The interaction of churches and religious organizations with
the government and political system was informal, but nonetheless
powerful. The schools were a key element in this influence. Churchrun schools had been the norm in Belize since the early colonial
era, and both major political parties continued to endorse the
church-state partnership in education. This partnership placed most
primary and secondary schools under church control. Thus, the
various Christian churches and denominations in Belize did not
generally adopt a high political profile, but their schools served
as a key adjunct to religious services and their gatherings as a
locus for church influence. The most prominent example of such
influence was the role that the Jesuit-run secondary school, Saint
John's College, played in preparing the leaders of the nationalist
movement in the 1940s. Religious influence, especially traditional
Roman Catholic social thought, continued to affect Belizean
political life in 1991.
Some also attribute the PUP's early anti-British and pro-United
States outlook and its predisposition toward the Roman Catholic
countries of Central America, rather than toward the predominantly
Protestant English-speaking islands of the
West Indies (see Glossary)
to the influence of the Jesuits and the Roman Catholic
Church. Whereas the mainline Protestant churches, such as the
Anglican and Methodist churches, were institutionally tied to
Britain and the English-speaking West Indies, the Roman Catholic
Church in Belize was once a vicariate of the Missouri Province of
the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Jesuits from the United States
staffed key positions in the Belizean church. Foreign influence in
the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches and schools in Belize
had been much criticized. In recent decades, however, Belizeans
have increasingly come to occupy leadership positions. By 1990 the
top leadership of the country's Roman Catholic Church was Belizean,
and a Belizean Jesuit was president of Saint John's College.
No political party or movement in Belize organized itself on
the basis of religious affiliation, but Roman Catholics
historically were considered to lean more toward the PUP.
Protestants, allegedly being more pro-British, leaned more toward
the PUP's opposition. Nonetheless, the top leadership of the UDP
included many Roman Catholics, including Philip Goldson and Manuel
Esquivel. Indeed, the UDP's 1984 victory would not have been
possible without strong support from the country's Roman Catholic
population.
The existence of a "Roman Catholic vote" in Belize is open to
question. Still, politicians avoided taking positions that overtly
contradicted Roman Catholic teachings because they feared a
reaction from both the hierarchy and the laity. Thus, the
presumption of the religious community's opposition to abortion
kept the issue of legalizing abortion out of the political debate
even through the Roman Catholic Church never sponsored an
antiabortion campaign. Furthermore, no politician called for
fundamental changes in the church-state partnership in education,
which enjoyed strong support across the religious spectrum.
Liberal political movements, such as liberation theology, had
not taken root in Belize, and the Roman Catholic Church avoided the
split between the so-called "traditional" and "popular" churches
that divided Roman Catholics in other Central American countries.
Moreover, politicians probably overestimated the ability of the
Roman Catholic Church to respond as a monolithic institution, and
their perception of so-called "Roman Catholic" positions often
lacked an awareness of current Roman Catholic thought and practice.
The generally conservative outlook of the Belizean Protestant
churches, which shared the traditional Roman Catholic position on
many moral and social issues, perhaps reinforced politicians'
consciousness of religious interests.
Since the 1970s, missionary activities by evangelical and
fundamentalist denominations and sects, including the Mormons,
Seventh-Day Adventists, and Jehovah's Witnesses, have been changing
the religious composition of Belizean society. Although these
groups, unlike the mainline Protestant churches, generally had
strong ties to mother organizations in the United States and were
often considered to be politically conservative, their political
impact was negligible at the national level. At the local level,
however, the proliferation of denominations and sects, many of
which were hostile to one another and to the Roman Catholic Church,
could be undermining the sense of common identity within
communities. The alcalde system of village government, for
example, has been disrupted in some Kekchí villages, when the
village's Protestant members (who were opposed to the close ties of
the traditional leadership with the Roman Catholic Church) refused
to participate in elections or abide by village court decisions.
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
|
Area(sq km) | | total: 22,966 sq km land: 22,806 sq km water: 160 sq km
|
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)
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Elevation extremes(m) | | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Doyle's Delight 1,160 m
|
Natural resources | | arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower
|
Land use(%) | | arable land: 3.05% permanent crops: 1.39% other: 95.56% (2005)
|
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)
|
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.)
|
Population growth rate(%) | | 2.154% (2009 est.)
|
Birth rate(births/1,000 population) | | 27.33 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
|
Death rate(deaths/1,000 population) | | 5.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
|
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.)
|
Total fertility rate(children born/woman) | | 3.36 children born/woman (2009 est.)
|
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)
|
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
|
Government type | | parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
|
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
|
Constitution | | 21-Sep-81
|
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
|
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)
|
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.
|
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
|
GDP (official exchange rate) | | $1.359 billion (2008 est.)
|
GDP - real growth rate(%) | | 3% (2008 est.) 1.6% (2007 est.) 5.3% (2006 est.)
|
GDP - per capita (PPP) | | $8,400 (2008 est.) $8,400 (2007 est.) $8,400 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars
|
GDP - composition by sector(%) | | agriculture: 29% industry: 16.9% services: 54.1% (2008 est.)
|
Labor force | | 122,300 note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2008 est.)
|
Labor force - by occupation(%) | | agriculture: 10.2% industry: 18.1% services: 71.7% (2007)
|
Unemployment rate(%) | | 8.1% (2008) 9.4% (2006)
|
Population below poverty line(%) | | 33.5% (2002 est.)
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share(%) | | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
|
Investment (gross fixed)(% of GDP) | | 27.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
|
Budget | | revenues: $347 million expenditures: $386.5 million (2008 est.)
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices)(%) | | 6.4% (2008 est.) 2.3% (2007 est.)
|
Stock of money | | $345.7 million (31 December 2008) $323.9 million (31 December 2007)
|
Stock of quasi money | | $653.8 million (31 December 2008) $549 million (31 December 2007)
|
Stock of domestic credit | | $955 million (31 December 2008) $877.6 million (31 December 2007)
|
Market value of publicly traded shares | | $NA
|
Economic aid - recipient | | $12.91 million (2005)
|
Agriculture - products | | bananas, cacao, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments
|
Industries | | garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil
|
Industrial production growth rate(%) | | 1.8% (2008 est.)
|
Current account balance | | -$153.7 million (2008 est.) -$51.1 million (2007 est.)
|
Exports | | $464.7 million (2008 est.) $425.6 million (2007 est.)
|
Exports - commodities(%) | | sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood, crude oil
|
Exports - partners(%) | | US 35.6%, UK 21.5%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.3%, Italy 4.5%, Nigeria 4% (2008)
|
Imports | | $788.1 million (2008 est.) $642 million (2007 est.)
|
Imports - commodities(%) | | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco
|
Imports - partners(%) | | US 37.4%, Mexico 12.9%, Cuba 7.7%, Guatemala 6.1%, Russia 5%, China 4.2% (2008)
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | | $166.2 million (31 December 2008 est.) $108.5 million (31 December 2007 est.)
|
Debt - external | | $954.1 million (2008 est.) $1.2 billion (June 2005 est.)
|
Exchange rates | | Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar - 2 (2008), 2 (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004)
|
Currency (code) | | Belizean dollar (BZD)
|
Telephones - main lines in use | | 31,100 (2008)
|
Telephones - mobile cellular | | 160,000 (2008)
|
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
|
Internet users | | 34,000 (2008)
|
Airports | | 44 (2009)
|
Roadways(km) | | total: 3,007 km paved: 575 km unpaved: 2,432 km (2006)
|
Ports and terminals | | Belize City, Big Creek
|
Military branches | | Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, BDF Air Wing, BDF Volunteer Guard (2009)
|
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.)
|
Manpower fit for military service | | males age 16-49: 56,135 females age 16-49: 54,732 (2009 est.)
|
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually | | male: 3,632 female: 3,500 (2009 est.)
|
Military expenditures(% of GDP) | | 1.4% of GDP (2006)
|
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
|
Electricity - production(kWh) | | 213.5 million kWh (2007 est.)
|
Electricity - production by source(%) | | fossil fuel: 59.9% hydro: 40.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
|
Electricity - consumption(kWh) | | 198.5 million kWh (2007 est.)
|
Electricity - exports(kWh) | | 0 kWh (2008 est.)
|
Electricity - imports(kWh) | | 248.4 million kWh (2005)
|
Oil - production(bbl/day) | | 3,511 bbl/day (2008 est.)
|
Oil - consumption(bbl/day) | | 7,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
|
Oil - exports(bbl/day) | | 2,260 bbl/day (2007 est.)
|
Oil - imports(bbl/day) | | 7,204 bbl/day (2007 est.)
|
Oil - proved reserves(bbl) | | 6.7 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
|
Natural gas - production(cu m) | | 0 cu m (2008 est.)
|
Natural gas - consumption(cu m) | | 0 cu m (2008 est.)
|
Natural gas - exports(cu m) | | 0 cu m (2008)
|
Natural gas - proved reserves(cu m) | | 0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate(%) | | 2.1% (2007 est.)
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | | 3,600 (2007 est.)
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths | | fewer than 200 (2007 est.)
|
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)
|
Literacy(%) | | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.9% male: 76.7% female: 77.1% (2000 census)
|
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)(years) | | total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2004)
|
Education expenditures(% of GDP) | | 5.3% of GDP (2004)
|