OFFICIAL NAME:
Belize

Geography
Area: 22,966 sq. km. (8,867 sq. mi.); slightly larger than Massachusetts.
Cities: Capital--Belmopan (2000 pop. est. 8,305) Other cities and towns--Belize
City (54,125), Corozal (8,075), Orange Walk (13,795), San Ignacio &

Santa Elena (13,545), Dangriga (9.020), Punta Gorda (4,425), and San
Pedro (4,965).
Terrain: Flat and swampy coastline, low mountains in interior.
Climate:
Subtropical (dry and wet seasons). Hot and humid. Rainfall ranges from
60 inches in the north to 200 inches in the south annually.

People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Belizean(s).
Population (2003 est.): 266,440.
Annual growth rate (2003 est.): 2.44%.
Ethnic groups: Creole, Garifuna, Mestizo, Mayan.
Religions: Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, other Protestant, Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist.
Languages: English (official), Creole, Spanish, Garifuna, Mayan.
Education: Years compulsory--9. Attendance--60%. Literacy--76%.
Health: (1998): Infant mortality rate—27.07/1,000. Life expectancy—67.4 years.
Work force (April 2001, 96,100): Services--50.8%. Agriculture, hunting, forestry, and fishing--27.2%. Industry and commerce--17.8%. Other--4.2%.

Government
Type: Parliamentary democracy
Independence: September 21, 1981.
Constitution: September 21, 1981.
Branches: Executive--British monarch (head of state), represented by a governor general; prime minister (head of government, 5-year term). Legislative--bicameral National Assembly. Judicial--Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, district magistrates.
Subdivisions: Six districts.
Political parties: People's United Party (PUP), United Democratic Party (UDP), National Alliance for Belizean Rights (NABR).
Suffrage: Universal adult.

Economy
GDP (2003): $1.28 billion.
Annual growth rate (2002): 4.4%; (2001): 4.6%.
Per capita income (2002): $3,237.
Avg. inflation rate (2002): 2.3%.
Natural resources: Arable land, timber, seafood, minerals.
Agriculture (12.7% of GDP): Products--sugar, citrus fruits and juices, bananas, mangoes, papayas, honey, corn, beans, rice, cattle.
Industry (14% of GDP): Types--clothing, fruit processing, beverages.
Tourism (22% of GDP): Tourist arrivals (2002)--199,493.
Trade: Exports (2002)--$294.5 million: cane sugar, clothing, citrus concentrate, lobster, fish, banana, and farmed shrimp. Major markets--U.S. (54.5%), U.K., CARICOM. Imports (2002)--$526.8 million: food, consumer goods, building materials, vehicles, machinery, petroleum products. Major suppliers--U.S.
(60%), Mexico, U.K. Official exchange rate: Since 1976 Belizean banks
have bought U.S. dollars at the rate of 2.0175 and sold them at 1.9825,
making for an effective fixed rate of Belize $2=U.S. $1.

PEOPLE
Belize
is the most sparsely populated nation in Central America. It is larger
than El Salvador and compares in size to the State of Massachusetts.
Slightly more than half of the population lives in rural areas. About
one-fourth live in Belize City, the principal port, commercial center,
and former capital.

Most Belizeans are of multiracial
descent. About 46.4% of the population is of mixed Mayan and European
descent (Mestizo); 27.7% are of African and Afro-European (Creole)
ancestry; about 10% are Mayan; and about 6.4% are Afro-Amerindian
(Garifuna). The remainder, about 9.5%, includes European, East Indian,
Chinese, Middle Eastern, and North American groups.

English, the official language, is
spoken by virtually all except the refugees who arrived during the past
decade. Spanish is the native tongue of about 50% of the people and is
spoken as a second language by another 20%. The various Mayan groups
still speak their indigenous languages, and an English Creole dialect
(or "Kriol" in the new orthography), similar to the Creole dialects of
the English-speaking Caribbean Islands, is spoken by most. The rate of
functional literacy is 76%. About 60% of the population is Roman
Catholic; the Anglican Church and other Protestant Christian groups
account for most of the remaining 40%. Mennonite settlers number about
7,160.

HISTORY
The
Mayan civilization spread into the area of Belize between 1500 BC and
AD 300 and flourished until about AD 1200. Several major archeological
sites--notably Caracol, Lamanai, Lubaantun, Altun Ha, and
Xunantunich--reflect the advanced civilization and much denser
population of that period. European contact began in 1502 when
Christopher Columbus sailed along the coast. The first recorded
European settlement was established by shipwrecked English seamen in
1638. Over the next 150 years, more English settlements were
established. This period also was marked by piracy, indiscriminate
logging, and sporadic attacks by Indians and neighboring Spanish
settlements.

Great Britain first sent an official
representative to the area in the late 18th century, but Belize was not
formally termed the "Colony of British Honduras" until 1840. It became
a crown colony in 1862. Subsequently, several constitutional changes
were enacted to expand representative government. Full internal
self-government under a ministerial system was granted in January 1964.
The official name of the territory was changed from British Honduras to
Belize in June 1973, and full independence was granted on September 21,
1981.

GOVERNMENT
Belize
is a parliamentary democracy based on the Westminster model and is a
member of the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth II is head of state and is
represented in the country by Governor General Dr. Colville N. Young,
Sr., a Belizean and Belize's second governor general. The primary
executive organ of government is the cabinet, led by a prime minister
(head of government). Cabinet ministers are members of the majority
political party in parliament and usually hold elected seats in the
National Assembly concurrently with their cabinet positions.

The National Assembly
consists of a House of Representatives and a Senate. The 29 members of
the House are popularly elected to a maximum 5-year term. The governor
general appoints the Senate’s 12 members. Six are appointed in
accordance with the advice of the prime minister, 3 with the advice of
the leader of the opposition. The Belize Council of Churches and the
Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and
Industry and the Belize Business Bureau, and the National Trade Union
Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee each advise the
Governor General on the appointment of one senator each. The Senate is
headed by a president, who is a nonvoting member appointed by the
governing party.

Members of the independent
judiciary are appointed. The judicial system includes local
magistrates, the Supreme Court, and the Court of Appeal. Cases may,
under certain circumstances, be appealed to the Privy Council in
London. However, in 2001 Belize joined with most members of the
Caribbean Common Market (CARICOM) to work for the establishment of a
"Caribbean Court of Justice," which is expected to come into being in
the near future. The country is divided into six districts: Corozal,
Orange Walk, Belize, Cayo, Stann Creek, and Toledo.

POLITICAL CONDITIONS
Currently,
the Belize Government is controlled by the People's United Party (PUP),
which was elected to a second consecutive term in office on March 5,
2003. The PUP won 22 of the 29 seats in the House of Representatives,
while the United Democratic Party (UDP) won the other seven seats. Dean
Barrow is the leader of the opposition. The PUP has governed Belize
from 1998 to the present; the UDP from 1993-98; the PUP from 1989-1993;
and the UDP from 1984-89. Before 1984, the PUP had dominated the
electoral scene for more than 30 years and was the party in power when
Belize became independent in 1981.

Prime Minister Said Musa
has an ambitious plan to encourage economic growth while furthering
social-sector development. Belize traditionally maintains a deep
interest in the environment and sustainable development. A lack of
government resources seriously hampers these goals. On other fronts,
the government is working to improve its law enforcement capabilities.
A longstanding territorial dispute with Guatemala continues, although
cooperation between the two countries has increased in recent years
across a wide spectrum of common interests, including trade and
environment. Seeing itself as a bridge, Belize is actively involved
with the Caribbean nations of CARICOM, and also has taken steps to work
more closely with its Central American neighbors as a member of SICA
(Central American Integration System). On July 1, 2003 Belize assumed
the presidency of SICA for a 6-month period.

Principal Government Officials
Head of State--Queen Elizabeth II
Governor General--Sir Colville N. Young, Sr.
Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Defense, and the Public Service--Said Musa
Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Natural Resources, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance--John Briceño
Minister of Health and the Environment--Vildo Marin
Minister of Home Affairs and Investment--Ralph Fonseca
Minister of National Development--Assad Shoman
Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Enterprise--Mark Espat
Attorney General and Minister of Education and Culture, Youth and Sports--Francis Fonseca
Minister of Foreign Affairs and NEMO--Godfrey Smith
Minister of Works, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance--Jose Coye
Minister of Housing and Transport--Cordel Hyde
Minister of Local Government and Labor--Marcial Mes
Minister of Agriculture--Servulo Baeza
Minister of Human Development--Sylvia Flores
Minister of Foreign Trade--Eamon Courtenay
Minister of Fisheries, Cooperatives, and Commerce and Industry--Mike Espat
Minister of Energy and Communications--Ainslie Leslie

Ambassador to the United States and the OAS--Lisa Shoman
Ambassador to the United Nations--Stewart Leslie

Belize maintains an embassy
in the United States at 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20008 (tel: 202-332-9636; fax: 202-332-6888) and a consulate in Los
Angeles. Belize travel information office in New York City:
800-624-0686.

ECONOMY
Forestry
was the only economic activity of any consequence in Belize until well
into the 20th century when the supply of accessible timber began to
dwindle. Cane sugar then became the principal export. Exports have
recently been augmented by expanded production of citrus, bananas,
seafood, and apparel. The country has about 809,000 hectares of arable
land, only a small fraction of which is under cultivation. To curb land
speculation, the government enacted legislation in 1973 that requires
non-Belizeans to complete a development plan on land they purchase
before obtaining title to plots of more than 10 acres of rural land or
more than one-half acre of urban land.

Domestic industry is
limited, constrained by relatively high-cost labor and energy and a
small domestic market. The U.S. Embassy knows of some 185 U.S.
companies which have operations in Belize, including Archer Daniels
Midland, Texaco, and Esso. Tourism attracts the most foreign direct
investment, although significant U.S. investment also is found in the
energy and agriculture sectors. In addition, in March 2004, American
investor Jeffery Prosser of Innovative Communications Corporation
bought Belize Telecommunications Limited.

A combination of natural
factors--climate, the longest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere,
numerous islands, excellent fishing, safe waters for boating, jungle
wildlife, and Mayan ruins--support the thriving tourist industry.
Development costs are high, but the Government of Belize has designated
tourism as one of its major development priorities. In 2002, tourist
arrivals totaled 199,493 (more than 50% from the United States).

Belize's investment policy
is codified in the Belize Investment Guide, which sets out the
development priorities for the country. A country commercial guide for
Belize is available from the U.S. Embassy's Economic/Commercial section
and on the Web at: http://usembassy.state.gov/belize/wwwhinvestingbelize.html

Infrastructure
A
major constraint on the economic development of Belize continues to be
the scarcity of infrastructure investments. Although electricity,
telephone, and water utilities are all relatively good, Belize has the
most expensive electricity in the region, despite recent cuts in
commercial and industrial rates. Large tracts of land, which would be
suitable for development, are inaccessible due to lack of roads. Some
roads, including sections of major highways, are subject to damage or
closure during the rainy season. Ports in Belize City, Dangriga, and
Big Creek handle regularly scheduled shipping from the United States
and the United Kingdom, although draft is limited to a maximum of 10
feet in Belize City and 15 feet in southern ports. American Airlines,
Continental Airlines, U.S. Air, and TACA provide international air
service to gateways in Dallas, Houston, Miami, Charlotte, and San
Salvador.

Several capital projects
are either currently underway or were programmed to start in 2003. The
largest of these is a $15 million program aimed at supplying rural
areas with electricity, to be jointly implemented by the government and
the Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) company. In addition, the
government will continue to implement an Inter-American Development
Emergency Reconstruction Fund of $20 million aimed at restoring
essential services such as health and education facilities and
transportation networks to communities which were severely damaged by
Hurricane Keith in late September-early October 2000. The government
also will invest close to $4.2 million in projects targeted at poverty
alleviation across Belize.

The Ministry of Agriculture
and Fisheries, through the Belize Agricultural Health Authority,
continues to implement the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)-funded
Modernization of Agricultural Health Project. This $2.5 million project
seeks to improve the competitiveness of Belize's agricultural products
and thus enhance the ability of Belizean farmers and processors to
maintain and expand the sale of their high-quality products to foreign
markets.

The government will
continue investing $9.5 million in its health sector reform program, as
well as $9 million under the IDB-funded Land Management Project over
the next 2 years. The Belizean Government will spend close to $1.4
million in improving access to archaeological sites in Belize,
especially Caracol.

In addition, the Chalillo
Dam Project on the Macal River, proposed by Prime Minister Musa in
1999, has been underway for several years. The project aims to provide
Belize with an internal source of electricity.

Trade
Belize's
economic performance is highly susceptible to external market changes.
Although growth as high as 8.2% was achieved in 2000, this achievement
is vulnerable to world commodity price fluctuations and continuation of
preferential trading agreements, especially with the United States
(cane sugar) and the United Kingdom (bananas).

Belize continues to rely
heavily on foreign trade, with the United States as its number-one
trading partner. Imports in 2002 totaled $526.8 million, while total
exports were only $294.5 million. In 2002, the United States provided
60% of all Belizean imports and accounted for 54.5% of Belize's total
exports. Other major trading partners include the United Kingdom,
European Union, Canada, Mexico, and Caribbean Common Market (CARICOM)
member states.

Belize aims to stimulate
the growth of commercial agriculture through CARICOM. However, Belizean
trade with the rest of the Caribbean is small compared to that with the
United States and Europe. The country is a beneficiary of the Caribbean
Basin Initiative (CBI) program, which forms part of the U.S.-Caribbean
Basin Trade Partnership Act--signed into law by President Clinton on
May 8, 2000--a comprehensive U.S. Government program designed to
stimulate investment in Caribbean nations by providing duty-free access
to the U.S. market for most Caribbean products. Significant U.S.
private investments in citrus and shrimp farms have been made in Belize
under CBI. U.S. trade preferences allowing for duty-free re-import of
finished apparel cut from U.S. textiles have significantly expanded the
apparel industry. European Union (EU) and U.K. preferences also have
been vital for the expansion and prosperity of the sugar and banana
industries.

NATIONAL SECURITY
The
Belize Defense Force (BDF), established in January 1973, is comprised
of a light infantry force of regulars and reservists along with small
air and maritime wings. The BDF, currently under the command of
Brigadier General Cedric Borland, assumed total defense responsibility
from British Forces Belize (BFB) on January 1, 1994. The United Kingdom
continues to maintain the British Army Training Support Unit Belize
(BATSUB) to assist in the administration of the Belize Jungle School.
The BDF receives military assistance from the United States and the
United Kingdom.

FOREIGN RELATIONS
Belize's
principal external concern has been the dispute involving the
Guatemalan claim to Belizean territory. This dispute originated in
Imperial Spain's claim to all "New World" territories west of the line
established in the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494. Nineteenth-century
efforts to resolve the problems led to later differences over
interpretation and implementation of an 1859 treaty intended to
establish the boundaries between Guatemala and Belize, then named
British Honduras. Guatemala contends that the 1859 treaty is void
because the British failed to comply with all its economic assistance
clauses. Neither Spain nor Guatemala ever exercised effective
sovereignty over the area.

Negotiations have been
underway for many years, including one period in the 1960s in which the
U.S. Government sought unsuccessfully to mediate. A 1981 trilateral
(Belize, Guatemala, and the United Kingdom) "Heads of Agreement" was
not implemented due to continued contentions. Belize became independent
on September 21, 1981, with the territorial dispute unresolved.
Significant negotiations between Belize and Guatemala, with the United
Kingdom as an observer, resumed in 1988. Guatemala recognized Belize's
independence in 1991, and diplomatic relations were established.

Negotiations between Belize
and Guatemala were scheduled to resume on February 25, 2000, in Miami,
Florida, but were suspended due to a February 24, 2000 border incident
wherein a four-man Belize border patrol was taken into custody by a
larger Guatemalan patrol. Ten days later the men were released, but the
incident inflamed nationalistic passions on both sides. Further talks
were held March 14, 2000, between the two countries at the Organization
of American States (OAS) in Washington, DC, with the OAS Secretary
General present.

Eventually, on November 8,
2000 the two parties agreed to respect an "adjacency zone" extending
one kilometer east and west from the border. Around this time, the
Government of Guatemala insisted that the territorial claim was a legal
one and that the only possibility for a resolution was to submit the
case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). However, the
Government of Belize felt that taking the case to the ICJ or to
arbitration represented an unnecessary expense of time and money. So
the Belizean Government proposed an alternate process, one under the
auspices of the OAS. This process required that each country name a
facilitator and that both sides present their case to the facilitators
so that they could propose a just and durable solution. The
facilitation process, which started in September 2000 with the
appointment of the two facilitators at the OAS headquarters, concluded
on September 16, 2002, when both facilitators submitted their
recommendations for a solution to the Belize-Guatemala border dispute
to the OAS, Belize, and Guatemala. The facilitators' proposals have not
been submitted to referenda in either country. In August 2003, the
Government of Guatemala rejected the facilitators’ proposals, and so
the Guatemalan claim remains unresolved.

In order to strengthen its
potential for economic and political development, Belize has sought to
build closer ties with the Spanish-speaking countries of Central
America to complement its historical ties to the English-speaking
Caribbean states. For instance, Belize has joined the other Central
American countries in signing the Conjunta Centroamerica-USA (CONCAUSA)
agreement on regional sustainable development, and on July 1, 2003
assumed the presidency of SICA (Central American Integration System)
for a 6-month period. Belize is a member of CARICOM, which was founded
in 1973. It became a member of the OAS in 1990.

U.S.-BELIZEAN RELATIONS
The
United States and Belize traditionally have had close and cordial
relations. The United States is Belize's principal trading partner and
major source of investment funds. It is also home to the largest
Belizean community outside Belize, estimated to be 70,000 strong.
Because Belize's economic growth and accompanying democratic political
stability are important U.S. objectives, Belize benefits from the U.S.
Caribbean Basin Initiative.

International crime issues
dominate the agenda of bilateral relations between the United States
and Belize. The United States is working closely with the Government of
Belize to fight illicit narcotics trafficking, and both governments
seek to control the flow of illegal migrants to the United States
through Belize. Belize and the United States brought into force a
Stolen Vehicle Treaty, an Extradition Treaty, and a Mutual Legal
Assistance Treaty between 2001 and 2003.

The United States is the
largest provider of economic assistance to Belize, contributing about
$2.89 million in various bilateral economic and military aid programs
to Belize in FY 2002. Of this amount, nearly $2.3 million was provided
by the U.S. Military Liaison Office. The U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID) closed its Belize office in August 1996 after a
13-year program during which USAID provided $110 million worth of
development assistance to Belize. Belize still benefits from USAID
regional programs. In addition, during the past 42 years, almost 2,000
Peace Corps volunteers have served in Belize. As of May 2004, the Peace
Corps had 52 volunteers working in Belize. Until the end of 2002, Voice
of America operated a medium-wave radio relay station in Punta Gorda
that broadcast to the neighboring countries of Honduras, Guatemala, and
El Salvador. The U.S. military has a diverse and growing assistance
program in Belize that included the construction of seven schools and
four water wells by National Guard soldiers in Stann Creek District in
2000. Another "New Horizons" humanitarian project was conducted in
southern Belize in 2003. Private North American investors, responsible
for some $250 million total investment in Belize, continue to play a
key role in Belize's economy, particularly in the tourism sector.

Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador--Russell F. Freeman
Deputy Chief of Mission--Lloyd W. Moss
Economic/Political Officer--Edgar L. Embrey
Consul—vacant
Management Officer--D. Trent Dabney
Military Liaison Officer--LTC David T. Treleaven

The U.S. Embassy is located in Belize
City at the corner of Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street. The mailing
address is P.O. Box 286, Belize City, Belize, Central America: tel:
011-501- 227-7161 from the United States or 227-7161 locally; fax:
011-501-223-0802 Executive Office; 223-5321 Administrative Office;
227-1468 Economic/Commercial/Political Office; 223-5423 Consular
Section. E-mail address: embbelize@state.gov, Web site address: http://usembassy.state.gov/belize

Other useful contacts
Caribbean/Latin American Action
1818 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202-466-7464
Fax: 202-822-0075

U.S. Department of Commerce
International Trade Administration
Office of Latin American and the Caribbean
14th & Constitution, NW
Washington, DC 20230
Tel: 202-482-1658; 202-USA-TRADE
Fax: 202-482-0464

TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION
The
U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program provides
Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings, and Public Announcements.
Consular Information Sheets exist for all countries and include
information on entry requirements, currency regulations, health
conditions, areas of instability, crime and security, political
disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. posts in the country. Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Public Announcements
are issued as a means to disseminate information quickly about
terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas
that pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Free
copies of this information are available by calling the Bureau of
Consular Affairs at 202-647-5225 or via the fax-on-demand system:
202-647-3000. Consular Information Sheets and Travel Warnings also are
available on the Consular Affairs Internet home page: http://travel.state.gov.
Consular Affairs Tips for Travelers publication series, which contain
information on obtaining passports and planning a safe trip abroad, are
on the Internet and hard copies can be purchased from the
Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office,
telephone: 202-512-1800; fax 202-512-2250.

Emergency information concerning
Americans traveling abroad may be obtained from the Office of Overseas
Citizens Services at (202) 647-5225. For after-hours emergencies,
Sundays and holidays, call 202-647-4000.

The National Passport Information Center
(NPIC) is the U.S. Department of State's single, centralized public
contact center for U.S. passport information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT
(1-877-487-2778). Customer service representatives and operators for
TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern
Time, excluding federal holidays.

Travelers can check the latest health
information with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in
Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP (877-394-8747) and a web
site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm
give the most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or
requirements, and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions
and countries. A booklet entitled Health Information for International
Travel (HHS publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S.
Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800.

Information on travel conditions, visa
requirements, currency and customs regulations, legal holidays, and
other items of interest to travelers also may be obtained before your
departure from a country's embassy and/or consulates in the U.S. (for
this country, see "Principal Government Officials" listing in this
publication).

U.S. citizens who are long-term visitors or traveling in dangerous areas are encouraged to register their travel via the State Department’s travel registration web site at https://travelregistration.state.gov
or at the Consular section of the U.S. embassy upon arrival in a
country by filling out a short form and sending in a copy of their
passports. This may help family members contact you in case of an
emergency.


Tags: belize,


See Other Belize Articles...