The 1999 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

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СКАЧАТЬ the chief crop, accounts for nearly half of exports, while the banana industry is the country's largest employer. The government's tough austerity program in 1997 resulted in an economic slowdown that continued in 1998. The trade deficit has been growing, mostly as a result of low export prices for sugar and bananas. The new government faces important challenges to economic stability. Rapid action to improve tax collection has been promised, but a lack of progress in reigning in spending could bring the exchange rate under pressure.

      GDP: purchasing power parity—$700 million (1998 est.)

      GDP—real growth rate: 0.5% (1998 est.)

      GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$3,000 (1998 est.)

      GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 22% industry: 22% services: 56% (1997 est.)

      Population below poverty line: NA%

      Household income or consumption by percentage share:

       lowest 10%: NA%

       highest 10%: NA%

      Inflation rate (consumer prices): −0.5% (1998 est.)

      Labor force: 71,000

       note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel

       (1997 est.)

      Labor force—by occupation: agriculture 30%, services 16%,

       government 15.4%, commerce 11.2%, manufacturing 10.3%

      Unemployment rate: 13% (1997 est.)

      Budget:

       revenues: $140 million

       expenditures: $142 million, including capital expenditures of $NA

       (FY97/98 est.)

      Industries: garment production, food processing, tourism,

       construction

      Industrial production growth rate: 0.2% (1996 est.)

      Electricity—production: 145 million kWh (1996)

      Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

      Electricity—consumption: 145 million kWh (1996)

      Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)

      Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)

      Agriculture—products: bananas, coca, citrus, sugarcane; lumber; fish, cultured shrimp

      Exports: $95.3 million (f.o.b., 1998)

      Exports—commodities: sugar 46%, bananas 26%, citrus fruits, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood

      Exports—partners: US 45%, UK 30%, Mexico 3%, Canada 3% (1997)

      Imports: $149.7 million (c.i.f., 1998)

      Imports—commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

      Imports—partners: US 52%, Mexico 13%, UK 5% (1997)

      Debt—external: $288 million (1996)

      Economic aid—recipient: $23.4 million (1995)

      Currency: 1 Belizean dollar (Bz$) = 100 cents

      Exchange rates: Belizean dollars (Bz$) per US$1—2.0000 (fixed rate)

      Fiscal year: 1 April—31 March

      Communications

      Telephones: 29,000 (1996 est.)

      Telephone system: above-average system domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station—1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

      Radio broadcast stations: AM 1 (Voice of America relay station),

       FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

      Radios: NA

      Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

      Televisions: 27,048 (1993 est.)

      Transportation

      Railways: 0 km

      Highways: total: 2,248 km paved: 427 km unpaved: 1,821 km (1996 est.)

      Waterways: 825 km river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally navigable

      Ports and harbors: Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda

      Merchant marine:

       total: 403 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,740,325

       GRT/2,511,709 DWT

       ships by type: bulk 34, cargo 259, chemical tanker 5, container 9,

       liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 58, passenger-cargo 2,

       refrigerated cargo 21, roll-on/roll-off cargo 8, short-sea/passenger

       3, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 1

       note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 7 countries:

       Cuba 2, Cyprus 1, Greece 1, Singapore 2, UAE 12, UK 1, and US 1

       (1998 est.)

      Airports: 44 (1998 est.)

      Airports—with paved runways: total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

      Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 41 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 30 (1998 est.)

      Military

      Military branches: Belize Defense Force (includes Ground Forces,

       Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police

      Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age

      Military manpower—availability:

       males age 15–49: 58,201 (1999 est.)

      Military manpower—fit for military service:

       males age 15–49: 34,531 (1999 est.)

      Military manpower—reaching military age annually:

       males: 2,619 (1999 est.)

      Military expenditures—dollar figure: $15 million (FY97/98)

      Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 2% (FY97/98)

      Transnational Issues

      Disputes—international: border with Guatemala in dispute

      Illicit СКАЧАТЬ