Country Profile: Belize

Geography

East of Guatemala and just south of Mexico.

Government

Independence from Britain: 1981. Member of Commonwealth. Parliamentary Democracy. Chief of State: Queen Elizabeth II. Head of government (2005): Prime Minister Said Wilbert Musa. Bicameral legislature.

Background

According to the CIA Factbook the country remains plagued by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, and increasing urban crime.

Economy

Figures unless otherwise stated are from the CIA Factbook.

Factbook: "In this small, essentially private-enterprise economy, tourism is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by exports of marine products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas, and garments."

Estimated per capita GDP (2009 U.S. dollars)

2009: $8,100 (ranks just above Thailand)
2008: $8,400
2007: $8,400

GDP annual growth rate

2009: -1.5%
2008: 2.16%
2007: 1.2%

Unemployment rate

2008: 8.1%.

Population

Living in an urban area: 52% (2008)

July 2009: 307,899. Growth rate: 2.154% (ranks 47th)
July 2008: 301,270
July 2005: 279,457

Density measured in 2005: 12.6 persons per square kilometer.

Health

Infant mortality (deaths before the age of one year per 1,000 live births)

2009: 23.07
2008: 23.65
2005: 25.69

life expectancy at birth:
2009: 68.2
2008: 68.19
2005: 67.49

Living with HIV/AIDS, ages 15 to 49: 2.4percent (2003)

SOURCES:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/