 .BZ - Belize
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.BZ anyone can register.
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1 Year at 29.95
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Background: |
Territorial disputes between
the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize (formerly British
Honduras) until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until
1992. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. The country remains
plagued by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American
drug trade, and increasing urban crime. |
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Location: |
Central America, bordering the
Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico |
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Geographic coordinates: |
17 15 N, 88 45 W |
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Map references: |
Central America and the
Caribbean |
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Area: |
total: 22,966 sq km
land: 22,806 sq km
water: 160 sq km |
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Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than
Massachusetts |
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Land boundaries: |
total: 516 km
border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km |
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Coastline: |
386 km |
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
in the north, 3 nm in the south; note - from the mouth of the Sarstoon
River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's territorial sea is 3 nm; according to
Belize's Maritime Areas Act, 1992, the purpose of this limitation is to
provide a framework for negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial
differences with Guatemala
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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Climate: |
tropical; very hot and humid;
rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May) |
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Terrain: |
flat, swampy coastal plain; low
mountains in south |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Caribbean
Sea 0 m
highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m |
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Natural resources: |
arable land potential, timber,
fish, hydropower |
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Land use: |
arable land: 2.85%
permanent crops: 1.71%
other: 95.44% (2001) |
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Irrigated land: |
30 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards: |
frequent, devastating
hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south)
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Environment - current issues: |
deforestation; water pollution
from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage
waste disposal |
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Environment - international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the
selected agreements |
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Geography - note: |
only country in Central America
without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean |
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Population: |
279,457 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure: |
0-14 years: 40.1% (male
57,114/female 54,877)
15-64 years: 56.4% (male 79,694/female
77,881)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,768/female 5,123) (2005
est.) |
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Median age: |
total: 19.35 years
male: 19.21 years
female: 19.49 years (2005 est.)
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Population growth rate: |
2.33% (2005 est.) |
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Birth rate: |
29.34 births/1,000 population
(2005 est.) |
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Death rate: |
6.04 deaths/1,000 population
(2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.05
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64
years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93
male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005
est.) |
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Infant mortality rate: |
total: 25.69
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 28.97 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 67.49
years
male: 65.02 years
female: 70.08 years (2005
est.) |
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Total fertility rate: |
3.68 children born/woman (2005
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
2.4% (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
3,600 (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
less than 200 (2003 est.)
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Nationality: |
noun: Belizean(s)
adjective: Belizean |
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Ethnic groups: |
mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%,
Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7% |
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Religions: |
Roman Catholic 49.6%,
Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican 5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist
5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist 3.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other
14%, none 9.4% (2000) |
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Languages: |
English (official), Spanish,
Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 94.1%
male: 94.1%
female: 94.1% (2003 est.)
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Country name: |
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form: Belize
former: British
Honduras |
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Government type: |
parliamentary democracy |
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Capital: |
Belmopan |
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Administrative divisions: |
6 districts; Belize, Cayo,
Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo |
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Independence: |
21 September 1981 (from UK)
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National holiday: |
Independence Day, 21 September
(1981) |
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Constitution: |
21 September 1981 |
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Legal system: |
English law |
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch: |
chief of state: Queen
ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir
Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17 November 1993)
head of
government: Prime Minister Said Wilbert MUSA (since 28 August 1998);
Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September 1998)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the
advice of the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is
hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following
legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of
the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor
general; prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister |
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Legislative branch: |
bicameral National Assembly
consists of the Senate (12 members appointed by the governor general - six
on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of
the opposition, and one each on the advice of the Belize Council of
Churches and Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of
Commerce and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the
National Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee;
members are appointed for five-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives -
last held 5 March 2003 (next to be held March 2008)
election
results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PUP 21, UDP
8 |
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Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court (the chief
justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime
minister) |
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Political parties and leaders: |
People's United Party or PUP
[Said MUSA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Dean BARROW, party leader;
Douglas SINGH, party chairman] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
Society for the Promotion of
Education and Research or SPEAR [Adele CATZIM] |
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International organization participation: |
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO,
G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Lisa M. SHOMAN
chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
consulate(s) general: Los
Angeles |
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Russell F. FREEMAN
embassy: 29 Gabourel Lane, Belize
City
mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Belize City
telephone: [501] 227-7161 through 7163
FAX: [501]
2-30802 |
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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 |
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Economy - overview: |
In this small, essentially
private enterprise economy the tourism industry is the number one foreign
exchange earner followed by marine products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas,
and garments. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies,
initiated in September 1998, led to sturdy GDP growth averaging nearly 6%
in 1999-2004. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit and
foreign debt. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty
with the help of international donors. |
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GDP: |
purchasing power parity -
$1.778 billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate: |
3.5% (2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$6,500 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 17.7%
industry: 15%
services: 67.3% (2003 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed): |
33.6% of GDP (2004 est.) |
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Population below poverty line: |
33% (1999 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
2.9% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force: |
90,000
note:
shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2001 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture 27%, industry 18%,
services 55% (2001 est.) |
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Unemployment rate: |
12.9% (2003) |
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Budget: |
revenues: $244.5 million
expenditures: $300 million, including capital expenditures of
$70 million (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products: |
bananas, coca, citrus, sugar;
fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments |
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Industries: |
garment production, food
processing, tourism, construction |
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Industrial production growth rate: |
4.6% (1999) |
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Electricity - production: |
117 million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 59.9%
hydro: 40.1%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
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Electricity - consumption: |
108.8 million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports: |
0 kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - imports: |
0 kWh (2002) |
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Oil - production: |
0 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption: |
5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - exports: |
NA |
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Oil - imports: |
NA |
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Current account balance: |
$-115 million (2004 est.)
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Exports: |
$401.4 million f.o.b. (2004
est.) |
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Exports - commodities: |
sugar, bananas, citrus,
clothing, fish products, molasses, wood |
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Exports - partners: |
US 36.8%, UK 28.5%, Thailand
3.6% (2004) |
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Imports: |
$579.9 million f.o.b. (2004
est.) |
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Imports - commodities: |
machinery and transport
equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food,
beverages, tobacco |
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Imports - partners: |
US 32.7%, Mexico 14.4%, Cuba
6.5%, Japan 4.7% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |
$111.1 million (2004 est.)
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Debt - external: |
$1.362 billion (June 2004 est.)
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Economic aid - recipient: |
NA |
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Currency: |
Belizean dollar (BZD) |
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Currency code: |
BZD |
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Exchange rates: |
Belizean dollars per US dollar
- 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000) |
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Fiscal year: |
1 April - 31 March
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
33,300 (2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
60,400 (2003) |
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Telephone system: |
general assessment:
above-average system
domestic: trunk network depends primarily
on microwave radio relay
international: country code - 501;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 1, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)
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Radios: |
133,000 (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
2 (1997) |
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Televisions: |
41,000 (1997) |
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Internet country code: |
.bz |
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Internet hosts: |
2,613 (2003) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
2 (2000) |
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Internet users: |
30,000 (2002) |
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Highways: |
total: 2,872 km
paved: 488 km
unpaved: 2,384 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways: |
825 km (navigable only by small
craft) (2004) |
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Ports and harbors: |
Belize City, Big Creek,
Corozal, Punta Gorda |
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Merchant marine: |
total: 295 ships (1,000
GRT or over) 1,015,270 GRT/1,336,890 DWT
by type: bulk carrier
25, cargo 207, chemical tanker 9, container 6, passenger/cargo 6,
petroleum tanker 20, refrigerated cargo 17, roll on/roll off 5
foreign-owned: 142 (Australia 2, Belgium 1, China 50, Cuba 1,
Cyprus 1, Estonia 9, Germany 4, Hong Kong 6, Indonesia 3, Italy 2, Japan
5, Latvia 4, Malaysia 1, Nigeria 1, Pakistan 1, Poland 2, Russia 23,
Singapore 5, South Korea 6, Spain 3, Switzerland 1, Turkey 2, Ukraine 4,
UAE 3, United States 2) (2005) |
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Airports: |
43 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 5
1,524 to
2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2
(2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 38
2,438
to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 26
(2004 est.) |
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Military branches: |
Belize Defense Force (BDF):
Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard |
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Military manpower - military age and obligation: |
18 years of age for voluntary
military service; laws allow for conscription only if volunteers are
insufficient; conscription has never been implemented; volunteers
typically outnumber available positions by 3:1 (2001) |
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Military manpower - availability: |
males age 18-49: 60,750
(2005 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 18-49: 41,368
(2005 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age
annually: |
males: 3,209 (2005 est.)
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Military expenditures - dollar figure: |
$18 million (2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
2% (2003) |
| Transnational Issues |
Belize |
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Disputes - international: |
Guatemalan squatters continue
to settle in the largely uninhabited rain forests of Belize's border
region; OAS is attempting to revive the 2002 failed Differendum that
created a small adjustment to land boundary, a Guatemalan maritime
corridor in Caribbean, joint ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays,
and substantial US-UK financial package |
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Illicit drugs: |
major transshipment point for
cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of cannabis for the international
drug trade; money-laundering activity related to narcotics trafficking and
offshore sector |
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