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Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2001) - Belize (2005)
Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2001) z Belize (2005)
| British Indian Ocean Territory (2001) | Belize (2005) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | - | 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo |
| Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 40.1% (male 57,114/female 54,877)
15-64 years: 56.4% (male 79,694/female 77,881) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,768/female 5,123) (2005 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | - | bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments |
| Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | 43 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 38
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.) |
| Area | total:
60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago |
total: 22,966 sq km
land: 22,806 sq km water: 160 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Massachusetts |
| Background | Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier resident in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order which had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. | 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 increasing urban crime. |
| Birth rate | - | 29.34 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
| Budget | - | revenues: $244.5 million
expenditures: $300 million, including capital expenditures of $70 million (2004 est.) |
| Capital | - | Belmopan |
| Climate | tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds | tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May) |
| Coastline | 698 km | 386 km |
| Constitution | - | 21 September 1981 |
| Country name | conventional long form:
British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Belize former: British Honduras |
| Death rate | - | 6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
| Debt - external | - | $1.362 billion (June 2004 est.) |
| Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London | - |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission: Ambassador Russell F. FREEMAN
embassy: 29 Gabourel Lane, Belize City mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Belize City telephone: [501] 227-7161 through 7163 FAX: [501] 2-30802 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 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 |
| Disputes - international | the Chagos Archipelago is claimed by Mauritius and Seychelles | Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in the largely uninhabited rain forests of Belize's border region; OAS is attempting to revive the 2002 failed 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 |
| Economic aid - recipient | - | NA |
| Economy - overview | All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. | 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 6% in 1999-2004. 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. |
| Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 108.8 million kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - production | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military | 117 million kWh (2002) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m |
| Environment - current issues | NA | deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal |
| 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 |
| Ethnic groups | - | mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7% |
| Exchange rates | - | Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000) |
| Executive branch | chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner John WHITE (since NA); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch |
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 |
| Exports | - | NA |
| Exports - commodities | - | sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood |
| Exports - partners | - | US 37.2%, UK 26.8%, Jamaica 4.6% (2004) |
| Fiscal year | - | 1 April - 31 March |
| Flag description | white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag | 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 |
| GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 17.7%
industry: 15% services: 67.3% (2003 est.) |
| GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2004 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | - | 3.5% (2004 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 6 00 S, 71 30 E | 17 15 N, 88 45 W |
| Geography - note | archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility | only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean |
| Highways | total:
NA km paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia unpaved: NA km |
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 |
| Illicit drugs | - | major 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 |
| Imports - commodities | - | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco |
| Imports - partners | - | US 30.1%, Mexico 12%, Guatemala 7.4%, Cuba 7.2%, China 4.2%, Japan 4.1% (2004) |
| Independence | - | 21 September 1981 (from UK) |
| Industrial production growth rate | - | 4.6% (1999) |
| Industries | - | garment production, food processing, tourism, construction |
| Infant mortality rate | - | total: 25.69 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 28.97 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 2.9% (2004 est.) |
| International organization participation | - | ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, 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 |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
| Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1993) | 30 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister) |
| Labor force | - | 90,000
note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2001 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture 27%, industry 18%, services 55% (2001 est.) |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 516 km
border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km |
| Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA% |
arable land: 2.85%
permanent crops: 1.71% other: 95.44% (2001) |
| Languages | - | English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole |
| Legal system | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply | English law |
| 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 March 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PUP 21, UDP 8 |
| Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 68.44 years
male: 66.54 years female: 70.44 years (2005 est.) |
| Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.1% male: 94.1% female: 94.1% (2003 est.) |
| Location | Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia | Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico |
| Map references | World | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 3 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 negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Merchant marine | - | total: 295 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,015,270 GRT/1,336,890 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 207, chemical tanker 9, container 6, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 20, refrigerated cargo 17, roll on/roll off 5 foreign-owned: 142 (Australia 2, Belgium 1, China 50, Cuba 1, Cyprus 1, Estonia 9, Germany 4, Hong Kong 6, Indonesia 3, Italy 2, Japan 5, Latvia 4, Malaysia 1, Nigeria 1, Pakistan 1, Poland 2, Russia 23, Singapore 5, South Korea 6, Spain 3, Switzerland 1, Turkey 2, Ukraine 4, UAE 3, United States 2) (2005) |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 | - |
| Military branches | - | Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $18 million (2003) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 2% (2003) |
| National holiday | - | Independence Day, 21 September (1981) |
| Nationality | - | noun: Belizean(s)
adjective: Belizean |
| Natural hazards | NA | frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south) |
| Natural resources | coconuts, fish, sugarcane | arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower |
| Net migration rate | - | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | - | Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Adele CATZIM] |
| Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles around the time of the construction of UK-US military facilities; in 1995, there were approximately 1,700 UK and US military personnel and 1,500 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia |
279,457 (July 2005 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | - | 33% (1999 est.) |
| Population growth rate | - | 2.33% (2005 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Diego Garcia | Belize City |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios | NA | - |
| 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) |
| 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 (2005 est.) |
| Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
| Telephone system | general assessment:
separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000) |
general assessment: above-average system
domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay international: country code - 501; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 33,300 (2003) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 60,400 (2003) |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 2 (1997) |
| Terrain | flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation) | flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south |
| Total fertility rate | - | 3.68 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | - | 12.9% (2003) |
| Waterways | none | 825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2004) |
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