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Compare Belize (2008) - Cape Verde (2007)

Compare Belize (2008) z Cape Verde (2007)

 Belize (2008)Cape Verde (2007)
 BelizeCape Verde
Administrative divisions 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo 17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal
Age structure 0-14 years: 38.9% (male 58,459/female 56,183)


15-64 years: 57.5% (male 85,686/female 83,717)


65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,979/female 5,361) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 36.9% (male 78,971/female 77,524)


15-64 years: 56.4% (male 116,751/female 122,065)


65 years and over: 6.7% (male 10,423/female 17,879) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products bananas, cacao, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish
Airports 44 (2007) 8 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
total: 8


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 40


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 12


under 914 m: 27 (2007)
-
Area total: 22,966 sq km


land: 22,806 sq km


water: 160 sq km
total: 4,033 sq km


land: 4,033 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Massachusetts slightly larger than Rhode Island
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 an unsustainable foreign debt, high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, growing urban crime, and increasing incidences of HIV/AIDS. The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one. Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.
Birth rate 28.34 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 24.4 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $328.5 million


expenditures: $365 million (2007 est.)
revenues: $354.2 million


expenditures: $398.5 million (2006 est.)
Capital name: Belmopan


geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 46 W


time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
name: Praia


geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W


time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May) temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic
Coastline 386 km 965 km
Constitution 21 September 1981 25 September 1992; a major revision on 23 November 1995 substantially increased the powers of the president; a 1999 revision created the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Belize


former: British Honduras
conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde


conventional short form: Cape Verde


local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde


local short form: Cabo Verde
Death rate 5.76 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.5 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $1.2 billion (June 2005 est.) $325 million (2002)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Robert J. DIETER


embassy: Floral Park Road, Belmopan City, Cayo District


mailing address: P.O. Box 497, Belmopan City, Cayo District, Belize


telephone: [501] 822-4011


FAX: [501] 822-4012
chief of mission: Ambassador Roger D. PIERCE


embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo n6, Praia


mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia


telephone: [238] 2-60-89-00


FAX: [238] 2-61-13-55
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)


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 Jose BRITO


chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007


telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820


FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207


consulate(s) general: Boston
Disputes - international annual ministerial meetings under the OAS-initiated Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and Confidence Building Measures continue to address Guatemalan land and maritime claims in Belize and Caribbean Sea; 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 none
Economic aid - recipient $12.91 million (2005) $160.6 million (2005)
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. Oil discoveries in 2006 bolstered the economic growth in 2006 and 2007. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit and unsustainable foreign debt. In February 2007, the government restructured nearly all of its public external commercial debt, which will reduce interest payments and create the liquidity relief needed for an increase in public spending in the run-up to the March 2008 elections. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international donors. This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base, including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce, transport, tourism, and public services accounting for 66% of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food production in GDP in 2004 was only 12%, of which fishing accounted for 1.5%. About 82% of food must be imported. The fishing potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape Verde annually runs a high trade deficit, financed by foreign aid and remittances from emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more than 20%. Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Future prospects depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, the encouragement of tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program. Cape Verde has been exploring European Union membership in recent years.
Electricity - consumption 162.8 million kWh (2005) 41.85 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 200 million kWh (2007 est.) 45 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


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


highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)
Environment - current issues deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel; water shortages; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing
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
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


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% Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%
Exchange rates Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003) Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 87.946 (2006), 88.67 (2005), 88.808 (2004), 97.703 (2003), 117.168 (2002)
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 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: 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 Pedro Verona PIRES (since 22 March 2001)


head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1 February 2001)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 12 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2011); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president


election results: Pedro PIRES reelected president; percent of vote - Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 51.2%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 48.8%
Exports 1,960 bbl/day (2006) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides
Exports - partners US 33.9%, UK 33.6%, Cote d'Ivoire 3.7% (2006) Spain 43.3%, Portugal 21.9%, Netherlands 12.8%, Morocco 4.6% (2006)
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 five unequal horizontal bands; the top-most band of blue - equal to one half the width of the flag - is followed by three bands of white, red, and white, each equal to 1/12 of the width, and a bottom stripe of blue equal to one quarter of the flag width; a circle of 10, yellow, five-pointed stars, each representing one of the islands, is centered on the red stripe and positioned 3/8 of the length of the flag from the hoist side
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 21.3%


industry: 13.7%


services: 65% (2007 est.)
agriculture: 9.6%


industry: 16.6%


services: 73.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3% (2007 est.) 5.5% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 17 15 N, 88 45 W 16 00 N, 24 00 W
Geography - note only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site
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, primarily for local consumption; money-laundering activity related to narcotics trafficking and offshore sector used as a transshipment point for Latin American cocaine destined for Western Europe; the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center
Imports 6,754 bbl/day (2004) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels
Imports - partners US 35.7%, Mexico 13%, Cuba 7.7%, Guatemala 7.2%, China 4.3% (2006) Portugal 41.2%, Netherlands 10.6%, Spain 6.2%, Italy 5.5%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.2%, Brazil 4.8% (2006)
Independence 21 September 1981 (from UK) 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Industrial production growth rate 0.5% (2007 est.) NA%
Industries garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair
Infant mortality rate total: 24.38 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 27.43 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 21.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 45.27 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 50.31 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 40.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.8% (2007 est.) 5.4% (2006 est.)
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, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Irrigated land 30 sq km (2003) 30 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister) Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia
Labor force 113,000


note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2006 est.)
120,600 (1990)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 22.5%


industry: 15.2%


services: 62.3% (2005 est.)
-
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: 11.41%


permanent crops: 0.74%


other: 87.85% (2005)
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) Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)
Legal system English law based on the legal system of Portugal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 - NA; seats by party - UDP 25, PUP 6
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011)


election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 52.3%, MPD 44%, UCID 2.7%; seats by party - PAICV 41, MPD 29, UCID 2
Life expectancy at birth total population: 68.25 years


male: 66.44 years


female: 70.16 years (2007 est.)
total population: 71.02 years


male: 67.69 years


female: 74.44 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 76.9%


male: 76.7%


female: 77.1% (2000 census)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 76.6%


male: 85.8%


female: 69.2% (2003 est.)
Location Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Political Map of the World
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
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 261 ships (1000 GRT or over) 940,852 GRT/1,275,111 DWT


by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 36, cargo 190, chemical tanker 5, container 5, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 1


foreign-owned: 217 (China 107, Croatia 1, Cyprus 1, Estonia 1, Hong Kong 5, Iceland 1, Italy 4, Japan 2, South Korea 4, Latvia 14, Norway 3, Peru 1, Philippines 1, Russia 39, Singapore 3, Spain 2, Turkey 11, Ukraine 10, UAE 4, US 3) (2007)
total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 13,922 GRT/7,726 DWT


by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 5


foreign-owned: 2 (Spain 1, UK 1) (2007)
Military branches Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast Guard (includes maritime air wing) (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.4% (2006) 0.7% (2005)
National holiday Independence Day, 21 September (1981) Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
Nationality noun: Belizean(s)


adjective: Belizean
noun: Cape Verdean(s)


adjective: Cape Verdean
Natural hazards frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south) prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active
Natural resources arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -11.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders National Alliance for Belizean Rights or NABR; National Reform Party or NRP [Cornelius DUECK]; People's National Party or PNP [Wil MAHEIA]; People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Dean BARROW]; Vision Inspired by the People or VIP [Paul MORGAN]; We the People Reform Movement or WTP [Hipolito BAUTISTA] African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change or ADM [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID); Democratic Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES]; Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Victor FIDALGO]; Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union or UCID [Antonio MONTEIRO]; Movement for Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias RODRIGUES]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM]
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] NA
Population 294,385 (July 2007 est.) 423,613 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 33.5% (2002 est.) 30% (2000)
Population growth rate 2.258% (2007 est.) 0.606% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2006) AM 0, FM 22 (plus 12 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2001)
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) Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs), Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.024 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.929 male(s)/female


total population: 1.027 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.019 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.956 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.583 male(s)/female


total population: 0.948 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: above-average system; fixed-line teledensity of 12 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of about 40 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) (2007)
general assessment: effective system, extensive modernization from 1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995


domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber-optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in 1998; broadband services launched in 2004


international: country code - 238; landing point for the Atlantis-2 fiber-optic transatlantic telephone cable that provides links to South America, Senegal, and Europe; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Telephones - main lines in use 33,900 (2006) 71,600 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 118,300 (2006) 108,900 (2006)
Television broadcast stations 5 (2006) 1 (plus 7 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
Total fertility rate 3.52 children born/woman (2007 est.) 3.28 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 9.4% (2006) 21% (2000 est.)
Waterways 825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2007) -
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