The 1997 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,

       IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),

       ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO,

       WMO, WTrO

      Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James S. MURPHY chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332–9636 FAX : [1] (202) 332–6888 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York

      Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador George Charles BRUNO embassy : Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Unit 7401, APO AA 34025 telephone: [501] (2) 77161 through 77163 FAX: [501] (2) 30802

      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

      Economy

      Economy - overview: The small, essentially private enterprise economy is based primarily on agriculture, agro-based industry, and merchandising, with tourism and construction assuming increasing importance. Agriculture accounts for about 20% of GDP and provides 75% of export earnings, while sugar, the chief crop, accounts for almost 40% of hard currency earnings. The US, Belize's main trading partner, is assisting in efforts to reduce dependency on sugar with an agricultural diversification program.

      GDP: purchasing power parity - $649 million (1996 est.)

      GDP - real growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)

      GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,960 (1996 est.)

      GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 27% services : 53% (1995 est.)

      Inflation rate - consumer price index: 6.4% (1996 est.)

      Labor force: total : 51,500 by occupation: agriculture 30%, services 16%, government 15.4%, commerce 11.2%, manufacturing 10.3% note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (1985)

      Unemployment rate: 15% (1996 est.)

      Budget: revenues: $140 million expenditures: $180 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY96/97 est.)

      Industries: garment production, food processing, tourism, construction

      Industrial production growth rate: 3.7% (1990)

      Electricity - capacity: 34,000 kW (1995)

      Electricity - production: NA kWh

      Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh

      Agriculture - products: bananas, coca, citrus, sugarcane; lumber; fish, cultured shrimp

      Exports: total value: $204 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: sugar, citrus fruits, bananas, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood partners : US 38%, UK, other EU (1994)

      Imports: total value: $264 million (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, food, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals partners : US 53%, UK, other EU, Mexico (1994)

      Debt - external: $192 million (1996 est.)

      Economic aid: recipient : ODA, $NA

      Currency: 1 Belizean dollar (Bz$) = 100 cents

      Exchange rates: Belizean dollars (Bz$) per US$1 - 2.00 (fixed rate)

      Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

      @Belize:Communications

      Telephones: 29,000 (1996 est.)

      Telephone system: above-average system domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay international : satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

      Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 8, shortwave 1

      Radios: NA

      Television broadcast stations: 2

      Televisions: 27,048 (1993 est.)

      @Belize:Transportation

      Railways: 0 km

      Highways: total: 2,770 km paved: 521 km unpaved : 2,249 km (1995 est.)

      Waterways: 825 km river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally navigable

      Ports and harbors: Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda

      Merchant marine: total: 166 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,592,846 GRT/1,087,555 DWT ships by type: bulk 17, cargo 117, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 13, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 (1996 est.)

      Airports: 35 (1996 est.)

      Airports - with paved runways: total : 25 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 24 (1996 est.)

      Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 (1996 est.)

      Military

      Military branches: Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Navy, Air

       Force, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police

      Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

      Military manpower - availability: males age 15–49: 54,163 (1997 est.)

      Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 32,176 (1997 est.)

      Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males : 2,471 (1997 est.)

      Military expenditures - dollar figure: $8.1 million (FY95/96)

      Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

      Transnational Issues

      Disputes - international: border with Guatemala in dispute; talks to resolve the dispute are ongoing

      Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; minor money-laundering center ______________________________________________________________________

      BENIN

      @Benin:Geography

      Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between

       Nigeria and Togo

      Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N, 2 15 E

      Map references: Africa

      Area: total: 112,620 sq km land: 110,620 sq km water: 2,000 sq km

      Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

      Land boundaries:

       total: 1,989 km

       border countries : Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km,

       Togo 644 km

      Coastline: 121 km

      Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm

      Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

      Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

      Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Tanekas 641 m

      Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

      Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 31% other: 48% (1993 est.)

      Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1993 est.)

      Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan