Compare Zimbabwe (2005) - Belize (2005)

Compare Zimbabwe (2005) z Belize (2005)

	Zimbabwe (2005)	Belize (2005)

Administrative divisions	8 provinces and 2 cities with provincial status; Bulawayo, Harare, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands*	6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo
Age structure	0-14 years: 39.2% (male 2,522,609/female 2,474,131) 15-64 years: 57.1% (male 3,686,354/female 3,592,662) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 235,478/female 235,756) (2005 est.)	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	corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; sheep, goats, pigs	bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments
Airports	404 (2004 est.)	43 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2004 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: 387 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 186 under 914 m: 196 (2004 est.)	total: 38 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 390,580 sq km land: 386,670 sq km water: 3,910 sq km	total: 22,966 sq km land: 22,806 sq km water: 160 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than Montana	slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Background	The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated the country's political system since independence. His chaotic land redistribution campaign begun in 2000 caused an exodus of white farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection. Opposition and labor groups launched general strikes in 2003 to pressure MUGABE to retire early; security forces continued their brutal repression of regime opponents.	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	29.74 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)	29.34 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $1.325 billion expenditures: $1.593 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)	revenues: $244.5 million expenditures: $300 million, including capital expenditures of $70 million (2004 est.)
Capital	Harare	Belmopan
Climate	tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)	tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)	386 km
Constitution	21 December 1979	21 September 1981
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe conventional short form: Zimbabwe former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Belize former: British Honduras
Death rate	24.66 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)	6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$4.086 billion (2004 est.)	$1.362 billion (June 2004 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph G. SULLIVAN embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594 FAX: [263] (4) 796488	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	chief of mission: Ambassador Simbi Veke MUBAKO chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100 FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326	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	Botswana has built electric fences and South Africa has placed military along the border to stem the flow of thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing to find work and escape political persecution; Namibia has supported and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river	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	$178 million; note - the EU and the US provide food aid on humanitarian grounds (2000 est.)	NA
Economy - overview	The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable fiscal deficit, an overvalued exchange rate, soaring inflation, and bare shelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF has been suspended because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals. Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 133% at the end of 2004, while the exchange rate fell from 24 Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar to 6,200 in the same time period. The government's land reform program, characterized by chaos and violence, has badly damaged the commercial farming sector, the traditional source of exports and foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs.	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	11.22 billion kWh (2002)	108.8 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2002)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	3 billion kWh (2002)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	8.839 billion kWh (2002)	117 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m
Environment - current issues	deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution	deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection 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 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and Asian 1%, white less than 1%	mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7%
Exchange rates	Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 4,303.28 (2004), 697.424 (2003), 55.036 (2002), 55.052 (2001), 44.418 (2000) note: these are official exchange rates, non-official rates vary significantly	Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000)
Executive branch	chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each province) and elected by popular vote for a 6-year term; election last held 9-11 March 2002 (next to be held March 2008); co-vice presidents appointed by the president election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9%	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	NA
Exports - commodities	cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing	sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
Exports - partners	South Africa 31.5%, Switzerland 7.4%, UK 7.3%, China 6.1%, Germany 4.3% (2004)	US 37.2%, UK 26.8%, Jamaica 4.6% (2004)
Fiscal year	calendar year	1 April - 31 March
Flag description	seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird representing the long history of the country is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which symbolizes peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral wealth, red - blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native people	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: 18.1% industry: 24.3% services: 57.7% (2004 est.)	agriculture: 17.7% industry: 15% services: 67.3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)	purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-8.2% (2004 est.)	3.5% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates	20 00 S, 30 00 E	17 15 N, 88 45 W
Geography - note	landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water	only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean
Highways	total: 18,338 km paved: 8,692 km unpaved: 9,646 km (1999 est.)	total: 2,872 km paved: 488 km unpaved: 2,384 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 1.97% highest 10%: 40.42% (1995)	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs	transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines destined for the South African and European markets	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	NA
Imports - commodities	machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals, fuels	machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco
Imports - partners	South Africa 46.9%, Botswana 3.6%, UK 3.4% (2004)	US 30.1%, Mexico 12%, Guatemala 7.4%, Cuba 7.2%, China 4.2%, Japan 4.1% (2004)
Independence	18 April 1980 (from UK)	21 September 1981 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate	-7.8% (2004 est.)	4.6% (1999)
Industries	mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel, wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages	garment production, food processing, tourism, construction
Infant mortality rate	total: 67.69 deaths/1,000 live births male: 70.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 64.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)	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)	133% (2004 est.)	2.9% (2004 est.)
International organization participation	ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO	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
Irrigated land	1,170 sq km (1998 est.)	30 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court; High Court	Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister)
Labor force	4.23 million (2004 est.)	90,000 note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 66%, industry 10%, services 24% (1996)	agriculture 27%, industry 18%, services 55% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 3,066 km border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km	total: 516 km border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
Land use	arable land: 8.32% permanent crops: 0.34% other: 91.34% (2001)	arable land: 2.85% permanent crops: 1.71% other: 95.44% (2001)
Languages	English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects	English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole
Legal system	mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law	English law
Legislative branch	unicameral House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by popular vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by provincial governors appointed by the president) elections: last held 31 March 2005 (next to be held NA 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 59.6%, MDC 39.5%, other 0.9%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 78, MDC 41, Independents 1	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: 39.13 years male: 40.2 years female: 38.03 years (2005 est.)	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 English total population: 90.7% male: 94.2% female: 87.2% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.1% male: 94.1% female: 94.1% (2003 est.)
Location	Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia	Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
Map references	Africa	Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)	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 branches	Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ), Zimbabwe Republic Police (2005)	Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$217 million (2004)	$18 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	4.3% (2004)	2% (2003)
National holiday	Independence Day, 18 April (1980)	Independence Day, 21 September (1981)
Nationality	noun: Zimbabwean(s) adjective: Zimbabwean	noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean
Natural hazards	recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare	frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south)
Natural resources	coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals	arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population negligible migrant(s)/1,000 population note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2005 est.)	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines	refined products 261 km (2004)	-
Political parties and leaders	Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI]; National Alliance for Good Governance or NAGG [Shakespeare MAYA]; United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga [Wilson KUMBULA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE]; Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA]	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	National Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU]; Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition [Brian KAGORO]; Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions or ZCTU [Lovemore MATOMBO]	Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Adele CATZIM]
Population	12,746,990 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.)	279,457 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	70% (2002 est.)	33% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate	0.51% (2005 est.)	2.33% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	Binga, Kariba	Belize City
Radio broadcast stations	AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)	AM 1, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways	total: 3,077 km narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2004)	-
Religions	syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%	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: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)	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	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed but unused main lines domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns and for some of the smaller ones international: country code - 263; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru)	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	300,900 (2003)	33,300 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	379,100 (2003)	60,400 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	16 (1997)	2 (1997)
Terrain	mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east	flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
Total fertility rate	3.54 children born/woman (2005 est.)	3.68 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	70% (2002 est.)	12.9% (2003)
Waterways	on Lake Kariba, length small (2003)	825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2004)

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