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Compare Western Sahara (2001) - Belize (2008)

Compare Western Sahara (2001) z Belize (2008)

 Western Sahara (2001)Belize (2008)
 Western SaharaBelize
Administrative divisions none (under de facto control of Morocco) 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo
Age structure 0-14 years:
NA%

15-64 years:
NA%

65 years and over:
NA%
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.)
Agriculture - products fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads) bananas, cacao, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments
Airports 11 (2000 est.) 44 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
3 (2000 est.)
total: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
8

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
3 (2000 est.)
total: 40


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 12


under 914 m: 27 (2007)
Area total:
266,000 sq km

land:
266,000 sq km

water:
0 sq km
total: 22,966 sq km


land: 22,806 sq km


water: 160 sq km
Area - comparative about the size of Colorado slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Background Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 cease-fire; a referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed and is not expected to occur until at least 2002. 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.
Birth rate - 28.34 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues:
$NA

expenditures:
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
revenues: $328.5 million


expenditures: $365 million (2007 est.)
Capital none name: Belmopan


geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 46 W


time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
Coastline 1,110 km 386 km
Constitution - 21 September 1981
Country name conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Western Sahara

former:
Spanish Sahara
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Belize


former: British Honduras
Currency Moroccan dirham (MAD) -
Death rate - 5.76 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $NA $1.2 billion (June 2005 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US none 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
Diplomatic representation in the US none 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
Disputes - international claimed and administered by Morocco, but sovereignty is unresolved and the UN is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue; the UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September 1991 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
Economic aid - recipient $NA $12.91 million (2005)
Economy - overview Western Sahara, a territory poor in natural resources and lacking sufficient rainfall, depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. Most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Incomes and standards of living are substantially below the Moroccan level. 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.
Electricity - consumption 83.7 million kWh (1999) 162.8 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 90 million kWh (1999) 200 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Sebjet Tah -55 m

highest point:
unnamed location 463 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m
Environment - current issues sparse water and lack of arable land deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal
Environment - international agreements party to:
none of the selected agreements

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected 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
Ethnic groups Arab, Berber mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7%
Exchange rates Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 10.590 (January 2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997), 8.716 (1996) Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003)
Executive branch none 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
Exports $NA 1,960 bbl/day (2006)
Exports - commodities phosphates 62% sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
Exports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts US 33.9%, UK 33.6%, Cote d'Ivoire 3.7% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year 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
GDP purchasing power parity - $NA -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
NA%

industry:
NA%

services:
40%-45% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 21.3%


industry: 13.7%


services: 65% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $NA -
GDP - real growth rate NA% 3% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 30 N, 13 00 W 17 15 N, 88 45 W
Geography - note - only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean
Heliports 1 (2000 est.) -
Highways total:
6,200 km

paved:
1,350 km

unpaved:
4,850 km (1991 est.)
-
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
Imports $NA 6,754 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco
Imports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts US 35.7%, Mexico 13%, Cuba 7.7%, Guatemala 7.2%, China 4.3% (2006)
Independence - 21 September 1981 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 0.5% (2007 est.)
Industries phosphate mining, handicrafts garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil
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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA% 2.8% (2007 est.)
International organization participation none 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
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land NA sq km 30 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch - Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister)
Labor force 12,000 113,000


note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50% agriculture: 22.5%


industry: 15.2%


services: 62.3% (2005 est.)
Land boundaries total:
2,046 km

border countries:
Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
total: 516 km


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

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
19%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
81%
arable land: 3.05%


permanent crops: 1.39%


other: 95.56% (2005)
Languages Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic 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)
Legal system - English law
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
Life expectancy at birth - total population: 68.25 years


male: 66.44 years


female: 70.16 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition:
NA

total population:
NA%

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 76.9%


male: 76.7%


female: 77.1% (2000 census)
Location Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue 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: 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)
Military branches NA Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure $NA -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 1.4% (2006)
National holiday - Independence Day, 21 September (1981)
Nationality noun:
Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)

adjective:
Sahrawian, Sahraouian
noun: Belizean(s)


adjective: Belizean
Natural hazards hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south)
Natural resources phosphates, iron ore arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower
Net migration rate - 0 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]
Political pressure groups and leaders none 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]
Population 250,559 (July 2001 est.) 294,385 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 33.5% (2002 est.)
Population growth rate - 2.258% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun) -
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 1, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2006)
Radios 56,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km -
Religions Muslim 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: 1.041 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.)
Suffrage none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign has yet to be completed 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
sparse and limited system

domestic:
NA

international:
tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
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)
Telephones - main lines in use about 2,000 (1999 est.) 33,900 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 0 (1999) 118,300 (2006)
Television broadcast stations NA 5 (2006)
Terrain mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
Total fertility rate - 3.52 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 9.4% (2006)
Waterways none 825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2007)
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