2 General profile of Belize

Principal source referred to: Abstracts of Statistics, Belize. Central Statistical Office, 1998 and 1999 Reports.

Geographic co-ordinates: 15°53´ - 18°30´N; 87°15´ - 89°15´W.

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: Total: 46 620 km²

Land: 22 960 km²(8 867 sq. miles)

Water: 16 660 km² (territorial sea)

Location: Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea between Mexico and Guatemala.

Land boundaries: Total 426 km, approximately

Border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 160 km

Coastline: 230 km

Maritime claims: Continental Shelf – in accordance with the UN Law of the Sea Conference.

Exclusive Economic Zone – 200 miles in accordance with the Maritimes Act, 1992.

Territorial Sea – 12 miles in the north, 3 miles in the south.

Climate: Subtropical; temperatures cooler in the higher elevations.

Terrain: Coastal Plain up to 50 km wide north of the Belize River, narrowing considerably to the south; rolling limestone plateau to the northwest; the Maya Mountains in south-central Belize.

Elevation extremes: Lowest point – 12 inches below sea level in Belize City

Highest point – 1124 m at Doyles Delight.

Natural resources: Land; water; forests; coastal and marine; minerals such as gold, silver and other precious metals and petroleum, although development of these is very limited.

Land use:

Table 1. Land use in Belize 1985.

Source: Agricultural Census 1984-85

Irrigated land: 45 272 acres (18 321 hectares) (1998)

Natural hazards: Tropical storms, hurricanes, wildfires, lightning storms, occasional floods.

Environment: Water pollution, deforestation, hydroelectric dam construction, solid waste, land use.

International agreements: (See Annex 1)

Geography–harbours: Belize City; Commerce Bight Pier; Big Creek; Punta Gorda.

Population: 243 390 (April 1999 estimate)

Age structure: 0-14 years:	41%		(male 50 275, female 48 400)
15-64 years:	54%		(male 64 915, female 67 195)
65 years and over:	5%		(male 6 375, female 6 230)

Population growth rate: 3.4% per annum (April 1999 estimate)

Birth rate: 25.1/1000 population (1998 estimate)

Death rate: 5.7/1000 population (1998 estimate)

Sex ratio:

At birth: 1.04 male(s)/female (1998 estimate)

Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female (1999 estimate)

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 estimate)

65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 estimate)

Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 estimate)

Infant mortality rate: 144 deaths/1000 live births (1998 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth:

Total population 71.87 (1991 estimate)

Male 69.95 (1991 estimate)

Female 74.07 (1991 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 3.2 children born/woman (1992 estimate)

Nationality:

Noun: Belizean(s)

Adjective: Belizean

Ethnic groups:

Religions:

Languages: Official: English

Other: Spanish, Garifuna, Mayan, East Indian

Literacy: (definitions based on Formal education – 7 or 8 years at primary level or from secondary level up)

Total population	75.1%	(1996)
Male	74.9%	(1996)
Female	75.3%	(1996)

Country name:

English: Belize

Spanish: Belice

Data code: BZ

Government type: Parliamentary system – Westminster model – National Assembly with a House of Representatives and a Senate.

Capital: Belmopan

Administrative divisions: Six districts – Belize, Corozal, Orange Walk, Cayo, Stann Creek, and Toledo.

Independence: September 21^st, 1981

Constitution: Approved September 20^th, 1981, effective September 21^st, 1981.

Legal system: Common law system – House of Representatives approves legislation that is ratified by the Senate. The Judicial Branch consists of the Supreme Court of Justice and magistrates for each district.

Suffrage: Universal adult suffrage – 18 years of age

Economy: Industries: food processing, garments, flour, fertilizer, cigarettes, beer, soft drinks, batteries, nails and roofing.

Export crops: sugar, bananas, molasses, citrus concentrate, papayas, marine products

Food crops: corn, beans, rice, potatoes, root crops

Forestry data

The Land Information Center (LIC) of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Environment and Industry, which includes the Forest Department, estimates that Belize’s forest cover is about 17 213 km² or about 79% of the land area.

Protected Areas account for about 42%, which include Forest Reserves, National Parks, Nature Reserves, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Natural Monuments, Archaeological Reserves, Marine Reserves and private protected areas.

Only 14% of Belize’s land area has potential for timber production. During the period 1989/1992 to 1994 approximately 78 100 hectares of forest were cleared or about 10 000 to 12 000 hectares per year. In 1996 approximately 26 000 hectares were cleared.

Forestry sector

Key forest export products include timber, furniture, doors and some non-timber forest products (e.g. orchids).

The Land Information Center (LIC, 1994) reports the following forest information.

Table 2. Forest classes, areas and percentages for Belize mainland (LIC, 1994).