Background Notes: Belize
PA/PC
Source: Office of Public Communication, Bureau of Public
Affairs
Date: May 15, 19905/15/90
Category: Country Data
Region: Caribbean
Country: Belize
Subject: Travel, History, International Organizations,
Trade/Economics
[TEXT]
Official Name: Belize
PROFILE
Geography
Area: 22,963 sq. km. (8,866 sq. mi.); slightly larger than
Massachusetts. Cities: Capital-Belmopan (pop. 4,500). Other city-
Belize City (60,000). Towns-Dangriga, Orange Walk, Corozal, Punta
Gorda, San Ignacio, and Santa Elena. Terrain: Flat and swampy
coastline, low mountains in interior. Climate: Hot and humid.
People Nationality: Noun and adjective-Belizean(s). Population
(1988 est.): 203,000. Annual growth rate: About 8% (due to high
immigration rate). Ethnic groups: Creole, African, mestizo,
Amerindian. Religions: Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, other
Protestant, Muslim, and Buddhist. Languages: English (official),
Spanish, Mayan. Education: Years compulsory-9. Attendance-55%.
Literacy-more than 80%. Health (1988): Infant mortality rate-
56/1,000. Life expectancy-60 years. Work force (58,000):
Agriculture-30%. Industry and commerce-27%. Services-25%.
Government-16%. Other-2%.
Government
Type: Parliamentary. Independence: September 21,
1981. Constitution: September 21, 1981.
Branches: Executive-British monarch (head of state),
represented by a governor general; prime minister (head of
government, 5-year term). Legislative-bicameral National
Assembly. Judicial-Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, district
magistrates.
Subdivisions: 6 districts
Political parties: People's United Party (PUP), United
Democratic Party (UDP). Suffrage: Universal adult.
Central government budget (1989-90): $71.8 million current
expenditures, $45.2 million capital accounts.
Defense (1989 est.): 2% GDP.
Flag: Blue field with red stripes at top and bottom. Centered
in the blue field is the national coat of arms consisting of two
workers and symbols of agriculture, industry, and maritime trade on
a white circular background.
Economy
GDP (1988 est. current prices): $247 million. Annual
growth rate (1988): 7.6%. Per capita income: $1,220. Avg. inflation
rate (1988): 5%.
Natural resources: Arable land, timber, seafood.
Agriculture (19% of GDP): Products-sugar, citrus fruits and
juices, bananas, mangoes, papayas, honey, corn, beans, rice, cattle,
and winter vegetables.
Industry (15% of GDP): Types-clothing, beverages.
Tourism (1988, 11% of GDP): Visitor arrivals 132,000.
Trade (1989 est.): Exports-$100 million; sugar, clothing,
citrus concentrate, lobster, fish, and bananas. Major markets-US,
UK, CARICOM. Imports-$148.5 million: food, consumer goods,
building materials, vehicles, machinery, petroleum products. Major
suppliers-US, Mexico, UK.
Official exchange rate: The Belize dollar is tied to the US
dollar at a fixed rate of Belize $2=US$1.
Economic aid received (grant and concessional loan): US aid
(FY 1988)-$8.4 million. Aid from other countries and international
agencies (1989)-$15.8 million.
Membership in International Organizations
UN and some of its specialized and related agencies, including the
World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF); Caribbean
Community (CARICOM); Caribbean Development Bank (CDB);
International Development Agency (IDA); International Finance
Corporation (IFC); Commonwealth; Nonaligned Movement. Will join
the OAS in 1990.
PEOPLE
Belize is the most sparsely populated nation in Central
America. Slightly more than half of the people live in six urban
areas, primarily along the coast. About one-fourth live in Belize
City, the former capital and principal port. Population has
increased dramatically in the last few years from the inflow of
Central American refugees-estimated at up to 30,000 in 1988-
mostly from El Salvador and Guatemala, more than balancing the
heavy emigration of the Creole population to North America.
Most Belizeans are of multiracial descent. About 40%-45% are
of African ancestry. More than 25% of the population is of mixed
local Indian and European descent (mestizo). Another one-fifth is
composed of Carib, Mayan, or other Amerindian ethnic groups. The
remainder, about 10%, includes Europeans, East Indians, Chinese,
and Lebanese.
English, the official language, is spoken by virtually all except
the most recently arrived refugees. Spanish is the native tongue of
about 50% of the people and is spoken as a second language by
another 20%. The various Indian groups still speak their original
languages, and an English Creole dialect, similar to the Creole
dialects of the English-speaking Caribbean islands, is spoken by
many. The rate of functional literacy is more than 80%. About half
the people are Roman Catholic; the Anglican Church and Protestant
Christian groups account for most of the other half. Mennonite
settlers number about 3,000.
HISTORY
The Mayan civilization spread into the area of Belize between
1500 BC and AD 300 and flourished until about AD 1000. Several
major archeological sites, notably Caracol, Lamanai, Labaantun,
Altun Ha, and Xunantunich, reflect the advanced civilization and
much denser population of that period. European contact began in
1502 when Columbus sailed along the coast. The first recorded
European settlement was begun by shipwrecked English seamen in
1638. Over the next 150 years, more English settlements were
established. This period was also marked by piracy, indiscriminate
logging, and sporadic attacks by Indians and neighboring Spanish
settlements.
Great Britain first sent an official representative to the area
in the late 18th century, but Belize was not formally termed the
"Colony of British Honduras" until 1840. It became a crown colony
in 1862. Subsequently, several constitutional changes were enacted
to expand representative government. Full internal self-government
under a ministerial system was granted in January 1964. The
official name of the territory was changed from British Honduras to
Belize in June 1973, and full independence was granted on
September 21, 1981.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
Belize is a parliamentary democracy on the Westminster model
and is a member of the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth II is head of
state and is represented in the country by Governor General Dame
Dr. Minita E. Gordon, a Belizean. The primary executive organ of
government is the cabinet, led by a prime minister (head of
government). Cabinet ministers are members of the majority
political party in parliament and usually hold elected seats in the
National Assembly concurrently with their cabinet positions.
The National Assembly consists of a House of Representatives
and a Senate. The 28 members of the House are popularly elected to
a maximum 5-year term. Of the Senate's eight members, five are
selected by the prime minister, two by the leader of the opposition,
and one by the governor general.
The Belize government is controlled by the People's United
Party (PUP), which won 15 of the 28 seats in the House of
Representatives on September 4, 1989. The United Democratic
Party (UDP) won the other 13 seats. The UDP had governed Belize
from December 1984 until September 1989. Before 1984, the PUP
had dominated the electoral scene for over 30 years. Prime
Minister George Price was Premier from 1961 until the granting of
independence in 1981 when he became Prime Minister, a post he
held until the 1984 election and regained in 1989.
Members of the independent judiciary are appointed. The
judicial system includes local magistrates, the Supreme Court, and
the Court of Appeal. Cases may, under certain circumstances, be
appealed to the Privy Council in London. The country is divided into
six districts: Corozal, Orange Walk, Cayo, Belize, Stann Creek, and
Toledo.
Principal Government Officials
Head of State-Queen Elizabeth II
Governor General-Dame Dr. Minita E. Gordon
Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Minister of Home Affairs and
Defence, and Minister of Commerce-George C. Price
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry, Natural Resources
and Forestry-Florencio Marin
Chief Justice-T. S. Cotran
Speaker of the House-Robert Clifton Swift
President of the Senate-Jane Usher
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Economic Development, and
Minister of Education-Said Musa Minister of Energy, Transportation
and Communications -Carlos Diaz
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries-Michael Espat
Minister of Social Services and Community Development- Remijio
Montejo
Minister of Housing and Cooperatives-Valdemar Castillo
Attorney General and Minister of Tourism and Environment- Glenn
Godfrey
Minister of Health and Minister of Urban Development-Dr. Theodore
Aranda
Minister of Works-Leopoldo Briceno Minister of Labor and Local
Government-Samuel Waight
Ambassador to the United States-Edward Laing
Ambassador to the United Nations-Lindbergh Rogers
Belize maintains an embassy in the United States at 3400
International Drive NW, #2J, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-363-
4505).
ECONOMY
Forestry was the only economic activity of any consequence in
Belize until well into the 20th century when the supply of
accessible timber began to dwindle. Sugar then became the
principal export, but recently has been augmented by expanded
production of citrus, bananas, seafood, and apparel, as well as a
booming tourism industry. The country's major natural resource is
about 809,000 hectares of arable land, only a small fraction of
which is under cultivation. To curb land speculation, the
government enacted legislation in 1973 that requires non-Belizeans
to complete a development plan on land they purchase before
obtaining title to plots of more than 10 acres of rural land or more
than one-half acre of urban land.
Domestic industry is limited, constrained by relatively high-
cost labor and energy and a small domestic market. Belize is a
member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which provides
assured access to a large market for potential grain and livestock
surpluses. Belize hopes that it will help stimulate the growth of
commercial agriculture, although Belizean trade with the rest of
the Caribbean is limited compared to that with the United States
and Europe. The country is a beneficiary of the Caribbean Basin
Initiative (CBI). The CBI is a US Government program to stimulate
investment in Caribbean nations by providing duty-free access to
the US market for most Caribbean products. Significant US private
investments have been made in Belize in citrus and shrimp farms
under CBI. US trade preferences allowing for duty-free re-import
of finished apparel cut from US textiles have recently doubled the
apparel industry to 22% of merchandise exports. European
Community and UK preferences have been vital for the expansion and
prosperity of the sugar and banana industries.
Belize's well-established policy of encouraging new foreign
investment has been an important factor attracting capital for
these ventures. Promising opportunities for growth and investment
in Belize include citrus, bananas, beef, winter fruits and
vegetables, aquaculture, tourism, forest products, and apparel.
A combination of natural factors-climate, the longest barrier
reef in the Western Hemisphere, numerous islands, excellent
fishing, safe waters for boating, jungle wildlife, and Mayan ruins-
support a thriving tourist industry. Development costs are high, but
the government of Belize has designated tourism as its second
development priority after agriculture. Visitors totaled 132,000 in
1988, and the tourist industry is worth $47 million per year. The
1989 Tourism Sector Policy/Strategy Statement reserves the lower
end of tourism development for Belizeans but welcomes foreign
investor interest in larger projects.
Economic performance is fragile, and although outstanding
growth has been achieved in recent years, the achievements are
vulnerable to world commodity price fluctuations and continuation
of trade preferences. Economic growth is constrained by a number
of factors, including the lack of infrastructure. No roads exist to
service large tracts of potentially arable land and timber. Some
roads, including sections of major highways, are subject to damage
or closure during the rainy season. Electric service is costly at
$.205 per kilowatt hour and unavailable in many rural areas.
Inadequate roads and ports limit external marketing. Expansion of
port handling facilities is underway in Belize City, and a new deep
water port is being dredged in Big Creek to complement facilities in
Belize City and Commerce Bight. Barges and lighters are used for
sugar, bananas, and other shipments.
Several areas are being improved through the efforts of the
government of Belize, US assistance projects, and other donors. The
US Agency for International Development (USAID), the European
Community, and the United Kingdom have projects to upgrade the
quality of the Belizean road system. Steel and concrete bridges are
being constructed to ensure year-round passage to remote portions
of the country. Rural electrification is moving forward, and urban
electric power is becoming more dependable. The USAID program is
designed to enable Belize to plan the best use of its resources in
agriculture, forestry (including tropical forestry and biodiversity
protection), and tourism development. It includes technical
assistance and training in these areas to help the government of
Belize plan agriculture and tourism growth in a rational and
ecologically sound manner. Under aid agreements with the United
Kingdom and the Caribbean Development Bank, the international
airport terminal is being replaced and the runway lengthened. A
new water and sewer system is almost completed in Belize City
with the help of the Canadian International Development Agency,
and construction plans have been announced for a new 100-bed
hospital for Belize City with the assistance of the European
Community. A Ramada Inn hotel is under construction in Belize City
with significant financing from the US Overseas Private Investment
Corporation (OPIC).
The government recognizes the need to develop the country and
has budgeted $45.2 million in fiscal year 1989-90 for capital
expenditure. Much of the government's operating expenses are
derived from customs duties and taxes, but most of the capital
expenses are met through foreign assistance.
Belize has consistently run a substantial trade deficit,
reaching $48.4 million in 1988. The deficit is financed primarily by
foreign aid, foreign investment, and remittances from Belizeans
working in the United States. Merchandise imports in 1988 totaled
$148.5 million, while exports were only $100.1 million. In 1988,
the United States accounted for 52% of Belize's imports and 47% of
exports. Other major trading partners are the European Community
(17.5% of imports, of which the United Kingdom accounts for 8.2%),
and Mexico (8.8% of imports).
FOREIGN RELATIONS
Belize's principal external concern has been the dispute
involving the Guatemalan claim to Belizean territory and
unwillingness to recognize Belizean independence. This dispute
originated in imperial Spain's claim to all "New World" territories
west of Portuguese colonization on the bulge of South America.
Nineteenth century efforts to resolve the problems led to later
differences over interpretation and implementation of an 1859
treaty intended to establish the boundaries between Guatemala and
British Honduras. Guatemala holds that the 1859 treaty is void
because the British failed to comply with all of its economic
assistance clauses. Neither Spain nor Guatemala ever exercised
effective sovereignty over the area.
Negotiations proceeded for many years, including one period in
which the US Government sought unsuccessfully to mediate a
solution. A 1981 trilateral "Heads of Agreement"-Belize,
Guatemala, and the United Kingdom-was never implemented due to
disagreements. Thus, Belize became independent on September 21,
1981, with the territorial dispute unresolved. Significant
negotiations between Belize and Guatemala, with the United
Kingdom as an observer, resumed in 1988. To date, however,
differences have not been resolved sufficiently to lead to a treaty.
In order to strengthen its potential for economic and political
development, Belize has sought to build closer ties with the
Spanish-speaking countries of Central America to complement its
historical ties to the English-speaking Caribbean states. Belize is a
member of CARICOM. In 1990, it will be eligible to join the
Organization of American States (OAS)-due to changes in the OAS
charter-and intends to do so as soon as possible. Heretofore,
Guatemalan objections have kept Belize out of the OAS and some
other regional bodies.
US-BELIZEAN RELATIONS
The United States and Belize traditionally have had close and
cordial relations since they were established in the 1930s. The
United States is Belize's principal trading partner and major source
of investment funds and is also home to the largest Belizean
community outside Belize (an estimated 35,000 Belizeans live in
the United States). Because Belize's economic growth and
accompanying democratic political stability are important US
objectives in an often troubled region, Belize benefits from the
Central American and Caribbean Basin Initiatives. Through an
active USAID program, the United States is now the largest provider
of economic assistance to Belize. The Peace Corps has more than
100 volunteers in country. American investment and tourism are
growing rapidly. Excellent air and shipping links to the United
States facilitate trade and travel. The US Government cooperates
with the government of Belize against illicit narcotics. In Punta
Gorda, Voice of America operates a medium-wave radio relay
station which broadcasts to Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
DEFENSE
The Belize Defence Force (BDF), established in January 1973,
consists of an infantry force of regulars and reservists along with
small air and maritime wings. A British Loan Service Officer now
commands the BDF but will be replaced by a Belizean officer in
1990. A British military garrison of 1,800 troops remains in Belize
under an external defense agreement concluded with the United
Kingdom at the time of independence. The BDF receives military
training assistance from the United States and the United Kingdom.
The United States established a military assistance office in Belize
in 1983 and, in addition to training, has provided some grant funds
for the purchase of materiel, primarily transport, communications,
and individual equipment.
Principal US Officials
Ambassador-designate-Eugene L. Scassa
Deputy Chief of Mission-Joseph Hayes
AID Director-Mosina Jordan
Economic/Commercial Officer-Katherine Christensen
Political Officer-Alexander Featherstone
Consul-Rudolph Boone
Administrative Officer-Charles Grover
Defense Attache-LtC. Randall Parish, Jr.
Chief, Military Liaison Office-Maj. Jerry Croghan
Peace Corps Director-Gary Arnold
Voice of America Manager-Fred Haney
The US Embassy is located in Belize City at the corner of
Gabourel Lane and Hutson Streets. The mailing address is PO Box
286, Belize City, Belize, Central America. Telephone 011-501-2-
77161 from the United States, or 77161 locally. FAX to Embassy
011-501-2-30802 (24-hour coverage).
TRAVEL NOTES
Customs and immigration: Passports are required of US
citizens wishing to enter Belize. Travelers arriving by car may be
required to post a customs bond equivalent to the import duty value
of the car, but this requirement can be waived upon proof of visitor
status. Travelers must demonstrate that they have sufficient funds
for a visit ($30 per person per day) and onward travel. The
government enforces a strict policy of refusing admittance to those
whom an immigration officer suspects of drug use.
Health: Medicines and care for ordinary needs are available in
Belize City and the larger district towns. Tapwater is sometimes
contaminated. Food served in local restaurants is generally safe.
Telecommunications: Local and international telephone,
telegraph, and telefax service is available in Belize. Belize time is
the same as US Central Standard or Mountain Daylight time.
Transportation: Belize is served by one US and two Central
American airlines with connections to Central America and the
United States (New Orleans, Miami, and Houston). Buses, taxis, light
aircraft, and boats provide internal transportation. Buses and taxis
are available in Belize City, and shopping areas are close to hotels.
Local holidays: Businesses and shops may be closed on the
following holidays:
New Year's Day: Jan. 1
Baron Bliss Day: Mar. 9
Good Friday: date varies
Holy Saturday: date varies
Easter Monday: date varies
Labor Day: May 1
Commonwealth Day: May 24
National Day: Sept. 10
Independence Day: Sept. 21
Pan American Day: Oct. 13
Garifuna Day: Nov. 19
Christmas Day: Dec. 25
Boxing Day: Dec. 26
Published by the United States Department of State -- Bureau of
Public Affairs -- Office of Public Communication -- Washington,
DC -- May 1990 -- Editor: Marilyn J. Bremner. Department of State
Publication 8332 -- Background Notes Series -- This material is in
the public domain and may be reprinted without permission;
citation of this source is appreciated. For sale by the
Superintendent of Documents, US Government Printing Office,
Washington, DC 20402.(###)