Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
Jah-Jah.pl / Index countries / Belize (2001) - Eritrea (2004) / Compare countries
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Belize (2001) - Eritrea (2004)

Compare Belize (2001) z Eritrea (2004)

 Belize (2001)Eritrea (2004)
 BelizeEritrea
Administrative divisions 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo 6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub, Debubawi K'eyih Bahri, Gash Barka, Ma'akel, Semenawi Keyih Bahri
Age structure 0-14 years:
42.04% (male 54,876; female 52,780)

15-64 years:
54.43% (male 70,534; female 68,837)

65 years and over:
3.53% (male 4,403; female 4,632) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 44.8% (male 998,404; female 993,349)


15-64 years: 51.9% (male 1,140,892; female 1,166,481)


65 years and over: 3.3% (male 72,776; female 75,405) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products bananas, coca, citrus, sugarcane; lumber; fish, cultured shrimp sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal; livestock, goats; fish
Airports 44 (2000 est.) 18 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total:
4

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
2 (2000 est.)
total: 4


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
40

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
10

under 914 m:
29 (2000 est.)
total: 13


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Area total:
22,966 sq km

land:
22,806 sq km

water:
160 sq km
total: 121,320 sq km


land: 121,320 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Massachusetts slightly larger than Pennsylvania
Background Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize (formerly British Honduras) until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. The country remains plagued by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, and increased urban crime. Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation. Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two-and-a-half-year border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN auspices on 12 December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN peacekeeping operation that is monitoring a 25 km-wide Temporary Security Zone on the border with Ethiopia. An international commission, organized to resolve the border dispute, posted its findings in 2002 but final demarcation is on hold due to Ethiopian objections.
Birth rate 31.69 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 39.03 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues:
$157 million

expenditures:
$279 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)
revenues: $235.7 million


expenditures: $375 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2003 est.)
Capital Belmopan Asmara (formerly Asmera)
Climate tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May) hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually); semiarid in western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during June-September except in coastal desert
Coastline 386 km 2,234 km total; mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea 1,083 km
Constitution 21 September 1981 the transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet implemented
Country name conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Belize

former:
British Honduras
conventional long form: State of Eritrea


conventional short form: Eritrea


local long form: Hagere Ertra


local short form: Ertra


former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia
Currency Belizean dollar (BZD) nakfa (ERN)
Death rate 4.7 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 13.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $338 million (1998) $311 million (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Carolyn CURIEL

embassy:
29 Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City

mailing address:
P. O. Box 286, Unit 7401, APO AA 34025

telephone:
[501] (2) 77161

FAX:
[501] (2) 30802
chief of mission: Ambassador Scott H. DELISI


embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt Street, Asmara


mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara


telephone: [291] (1) 120004


FAX: [291] (1) 127584
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Lisa M. SHOMAN

chancery:
2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 332-9636

FAX:
[1] (202) 332-6888

consulate(s) general:
Los Angeles
chief of mission: Ambassador GIRMA Asmerom


chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991


FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304


consulate(s) general: Oakland (California)
Disputes - international Guatemala periodically asserts claims to territory in southern Belize; to deter cross-border squatting, both states in 2000 agreed to a "line of adjacency" based on the de facto boundary, which is not recognized by Guatemala Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 Ethiopia-Eritrea Border Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but demarcation has been delayed, despite intense international intervention, by Ethiopian insistence that the decision ignored "human geography," made technical errors in the delimitation, and incorrectly awarded Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war, and other areas to Eritrea and Eritrea's insistence on not deviating from the commission's decision; UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) continues to monitor a 25km-wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea until the demarcation; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; Eritrea protests Yemeni fishing around the Hanish Islands awarded to Eritrea by the ICJ in 1999
Economic aid - recipient $NA $77 million (1999)
Economy - overview The small, essentially private enterprise economy is based primarily on agriculture, agro-based industry, and merchandising, with tourism and construction assuming greater importance. Sugar, the chief crop, accounts for nearly half of exports, while the banana industry is the country's largest employer. The government's tough austerity program in 1997 resulted in an economic slowdown that continued in 1998. The trade deficit has been growing, mostly as a result of low export prices for sugar and bananas. The tourist and construction sectors strengthened in early 1999, supporting growth of 6% in 1999 and 4% in 2000. Aided by international donors, the government's key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty. Since independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993, Eritrea has faced the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country. Like the economies of many African nations, the economy is largely based on subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population involved in farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in 1998-2000 severely hurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth fell to zero in 1999 and to -12.1% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive into northern Eritrea caused some $600 million in property damage and loss, including losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000 homes. The attack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's most productive region, causing food production to drop by 62%. Even during the war, Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure, asphalting new roads, improving its ports, and repairing war damaged roads and bridges. Since the war ended, the government has maintained a firm grip on the economy, expanding the use of the military and party-owned businesses to complete Eritrea's development agenda. Erratic rainfall and the delayed demobilization of agriculturalists from the military kept cereal production well below normal, holding down growth in 2002. Eritrea's economic future depends upon its ability to master social problems such as illiteracy, unemployment, and low skills, and to open its economy to private enterprise so the diaspora's money and expertise can foster economic growth.
Electricity - consumption 172.1 million kWh (1999) 205.1 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh NA kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh NA kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 185 million kWh (1999) 220.5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
56.76%

hydro:
43.24%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point:
Victoria Peak 1,160 m
lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m


highest point: Soira 3,018 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid waste disposal deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare
Environment - international agreements party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups mestizo 43.7%, Creole 29.8%, Maya 10%, Garifuna 6.2%, other 10.3% ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%
Exchange rates Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - NA (2003), 13.9582 (2002), 11.3095 (2001), 9.5 (2000), 7.6 (1999)
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 Said MUSA (since 27 August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September 1998)

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; governor general appoints the member of the House of Representatives who is leader of the majority party to be prime minister
chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly


head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly


cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority; members appointed by the president


elections: president elected by the National Assembly; election last held 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as anticipated)


election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%
Exports $235.7 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures (2000)
Exports - partners US 42%, UK 33%, EU 12%, Caricom 4.8%, Canada 2%, Mexico 1% (1999) Malaysia 65.1%, Italy 10.4%, France 4.4% (2003)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
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 red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on the hoist side of the red triangle
GDP purchasing power parity - $790 million (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $3.3 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
18%

industry:
24%

services:
58% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 12.4%


industry: 25.3%


services: 62.4% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4% (2000 est.) 2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 17 15 N, 88 45 W 15 00 N, 39 00 E
Geography - note only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993
Highways total:
2,872 km

paved:
488 km

unpaved:
2,384 km (1998 est.)
total: 4,010 km


paved: 874 km


unpaved: 3,136 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs minor transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; minor money-laundering center -
Imports $413 million (c.i.f., 2000 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and transportation equipment, manufactured goods; food, beverages, tobacco; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods (2000)
Imports - partners US 58%, Mexico 12%, UK 5% EU 5%, Central America 5%, Caricom 4% (1998) US 39.7%, Italy 19.1%, Turkey 6.8%, Russia 5.4%, France 4.7% (2003)
Independence 21 September 1981 (from UK) 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)
Industrial production growth rate 4.6% (1999) NA
Industries garment production, food processing, tourism, construction food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles
Infant mortality rate 25.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 75.59 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 83.03 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 67.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2% (2000 est.) 12.3% (2003)
International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 2 (2000) -
Irrigated land 20 sq km (1993 est.) 220 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister) High Court - regional, subregional, and village courts; also have military and special courts
Labor force 71,000

note:
shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (1997 est.)
NA (1999)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 38%, industry 32%, services 30% (1994) agriculture 80%, industry and services 20%
Land boundaries total:
516 km

border countries:
Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
total: 1,626 km


border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km
Land use arable land:
10%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
2%

forests and woodland:
84%

other:
3% (2000 est.)
arable land: 4.95%


permanent crops: 0.03%


other: 95.02% (2001)
Languages English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages
Legal system English law primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with revisions; new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law
Legislative branch bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (eight members, five appointed on the advice of the prime minister, two on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and one by the governor general; members are appointed for five-year terms); and the House of Representatives (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:
House of Representatives - last held 27 August 1998 (next to be held by NA August 2003)

election results:
percent of vote by party - PUP 59.2%, UDP 40.8%; seats by party - PUP 26, UDP 3
unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term limits not established)


elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member Constituent Assembly, that had been established in 1997 to discuss and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were postponed indefinitely
Life expectancy at birth total population:
71.19 years

male:
68.91 years

female:
73.57 years (2001 est.)
total population: 52.7 years


male: 51.32 years


female: 54.12 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
70.3%

male:
70.3%

female:
70.3% (1991 est.)

note:
other sources list the literacy rate as high as 75%
definition: NA


total population: 58.6%


male: 69.9%


female: 47.6% (2003 est.)
Location Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
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 NM; 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
territorial sea: 12 nm
Merchant marine total:
402 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,575,851 GRT/2,241,731 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 27, cargo 265, chemical tanker 6, combination ore/oil 1, container 14, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 56, refrigerated cargo 18, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 3

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Cuba 1, Singapore 1, US 1 (2000 est.)
total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,069 GRT/19,549 DWT


by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1


registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
Military branches Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard) Army, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $17 million (FY98/99) $77.9 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.4% (FY98/99) 11.8% (2003)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
62,698 (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
37,174 (2001 est.)
NA (2004)
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
2,847 (2001 est.)
-
National holiday Independence Day, 21 September (1981) Independence Day, 24 May (1993)
Nationality noun:
Belizean(s)

adjective:
Belizean
noun: Eritrean(s)


adjective: Eritrean
Natural hazards frequent, devastating hurricanes (September to December) and coastal flooding (especially in south) frequent droughts; locust swarms
Natural resources arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: UNHCR began repatriating about 150,000 Eritrean refugees from Sudan in 2001 following the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2000 (2004 est.)
Political parties and leaders People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Manuel ESQUIVEL, Dean BARROW, Doug SINGH] People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, the only party recognized by the government [ISAIAS Afworki]; note - a National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in January 2001, but the full National Assembly has not yet debated or voted on it
Political pressure groups and leaders Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Diane HAYLOCK]; United Worker's Front Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ [leader NA] (also including Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement or EIJM (also known as the Abu Sihel Movement) [leader NA]); Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also known as the Arafa Movement) [leader NA]; Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean National Alliance or ENA (a coalition including EIJ, EIS, ELF, and a number of ELF factions) [HERUY Tedla Biru]; Eritrean Public Forum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob]
Population 256,062 (July 2001 est.) 4,447,307 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 33% (1999 est.) 53% (1993/94)
Population growth rate 2.7% (2001 est.) 2.57% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda Assab (Aseb), Massawa (Mits'iwa)
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)
Radios 133,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km total: 306 km


narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge


note: railway is being rebuilt; 117 km open (2003)
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) Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Sex ratio 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:
0.95 male(s)/female

total population:
1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
above-average system

domestic:
trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: inadequate


domestic: very inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)


international: country code - 291; note - international connections exist
Telephones - main lines in use 31,000 (1997) 38,100 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 3,023 (1997) NA
Television broadcast stations 2 (1997) 1 (2000)
Terrain flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains
Total fertility rate 4.05 children born/woman (2001 est.) 5.67 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 12.8% (1999) NA (2003 est.)
Waterways 825 km (river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally navigable) -
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.