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references:

      Central America and the Caribbean

      Area:

      total: 22,966 sq km land: 22,806 sq km water: 160 sq km

      Area - comparative:

      slightly smaller than Massachusetts

      Land boundaries:

      total: 516 km border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

      Coastline:

      386 km

      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

      Climate:

      tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)

      Terrain:

      flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

      Elevation extremes:

      lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Doyle's Delight 1,160 m

      Natural resources:

      arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

      Land use:

      arable land: 3.05% permanent crops: 1.39% other: 95.56% (2005)

      Irrigated land:

      30 sq km (2003)

      Total renewable water resources:

      18.6 cu km (2000)

      Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

      total: 0.15 cu km/yr (7%/73%/20%) per capita: 556 cu m/yr (2000)

      Natural hazards:

      frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south)

      Environment - current issues:

      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, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

      Geography - note:

      only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean

      People

       Belize

      Population:

      301,270 (July 2008 est.)

      Age structure:

      0–14 years: 38.4% (male 58,987/female 56,674) 15–64 years: 58.1% (male 88,521/female 86,450) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 5,095/female 5,543) (2008 est.)

      Median age:

      total: 20.1 years male: 20 years female: 20.3 years (2008 est.)

      Population growth rate:

      2.207% (2008 est.)

      Birth rate:

      27.84 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

      Death rate:

      5.77 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

      Net migration rate:

      NA (2008 est.)

      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: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

      total: 23.65 deaths/1,000 live births male: 26.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth:

      total population: 68.19 years male: 66.39 years female: 70.08 years (2008 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

      3.44 children born/woman (2008 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

      2.4% (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

      3,600 (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

      fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

      Major infectious diseases:

      degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)

      Nationality:

      noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean

      Ethnic groups:

      mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7% (2000 census)

      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)

      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)

      Literacy:

      definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.9% male: 76.7% female: 77.1% (2000 census)

      School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

      total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2004)

      Education expenditures:

      5.3% of GDP (2004)

      Government

       Belize

      Country name:

      conventional long form: none conventional short form: Belize former: British Honduras

      Government type:

      parliamentary democracy

      Capital:

      name: Belmopan geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 46 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

      Administrative divisions:

      6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo

      Independence:

      21 September 1981 (from UK)

      National holiday:

      Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

      Constitution:

      21 September 1981

      Legal system:

      English law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

      Suffrage:

      18 years of age; universal

      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

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