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Compare Belize (2003) - India (2006)

Compare Belize (2003) z India (2006)

 Belize (2003)India (2006)
 BelizeIndia
Administrative divisions 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo 28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Puducherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, West Bengal
Age structure 0-14 years: 41.1% (male 55,880; female 53,706)


15-64 years: 55.3% (male 74,612; female 72,813)


65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,571; female 4,858) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 30.8% (male 173,478,760/female 163,852,827)


15-64 years: 64.3% (male 363,876,219/female 340,181,764)


65 years and over: 4.9% (male 27,258,020/female 26,704,405) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish
Airports 42 (2002) 341 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
total: 243


over 3,047 m: 17


2,438 to 3,047 m: 51


1,524 to 2,437 m: 73


914 to 1,523 m: 81


under 914 m: 21 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 38


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 10


under 914 m: 27 (2002)
total: 98


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 42


under 914 m: 48 (2006)
Area total: 22,966 sq km


land: 22,806 sq km


water: 160 sq km
total: 3,287,590 sq km


land: 2,973,190 sq km


water: 314,400 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Massachusetts slightly more than one-third the size of the US
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. The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world, dates back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated onto Indian lands about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkish in the 12th were followed by those of European traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the British army played a vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU brought independence in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. Despite impressive gains in economic investment and output, India faces pressing problems such as the ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and religious strife.
Birth rate 30.46 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 22.01 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $224 million


expenditures: $209 million, including capital expenditures of $70 million (2002 est.)
revenues: $111.2 billion


expenditures: $135.8 billion; including capital expenditures of $15 billion (2005 est.)
Capital Belmopan name: New Delhi


geographic coordinates: 28 36 N, 77 12 E


time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May) varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north
Coastline 386 km 7,000 km
Constitution 21 September 1981 26 January 1950; amended many times
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Belize


former: British Honduras
conventional long form: Republic of India


conventional short form: India


local long form: Republic of India/Bharatiya Ganarajya


local short form: India/Bharat
Currency Belizean dollar (BZD) -
Death rate 6.05 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 8.18 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $475 million (2001 est.) $125.5 billion (2005 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Russell F. FREEMAN


embassy: 29 Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City


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


telephone: [501] 227-7161 through 7163


FAX: [501] 30802
chief of mission: Ambassador David C. MULFORD


embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [91] (11) 2419-8000


FAX: [91] (11) 2419-0017


consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay)
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 Ranendra SEN


chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note - Consular Wing located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000


FAX: [1] (202) 265-4351


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco
Disputes - international Guatemala has claimed half of southern Belize; Guatemalan squatters continue to settle along the border despite a 2000 agreement; OAS brokered a Differendum in 2002 that created a small adjustment to land boundary, a large Guatemalan maritime corridor in the Caribbean, a joint ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and a substantial US-UK financial package, but agreement was not brought to a popular referendum since China and India launched a security and foreign policy dialogue in 2005, consolidated discussions related to the dispute over most of their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear proliferation, Indian claims that China transferred missiles to Pakistan, and other matters continue; various talks and confidence-building measures have cautiously begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the October 2005 earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains the site of the world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); in 2004, India and Pakistan instituted a cease fire in Kashmir and in 2005, restored bus service across the highly militarized Line of Control; Pakistan has taken its dispute on the impact and benefits of India's building the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir to the World Bank for arbitration; UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; disputes persist with Pakistan over Indus River water sharing; to defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, in 2004, India and Pakistan resurveyed a portion of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch; Pakistani maps continue to show its Junagadh claim in Indian Gujarat State; discussions with Bangladesh remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, to exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in both countries, to allocate divided villages, and to stop illegal cross-border trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the porous border; Bangladesh protests India's attempts to fence off high-traffic sections of the border; dispute with Bangladesh over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; India seeks cooperation from Bhutan and Burma to keep Indian Nagaland and Assam separatists from hiding in remote areas along the borders; Joint Border Committee with Nepal continues to demarcate minor disputed boundary sections; India maintains a strict border regime to keep out Maoist insurgents and control illegal cross-border activities from Nepal
Economic aid - recipient $NA $2.9 billion (FY98/99)
Economy - overview In this small, essentially private enterprise economy the tourism industry is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by cane sugar, citrus, marine products, bananas, and garments. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to GDP growth of 6.5% in 1999, 10.8% in 2000, 4.6% in 2001, and 3.7% in 2002. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit and foreign debt. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international donors. India's diverse economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of services. Services are the major source of economic growth, accounting for half of India's output with less than one quarter of its labor force. About three-fifths of the work-force is in agriculture, leading the UPA government to articulate an economic reform program that includes developing basic infrastructure to improve the lives of the rural poor and boost economic performance. Government controls on foreign trade and investment have been reduced in some areas, but high tariffs (averaging 20% on non-agricultural items in 2004) and limits on foreign direct investment are still in place. The government in 2005 liberalized investment in the civil aviation, telecom, and construction sectors. Privatization of government-owned industries essentially came to a halt in 2005, and continues to generate political debate; continued social, political, and economic rigidities hold back needed initiatives. The economy has posted an average growth rate of more than 7% in the decade since 1994, reducing poverty by about 10 percentage points. India achieved 7.6% GDP growth in 2005, significantly expanding manufacturing. India is capitalizing on its large numbers of well-educated people skilled in the English language to become a major exporter of software services and software workers. Despite strong growth, the World Bank and others worry about the combined state and federal budget deficit, running at approximately 9% of GDP; government borrowing has kept interest rates high. Economic deregulation would help attract additional foreign capital and lower interest rates. The huge and growing population is the fundamental social, economic, and environmental problem.
Electricity - consumption 185.5 million kWh (2001) 519 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 187 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 1.4 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 199.5 million kWh (2001) 556.8 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 59.9%


hydro: 40.1%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing population is overstraining natural resources
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: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7% Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)
Exchange rates Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000), 2 (1999), 2 (1998) Indian rupees per US dollar - 44.101 (2005), 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003), 48.61 (2002), 47.186 (2001)
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 Said Wilbert MUSA (since 28 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; 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
chief of state: President A.P.J. Abdul KALAM (since 25 July 2002); Vice President Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT (since 19 August 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Manmohan SINGH (since 22 May 2004)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister


elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of the states for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held July 2002 (next to be held 18 July 2007); vice president elected by both houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 12 August 2002 (next to be held August 2007); prime minister chosen by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative elections; election last held April - May 2004 (next to be held May 2009)


election results: Abdul KALAM elected president; percent of electoral college vote - 89.6%; Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT elected vice president; percent of Parliament vote - 59.8%
Exports NA (2001) 350,000 bbl/day
Exports - commodities sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals, leather manufactures
Exports - partners US 40.5%, UK 23.2%, Peru 8.3% (2002) US 16.7%, UAE 8.5%, China 6.6%, Singapore 5.3%, UK 4.9%, Hong Kong 4.4% (2005)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March 1 April - 31 March
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 three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange) (top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band
GDP purchasing power parity - $1.28 billion (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 18%


industry: 24%


services: 58% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 18.6%


industry: 27.6%


services: 53.8% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2002 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 3.7% (2002 est.) 8.4% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 17 15 N, 88 45 W 20 00 N, 77 00 E
Geography - note only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes; Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in the world, lies on the border with Nepal
Heliports - 28 (2006)
Highways total: 2,872 km


paved: 488 km


unpaved: 2,384 km (1999 est.)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 3.5%


highest 10%: 33.5% (1997)
Illicit drugs major transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; some money-laundering activity related to offshore sector world's largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit international drug markets; transit point for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries; illicit producer of methaqualone; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system
Imports NA (2001) 2.09 million bbl/day
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals
Imports - partners US 35.7%, Mexico 10.1%, Netherlands Antilles 6.1%, Japan 5.9%, Cuba 5.7%, UK 5.4% (2002) China 7.3%, US 5.6%, Switzerland 4.7% (2005)
Independence 21 September 1981 (from UK) 15 August 1947 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 4.6% (1999) 7.9% (2005 est.)
Industries garment production, food processing, tourism, construction textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software
Infant mortality rate total: 27.07 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 30.56 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 23.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
total: 54.63 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 55.18 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 54.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.9% (2002 est.) 4.2% (2005 est.)
International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO AfDB, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIMSTEC, BIS, C, CERN (observer), CP, EAS, FAO, G- 6, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 2 (2000) -
Irrigated land 30 sq km (1998 est.) 558,080 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister) Supreme Court (one chief justice and 25 associate justices are appointed by the president and remain in office until they reach the age of 65 or are removed for "proved misbehavior")
Labor force 90,000


note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel
496.4 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 27%, industry 18%, services 55% (2001 est.) agriculture: 60%


industry: 17%


services: 23% (1999)
Land boundaries total: 516 km


border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
total: 14,103 km


border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km
Land use arable land: 2.81%


permanent crops: 1.1%


other: 96.09% (1998 est.)
arable land: 48.83%


permanent crops: 2.8%


other: 48.37% (2005)
Languages English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language
Legal system English law based on English common law; limited judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus
Legislative branch bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 members appointed by the governor general - six on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and one 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; 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 5 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PUP 21, UDP 8
bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of States or Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250 members, up to 12 of whom are appointed by the president, the remainder are chosen by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies; members serve six-year terms) and the People's Assembly or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 elected by popular vote, 2 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)


elections: People's Assembly - last held 20 April through 10 May 2004 (next must be held before May 2009)


election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - INC 145, BJP 138, CPI(M) 43, SP 36, RJD 24, BSP 19, DMK 16, SS 12, BJD 11, CPI 10, NCP 9, JDU 8, SAD 8, PMK 6, TDP 5, TRS 5, JMM 5, LJSP 4, MDMK 4, independents 5, other 30
Life expectancy at birth total population: 67.36 years


male: 65.19 years


female: 69.63 years (2003 est.)
total population: 64.71 years


male: 63.9 years


female: 65.57 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 94.1%


male: 94.1%


female: 94.1% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 59.5%


male: 70.2%


female: 48.3% (2003 est.)
Location Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Asia
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


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine total: 292 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,030,141 GRT/1,499,777 DWT


ships by type: bulk 15, cargo 200, chemical tanker 7, combination ore/oil 1, container 12, petroleum tanker 31, refrigerated cargo 18, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 1


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Albania 2, Belgium 3, British Virgin Islands 6, Cambodia 1, China 38, Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 1, Equatorial Guinea 1, Eritrea 1, Estonia 7, Germany 3, Greece 4, Grenada 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 20, Indonesia 6, Italy 2, Japan 4, Jordan 1, Lebanon 1, Liberia 5, Malaysia 3, Malta 2, Man, Isle of 1, Marshall Islands 13, Mexico 1, Netherlands 1, Nigeria 1, Panama 12, Philippines 4, Portugal 1, Romania 1, Russia 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 22, South Korea 10, Spain 4, Switzerland 1, Taiwan 1, Thailand 6, Tunisia 1, Turkey 1, Ukraine 3, United Arab Emirates 9, United Kingdom 2, United States 4, Virgin Islands (UK) 6, Yemen 1 (2002 est.)
total: 316 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,772,313 GRT/13,310,858 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 96, cargo 72, chemical tanker 13, container 8, liquefied gas 17, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 96, roll on/roll off 1


foreign-owned: 10 (China 2, Hong Kong 1, UAE 6, UK 1)


registered in other countries: 46 (Bahamas 1, Comoros 1, Cyprus 5, North Korea 1, Liberia 3, Malta 1, Mauritius 2, Panama 19, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Singapore 5, Venezuela 1, unknown 1) (2006)
Military branches Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard) Army, Navy (includes naval air arm), Air Force, Coast Guard, various security or paramilitary forces (includes Border Security Force, Assam Rifles, National Security Guards, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Special Frontier Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Railway Protection Force, and Defense Security Corps)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $7.7 million (FY00/01) $19.04 billion (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.87% (FY00/01) 2.5% (2005 est.)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 66,332 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 39,337 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 3,046 (2003 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day, 21 September (1981) Republic Day, 26 January (1950)
Nationality noun: Belizean(s)


adjective: Belizean
noun: Indian(s)


adjective: Indian
Natural hazards frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south) droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes
Natural resources arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Pipelines - condensate/gas 8 km; gas 5,184 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,993 km; oil 6,500 km; refined products 6,152 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Dean BARROW, party leader; Douglas SINGH, party chairman] note - India has dozens of national and regional political parties; only parties with four or more seats in the People's Assembly are listed; Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP [Rajnath SINGH]; Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK]; Communist Party of India or CPI [Ardhendu Bhushan BARDHAN]; Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI (M) [Prakash KARAT]; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or DMK [M. KARUNANIDHI]; Indian National Congress or INC [Sonia GANDHI]; Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) [Sharad YADEV]; Jharkhand Mukti Morcha or JMM [Shibu SOREN]; Lok Jan Shakti Party or LJSP [Ram Vilas PASWAN]; Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or MDMK [VAIKU]; Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR]; Pattali Makkal Katchi or PMK [S. RAMADOSS]; Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD [Laloo Prasad YADAV]; Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV]; Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD [Prakash Singh BADAL]; Shiv Sena or SS [Bal THACKERAY]; Telangana Rashtra Samithi or TRS [K. Chandrasekhar RAO]; Telugu Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu NAIDU]
Political pressure groups and leaders Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Adele CATZIM] numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations, including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh; various separatist groups seeking greater communal and/or regional autonomy, including the All Parties Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland in the Northeast
Population 266,440 (July 2003 est.) 1,095,351,995 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line 33% (1999 est.) 25% (2002 est.)
Population growth rate 2.44% (2003 est.) 1.38% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda -
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998)
Railways 0 km total: 63,230 km


broad gauge: 45,718 km 1.676-m gauge (16,528 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 14,406 km 1.000-m gauge (165 km electrified); 3,106 km 0.762-m gauge and 0.610-m gauge (2005)
Religions Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Anglican 5.3%, Methodist 3.5%, Mennonite 4.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Pentecostal 7.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), none 9.4%, other 14% (2000) Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)
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: 0.94 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female


total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2006 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: recent deregulation and liberalization of telecommunications laws and policies have prompted rapid change; local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban areas; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission of private and private-public investors, but telephone density remains low at about seven for each 100 persons nationwide but only one per 100 persons in rural areas and a national waiting list of over 1.7 million; fastest growth is in cellular service with modest growth in fixed lines


domestic: expansion of domestic service, although still weak in rural areas, resulted from increased competition and dramatic reductions in price led in large part by wireless service; mobile cellular service (both CDMA and GSM) introduced in 1994 and organized nationwide into four metropolitan cities and 19 telecom circles each with about three private service providers and one state-owned service provider; in recent years significant trunk capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National Satellite system (INSAT), with five satellites supporting 33,000 very small aperture terminals (VSAT)


international: country code - 91; satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); nine gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, and Ernakulam; 5 submarine cables, including Sea-Me-We-3 with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) with landing site at Mumbai (Bombay), South Africa - Far East (SAFE) with landing site at Cochin, i2icn linking to Singapore with landing sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai (Madras), and Tata Indicom linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras), provide a significant increase in the bandwidth available for both voice and data traffic (2004)
Telephones - main lines in use 31,000 (1997) 49.75 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 3,023 (1997) 69,193,321 (2006)
Television broadcast stations 2 (1997) 562 (of which 82 stations have 1 kW or greater power and 480 stations have less than 1 kW of power) (1997)
Terrain flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north
Total fertility rate 3.86 children born/woman (2003 est.) 2.73 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 9.1% (2002) 8.9% (2005 est.)
Waterways 825 km (river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally navigable) 14,500 km


note: 5,200 km on major rivers and 485 km on canals suitable for mechanized vessels (2005)
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