 5%, China 4.2% (2008)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | | $166.2 million (31 December 2008 est.) $108.5 million (31 December 2007 est.)
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Debt - external | | $954.1 million (2008 est.) $1.2 billion (June 2005 est.)
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Exchange rates | | Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar - 2 (2008), 2 (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004)
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Currency (code) | | Belizean dollar (BZD)
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Telephones - main lines in use | | 31,100 (2008)
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Telephones - mobile cellular | | 160,000 (2008)
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Telephone system | | general assessment: above-average system; fixed-line teledensity of 10 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density roughly 55 per 100 persons domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay international: country code - 501; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth station - 8 (Intelsat - 2, unknown - 6) (2008)
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Internet country code | | .bz
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Internet users | | 34,000 (2008)
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Airports | | 44 (2009)
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Roadways(km) | | total: 3,007 km paved: 575 km unpaved: 2,432 km (2006)
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Ports and terminals | | Belize City, Big Creek
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Military branches | | Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, BDF Air Wing, BDF Volunteer Guard (2009)
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Military service age and obligation(years of age) | | 18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscription has never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available positions by 3:1 (2008)
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Manpower available for military service | | males age 16-49: 74,605 females age 16-49: 72,926 (2008 est.)
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Manpower fit for military service | | males age 16-49: 56,135 females age 16-49: 54,732 (2009 est.)
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Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually | | male: 3,632 female: 3,500 (2009 est.)
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Military expenditures(% of GDP) | | 1.4% of GDP (2006)
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Disputes - international | | OAS-initiated Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and Confidence Building Measures saw cooperation in repatriation of Guatemalan squatters and other areas, but Guatemalan land and maritime claims in Belize and the Caribbean Sea remain unresolved; the Line of Adjacency created under the 2002 Differendum serves in lieu of the contiguous international boundary to control squatting in the sparsely inhabited rain forests of Belize's border region; Honduras claims Belizean-administered Sapodilla Cays in its constitution but agreed to a joint ecological park under the Differendum
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Electricity - production(kWh) | | 213.5 million kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity - production by source(%) | | fossil fuel: 59.9% hydro: 40.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
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Electricity - consumption(kWh) | | 198.5 million kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity - exports(kWh) | | 0 kWh (2008 est.)
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Electricity - imports(kWh) | | 248.4 million kWh (2005)
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Oil - production(bbl/day) | | 3,511 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil - consumption(bbl/day) | | 7,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil - exports(bbl/day) | | 2,260 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil - imports(bbl/day) | | 7,204 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil - proved reserves(bbl) | | 6.7 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
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Natural gas - production(cu m) | | 0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption(cu m) | | 0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural gas - exports(cu m) | | 0 cu m (2008)
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Natural gas - proved reserves(cu m) | | 0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate(%) | | 2.1% (2007 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | | 3,600 (2007 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths | | fewer than 200 (2007 est.)
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Major infectious diseases | | degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)
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Literacy(%) | | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.9% male: 76.7% female: 77.1% (2000 census)
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)(years) | | total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2004)
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Education expenditures(% of GDP) | | 5.3% of GDP (2004)
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