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Belize
Belize
 
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Capital: Belmopan
Area size: 22800 sq. km Slightly larger than Wales
Time zone: GMT -6
Currency: Belize dollar
Area code: (+) 501
Driving: Right
Climate description: The climate is sub tropical, tempered by trade winds. Annual rainfall ranges from 1,290 mm (51in) in the north, to 4,450mm (175in) in the south.
 

People
Standard of living
Economy & aid
Health
Disasters, conflict & migration
Language
English (official) and Creole. Spanish is also spoken, as well as indigenous languages like Quiche and Garifuna.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population
2007 0.3 million U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006 0.3 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2005 0.3 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2004 0.3 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2003 0.3 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2002 0.3 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2001 0.3 million U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
0.5 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2006)

Ethnic groups
Spanish-Indian descendants 44 percent, Creole (mainly black) 30 percent, indigenous Mayan 11 percent, Garifuna (Black indigenous) 7 percent, white 4 percent
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Catholic (60 percent) and Protestant, including Anglican, Pentecostal and Methodist
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population
2007 48.7 percent U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006 48.5 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2005 48.3 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2004 48.1 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2003 48.0 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2002 47.9 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2001 47.8 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2000 47.7 percent U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1954
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
97 (2006)
Source: UNESCO

Percentage of population under 15
2005 37.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 37.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 37.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 27.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 38.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 38.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002


Average life expectancy
2005 75.9 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 71.8 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 71.9 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 71.4 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 71.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 74.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male
2005 73.1 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 69.5 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 69.5 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 70.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 70.2 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 72.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female
2005 79.1 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 74.4 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 74.5 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 73.1 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 73.4 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 75.4 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality
2006 14 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005 15 per 1,000 live births U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004 32 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003 33 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 34 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 34 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 34 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five
2006 16 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005 17 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004 39 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003 39 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 40 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Births attended by skilled personnel
1997-2005 83 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1996-2004 83 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003 83 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002 83 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001 No data available percent
1995-2000 No data available percent

Maternal mortality
2005 52 per 100,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000 140 per 100,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)
2005 80 UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 95 UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 91 UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 99 UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 67 UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 58 UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
2000-2006 7 percent UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
1996-2005 No data available percent
1996-2004 No data available percent
1995-2003 No data available percent
1995-2002 No data available percent
1995-2000 No data available percent

Percentage of undernourished population
2002-2004 average 4 percent U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average 5 percent FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.
Population with access to improved water
2006 No data available percent
2004 91 percent UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002 91 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000 92 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Population with access to improved sanitation
2006 No data available percent
2004 47 percent UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002 47 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000 50 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Literacy - average
2004 No data available percent
2003 76.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 76.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 93.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 93.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male
2004 No data available percent
2003 76.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 76.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 93.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 93.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female
2004 No data available percent
2003 77.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 77.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 93.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 93.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones
2007 118 per 1,000 people International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2008
2006 125 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2005 125 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2004 128 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2003 129 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2002 124 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2001 142 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2000 148 per 1,000 people ITU 2008

Cellular telephone subscribers
2007 411 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2006 441 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2005 443 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2004 347 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2003 233 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2002 204 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2001 158 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2000 69 per 1,000 people ITU 2008

Internet users
2007 111 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2006 109 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2005 96 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2004 61 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2003 62 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2002 62 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2001 62 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2000 62 per 1,000 people ITU 2008

Transparency International corruption ranking (1=least corrupt, 179=most corrupt)
2008 109 (joint) Transparency International 2008
2007 99 (joint) Transparency International 2007
2006 66 (joint) Transparency International
2005 62 (joint) Transparency International
2004 60 (joint) Transparency International
2003 46 (joint) Transparency International
2002 Not ranked
2001 Not ranked
2000 Not ranked

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

International humanitarian aid flows
Access the Financial Tracking Service, a global real-time database which records all reported humanitarian aid - including that for NGOs, the Red Cross/Crescent Movement, bilateral aid, in-kind aid and private donations - searchable by country.
Source: Financial Tracking Service, ReliefWeb

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
No data available percent

GNI per capita, Atlas method
2006 3740 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005 3570 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004 3520 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003 3410 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002 3160 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001 3070 current US$ WorldBankDataProfileTables2008
2000 3090 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country’s exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.
GDP
2006 1.2 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005 1.1 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004 1.1 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003 1.0 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002 0.9 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001 0.9 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000 0.8 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual GDP growth
2006 5.6  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005 3.1  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004 4.6  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003 9.3  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002 5.1  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001 4.9  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000 12.2  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation
2006 3.1  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005 2.5  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004 2.1  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003 -3.1  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002 1.8  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001 -0.2  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000 1.2  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
No data available

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
No data available

Physicians
2000-2004 105 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004 105 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003 102 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002 55 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
2007 2.1 percent U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2006 2.1 percent U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2005 2.1 percent U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2004 2.1 percent U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2003 2.1 percent U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008

Malaria
Risk from P.vivax exists within all districts but is highest in the southern region. No resistant P.falciparum strains reported.
Source: WHO

TB cases
2006 49 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2005 49 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2004 49 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2003 49 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2002 49 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2001 49 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2000 49 per 100,000 people WHO 2008

Chronology of natural disasters
Access EM-DAT, a database of natural disasters from 1900 to the present - death tolls and numbers of affected people - searchable by country.
Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium

Number of refugees originating here
2007 17 UNHCR
2006 18 Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005 8 UNHCR
2004 9 UNHCR
2003 10 UNHCR
2002 No data available
2001 No data available
2000 12 UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here
2007 358 UNHCR
2006 488 UNHCR
2005 624 UNHCR
2004 732 UNHCR
2003 861 UNHCR
2002 1049 UNHCR
2001 1129 UNHCR
2000 1250 UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate
No data available

Landmine casualties per year
2004 0 Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003 0 Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1998)
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military
No data available percent

Percentage of GDP spent on education
2002-2005 5.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2002-2004 5.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2000-2002 5.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1999-2001 6.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000 6.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health
2004 2.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004 2.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002 2.5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001 2.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000 2.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003


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