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Compare Belize (2006) - Iceland (2001)

Compare Belize (2006) z Iceland (2001)

 Belize (2006)Iceland (2001)
 BelizeIceland
Administrative divisions 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo 23 counties (syslar, singular - sysla) and 14 independent towns* (kaupstadhir, singular - kaupstadhur); Akranes*, Akureyri*, Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Austur-Hunavatnssysla, Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla, Dalasysla, Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Hafnarfjordhur*, Husavik*, Isafjordhur*, Keflavik*, Kjosarsysla, Kopavogur*, Myrasysla, Neskaupstadhur*, Nordhur-Isafjardharsysla, Nordhur-Mulasys-la, Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*, Rangarvallasysla, Reykjavik*, Saudharkrokur*, Seydhisfjordhur*, Siglufjordhur*, Skagafjardharsysla, Snaefellsnes-og Hnappadalssysla, Strandasysla, Sudhur-Mulasysla, Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vesttmannaeyjar*, Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Vestur-Hunavatnssysla, Vestur-Isafjardharsysla, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla

note:
there may be four other counties
Age structure 0-14 years: 39.5% (male 57,923/female 55,678)


15-64 years: 57% (male 82,960/female 81,046)


65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,888/female 5,235) (2006 est.)
0-14 years:
23.18% (male 33,238; female 31,191)

15-64 years:
65.01% (male 91,095; female 89,583)

65 years and over:
11.81% (male 14,681; female 18,118) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments potatoes, turnips; cattle, sheep; fish
Airports 43 (2006) 87 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 2 (2006)
total:
12

over 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
4

914 to 1,523 m:
7 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 38


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 26 (2006)
total:
75

1,524 to 2,437 m:
3

914 to 1,523 m:
20

under 914 m:
52 (2000 est.)
Area total: 22,966 sq km


land: 22,806 sq km


water: 160 sq km
total:
103,000 sq km

land:
100,250 sq km

water:
2,750 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Massachusetts slightly smaller than Kentucky
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. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, and increasing urban crime. Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion are first-rate by world standards.
Birth rate 28.84 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 14.62 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $262 million


expenditures: $329 million; including capital expenditures of $70 million (2005 est.)
revenues:
$3.5 billion

expenditures:
$3.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $467 million (1999)
Capital name: Belmopan


geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 46 W


time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Reykjavik
Climate tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May) temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
Coastline 386 km 4,988 km
Constitution 21 September 1981 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Belize


former: British Honduras
conventional long form:
Republic of Iceland

conventional short form:
Iceland

local long form:
Lyoveldio Island

local short form:
Island
Currency - Icelandic krona (ISK)
Death rate 5.72 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 6.89 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $1.362 billion (June 2004 est.) $2.6 billion (1999)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Robert J. DIETER


embassy: 29 Gabourel Lane, Belize City


mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Belize City


telephone: [501] 227-7161 through 7163


FAX: [501] 223-0802
chief of mission:
Ambassador Barbara J. GRIFFITHS

embassy:
Laufasvegur 21, Reykjavik

mailing address:
US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340

telephone:
[354] 5629100

FAX:
[354] 5629118
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 Jon-Baldvin HANNIBALSSON

chancery:
Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

telephone:
[1] (202) 265-6653

FAX:
[1] (202) 265-6656

consulate(s) general:
New York
Disputes - international Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in the largely uninhabited rain forests of Belize's border region; OAS seeks to revive the 2002 failed Belize-Guatemala Differendum that created a small adjustment to land boundary, a Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean, joint ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and substantial US-UK financial package Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area); dispute with Denmark over the Faroe Islands fisheries median line boundary within 200 NM; disputes with Denmark, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM
Economic aid - donor - $NA
Economic aid - recipient $NA -
Economy - overview In this small, essentially private-enterprise economy the tourism industry is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by 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 5% in 1999-2005. 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. Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet with an extensive welfare system, low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of income. In the absence of other natural resources (except for abundant hydrothermal and geothermal power), the economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, which provides 70% of export earnings and employs 12% of the work force. The economy remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to drops in world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. The center-right government plans to continue its policies of reducing the budget and current account deficits, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, diversifying the economy, and privatizing state-owned industries. The government remains opposed to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders' concern about losing control over their fishing resources. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, and new developments in software production, biotechnology, and financial services are taking place. The tourism sector is also expanding, with the recent trends in ecotourism and whale watching. Growth has been remarkably steady over the past five years at 4%-5%.
Electricity - consumption 111.6 million kWh (2003) 6.574 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 120 million kWh (2003) 7.069 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
0.07%

hydro:
84.64%

nuclear:
0%

other:
15.29% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


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

highest point:
Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment
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


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to:
Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7% homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts
Exchange rates Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2 (2002), 2 (2001) Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 84.810 (January 2001), 78.676 (2000), 72.335 (1999), 70.958 (1998), 70.904 (1997), 66.500 (1996)
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 Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August 1996)

head of government:
Prime Minister David ODDSSON (since 30 April 1991)

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by Parliament

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 29 June 1996 (next to be held NA June 2004); President GRIMSSON ran unopposed in June 2000 so there were no elections; prime minister appointed by the president

election results:
Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON elected president; President GRIMSSON ran unopposed
Exports NA bbl/day $2 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood fish and fish products 70%, animal products, aluminum, diatomite, ferrosilicon
Exports - partners US 30.6%, UK 25%, France 4.8% (2005) EU 64% (UK 20%, Germany 13%, France 5%, Denmark 5%), US 15%, Japan 5% (1999)
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 blue with a red cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
GDP - purchasing power parity - $6.85 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 14.2%


industry: 15.2%


services: 61.2% (2004 est.)
agriculture:
15% (includes fishing 13%)

industry:
21%

services:
64% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $24,800 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3.8% (2005 est.) 4.3% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 17 15 N, 88 45 W 65 00 N, 18 00 W
Geography - note only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe
Highways - total:
12,691 km

paved:
3,262 km

unpaved:
9,429 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


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

highest 10%:
NA%
Illicit drugs transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; money-laundering activity related to narcotics trafficking and offshore sector -
Imports NA bbl/day $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners US 31%, Mexico 11.6%, Russia 8.8%, Cuba 6%, Guatemala 5.6%, China 4.6%, Spain 4.4% (2005) EU 56% (Germany 12%, UK 9%, Denmark 8%, Sweden 6%), US 11%, Norway 10% (1999)
Independence 21 September 1981 (from UK) 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
Industrial production growth rate 4.6% (1999) 1.5% (2000 est.)
Industries garment production, food processing, tourism, construction fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power; tourism
Infant mortality rate total: 24.89 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 28.07 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 21.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
3.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3% (2005 est.) 3.5% (2000 est.)
International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNU, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 7 (2000)
Irrigated land 30 sq km (2003) NA sq km
Judicial branch Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister) Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by the president)
Labor force 90,000


note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2001 est.)
159,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 27%


industry: 18%


services: 55% (2001 est.)
agriculture 5.1%, fishing and fish processing 11.8%, manufacturing 12.9%, construction 10.7%, other services 59.5% (1999)
Land boundaries total: 516 km


border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 3.05%


permanent crops: 1.39%


other: 95.56% (2005)
arable land:
0%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
23%

forests and woodland:
1%

other:
76% (1993 est.)
Languages English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole Icelandic
Legal system English law civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 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; 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 March 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PUP 21, UDP 8
unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held on 8 May 1999 (next to be held by April 2003)

election results:
percent of vote by party - Independence Party 40.7%, The Alliance (PA, People's Party, Women's List) 26.8%, Progressive Party 18.4%, Left-Green Alliance 9.1%, Liberal Party 4.2%; seats by party - Independence Party 26, The Alliance 17, Progressive Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 6, Liberal Party 2
Life expectancy at birth total population: 68.3 years


male: 66.43 years


female: 70.26 years (2006 est.)
total population:
79.52 years

male:
77.31 years

female:
81.92 years (2001 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:
99.9% (1997 est.)

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
Location Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Arctic Region
Maritime claims 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 negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf:
200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine total: 285 ships (1000 GRT or over) 985,464 GRT/1,322,629 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 36, cargo 203, chemical tanker 7, container 4, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 13, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 1


foreign-owned: 225 (China 103, Croatia 1, Cyprus 2, Estonia 3, Germany 3, Greece 2, Hong Kong 8, Iceland 2, Indonesia 2, Italy 4, Japan 2, North Korea 2, South Korea 4, Latvia 6, Lithuania 1, Malaysia 1, Mexico 1, Norway 2, Poland 2, Russia 36, Singapore 6, Spain 3, Switzerland 1, Turkey 11, UAE 5, Ukraine 7, US 5) (2006)
total:
2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,435 GRT/4,538 DWT

ships by type:
chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 1 (2000 est.)
Military - note - defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik
Military branches Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard no regular armed forces; Police, Coast Guard; note - Iceland's defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik
Military expenditures - dollar figure $19 million (2005 est.) $0
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.7% (2005 est.) -
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
71,241 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
62,704 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 21 September (1981) Independence Day, 17 June (1944)
Nationality noun: Belizean(s)


adjective: Belizean
noun:
Icelander(s)

adjective:
Icelandic
Natural hazards frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south) earthquakes and volcanic activity
Natural resources arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) -2.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
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] Independence Party (conservative) or IP [David ODDSSON]; Left-Green Alliance [Steinsvimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party [Sverrir HERMANNSSON]; People's Party (Social Democratic Party) or SDP [Sighvatyr BJORGIVINSSON]; Progressive Party (liberal) or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; The Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social Democratic Party or SVP, People's Movement, Women's List) [Ossur SKARPHEDINSSON]; Women's List or WL [Kristin ASTGEIRSDOTTIR]
Political pressure groups and leaders Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Adele CATZIM] NA
Population 287,730 (July 2006 est.) 277,906 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 33% (1999 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.31% (2006 est.) 0.54% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors - Akureyri, Hornafjordur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vestmannaeyjar
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios - 260,000 (1997)
Railways - 0 km
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) Evangelical Lutheran 93%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic, none (1997)
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: 0.93 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
at birth:
1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.07 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1 male(s)/female (2001 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: country code - 501; satellite earth station - 8 (Intelsat - 2, unknown - 6) (2005)
general assessment:
adequate domestic service

domestic:
the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic cables and microwave radio relay links

international:
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)
Telephones - main lines in use 33,300 (2005) 168,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 93,100 (2005) 65,746 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 2 (1997) 14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
Total fertility rate 3.6 children born/woman (2006 est.) 2.01 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 12.9% (2003) 2.7% (January 2001)
Waterways 825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2005) none
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