The 1996 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

BRUNO

       embassy: Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City

       mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Belize City; APO: Unit 7401, APO AA

       34025

       telephone: [501] (2) 77161 through 77163

       FAX: [501] (2) 30802

      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

      Economy———

      Economic 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 30% 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 - $575 million (1994 est.)

      GDP real growth rate: 2% (1994 est.)

      GDP per capita: $2,750 (1994 est.)

      GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: NA services: NA (1995 est.)

      Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (1994 est.)

      Labor force: 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: 10% (1993 est.)

      Budget:

       revenues: $126.8 million

       expenditures: $123.1 million, including capital expenditures of

       $44.8 million (FY90/91 est.)

      Industries: garment production, food processing, tourism,

       construction

      Industrial production growth rate: 3.7% (1990)

      Electricity: capacity: 34,532 kW production: 110 million kWh consumption per capita: 490 kWh (1993)

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

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

      Exports: $115 million (f.o.b., 1993)

       commodities: sugar, citrus fruits, bananas, clothing, fish products,

       molasses, wood

       partners: US 38%, UK, other EC (1994)

      Imports: $281 million (c.i.f., 1993)

       commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, food,

       manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

       partners: US 53%, UK, other EC, Mexico (1994)

      External debt: $167.5 million (1992)

      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

      Transportation———————

      Railways: 0 km

      Highways: total: 2,560 km paved: 336 km unpaved: 2,224 km (1987 est.)

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

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

      Merchant marine:

       total: 89 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 311,731 GRT/470,272 DWT

       ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 60, container 6, liquefied gas tanker

       1, oil tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4,

       specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 (1995 est.)

      Airports:

       total: 35

       with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1

       with paved runways under 914 m: 25

       with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1

       with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 8 (1995 est.)

      Communications———————

      Telephones: 15,917 (1990 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 5, shortwave 1

      Radios: NA

      Television broadcast stations: 1

      Televisions: 27,048 (1993 est.)

      Defense———

      Branches: Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Navy, Air Force,

       and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police

      Manpower availability: males age 15–49: 52,290 males fit for military service: 31,086 males reach military age (18) annually: 2,390 (1996 est.)

      Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $8.1 million, NA% of GDP (FY95/96)

      ======================================================================

      @Benin——

      Map—

      Location: 9 30 N, 2 15 E—Western Africa, bordering the North

       Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo

      Flag——

      Description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red

       with a vertical green band on the hoist side

      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 area: 112,620 sq km

       land area: 110,620 sq km

       comparative area: 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

      International disputes: none

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

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

       mountains

       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: 12%

       permanent