Country Info:
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Belize Location:
Capital Belmopan
17°152 N, 88°462 W
Largest city Belize City
Belize Geography:
Belize is located between the Hondo and Sarstoon Rivers, with the Belize River flowing down in the centre of the country. The north of Belize consists mostly of flat, swampy coastal plains, in places heavily forested. The flora is highly diverse considering the small geographical area. The south contains the low mountain range of the Maya Mountains. The highest point in Belize is Doyle's Delight at 1,124 m. (3,688 feet).[5] The Caribbean coast is lined with a coral reef and some 450 islets and islands known locally as cayes (pronounced "keys"), forming the approximately 200 mile (322 km) long Belize Barrier Reef, the longest in the western hemisphere and the second longest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef. Three of the four coral atolls in the Western Hemisphere are also located off the coast of Belize. Belize is also the only Central American country without a coast on the Pacific Ocean.
The climate is tropical and generally very hot and humid. The rainy season lasts from May to November and hurricanes and floods are frequent natural hazards.
Belize People:
Population
- (July 2007 est.) estimate 294,385 (179th2)
- Density 12 /km2 (203rd2)
31 /sq mi
Belize Government:
Government Commonwealth Realm
- Monarch Elizabeth II
- Governor-General Colville Young
- Prime Minister Said Musa
Belize Economy:
According to the CIA World Factbook Belize has the highest unemployment rate in Central America at 9.4%. The population living in poverty is at 33.5%, however, the government will invest close to $4.2 million in projects targeted at poverty alleviation across Belize.
The small, essentially private enterprise economy is based primarily on agriculture, agro-based industry, and merchandising, with tourism and construction assuming greater importance. Sugar, the chief crop, accounts for nearly half of exports, while the banana industry is the country's largest employer. Citrus production has become a major industry along the Hummingbird Highway. More recently, discoveries of petroleum deposits in the Cayo District and possible deposits in the Toledo District have radically altered Belize's previously untapped mining and manufacturing capabilities.
The ruling government's big monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to GDP growth of 6.4% in 1999 and 10.5% in 2000. Growth decelerated in 2001 to 3% due to the global slowdown and severe hurricane damage to agriculture, fishing and tourism. Growth was in 2005 3.8%. Major concerns continue to be the rapidly expanding trade deficit and foreign debt. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international donors.
Belize More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belize |
