Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) - Belize (2004)

Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) z Belize (2004)

	British Indian Ocean Territory (2002)	Belize (2004)

Administrative divisions	-	6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo
Age structure	-	0-14 years: 40.6% (male 56,530; female 54,322) 15-64 years: 55.8% (male 77,118; female 75,309) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,674; female 4,992) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products	-	bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments
Airports	1 (2001)	43 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)	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 residents 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 increased urban crime.
Birth rate	-	29.89 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	-	revenues: $222 million expenditures: $300 million, including capital expenditures of $70 million (2003 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
Currency	-	Belizean dollar (BZD)
Death rate	-	6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	-	$475 million (2001 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	Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain	Guatemalan squatters continue to settle along the border region; an OAS brokered Differendum in 2002 created a small adjustment to the land boundary, a large Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean, a joint ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and a substantial US-UK financial package, but agreement was not brought to popular referendum leaving Guatemala to continue to claim the southern half of Belize
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 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.
Electricity - consumption	NA kWh	185.5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	-	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	-	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military	199.5 million kWh (2001)
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 (2003), 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000), 2 (1999)
Executive branch	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner Alan HUCKLE (since 2001); 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 (2001)
Exports - commodities	-	sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
Exports - partners	-	US 39.1%, UK 25%, France 4% (2003)
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	-	purchasing power parity - $1.28 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	-	agriculture: 22.7% industry: 24.5% services: 52.8% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-	3.7% (2002 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 (2001)
Imports - commodities	-	machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco
Imports - partners	-	US 41.9%, Mexico 12.4%, UK 5.9%, Cuba 5.5% (2003)
Independence	-	21 September 1981 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate	-	4.6% (1999)
Industries	-	garment production, food processing, tourism, construction
Infant mortality rate	-	total: 26.37 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29.75 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-	2.6% (2003 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 (1998 est.)	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: NEGL permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)	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 NA March 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PUP 21, UDP 8
Life expectancy at birth	-	total population: 67.43 years male: 65.11 years female: 69.86 years (2004 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	Political Map of the 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 the negotiation of a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	-	total: 336 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,015,270 GRT/1,336,890 DWT by type: bulk 13, cargo 240, chemical tanker 11, combination bulk 4, combination ore/oil 1, container 10, multi-functional large load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 27, refrigerated cargo 18, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 2 foreign-owned: Bahamas 2, Belgium 1, British Virgin Islands 11, Cambodia 6, China 67, Cuba 2, Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Estonia 8, Germany 5, Greece 2, Grenada 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 27, Indonesia 4, Italy 2, Japan 5, Jordan 1, South Korea 13, Latvia 5, Liberia 2, Malaysia 4, Malta 1, Isle of Man 1, Marshall Islands 16, Mexico 1, Netherlands 1, Nigeria 2, Panama 15, Philippines 4, Portugal 1, Russia 9, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Singapore 9, Spain 6, Switzerland 2, Taiwan 1, Thailand 3, Tunisia 1, Turkey 2, Ukraine 3, United Kingdom 1, United States 3, Yemen 1 registered in other countries: 25 (2004 est.)
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016	-
Military branches	-	Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$18 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	2% (2003)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 68,518 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 40,619 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 3,122 (2004 est.)
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 (2004 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 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2002 est.)	272,945 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	33% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate	-	2.39% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	Diego Garcia	Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda
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% (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)
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 (2004 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	-	3.77 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	-	9.1% (2002)
Waterways	none	825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2004)

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