Belize

D

Education

Education is compulsory for children between the ages of 5 and 14. In 2007, 51,898 pupils were enrolled in primary schools, and about 10,150 students were enrolled in secondary schools. Higher education is available at colleges in Belize City and Corozal and at the University of Belize (2000) based in Belmopan. The literacy rate of 93.2 per cent is one of the highest in Latin America.

IV

Economy

The main economic resource is the arable land, only a small fraction of which is under cultivation. Agricultural exports include sugar, citrus fruit, and bananas. Rice, beans, and maize are grown as subsistence crops. Forestry, formerly the chief economic activity, is now less important. Major manufactures are processed food, wood products, and clothing. Tourism is also an important foreign-currency earner. Some 252,000 tourists visited the country in 2007; tourists spent US$43 million in 2007. The monetary unit of Belize is the Belize dollar of 100 cents (1.99 Belize dollars equalled US$1; 2009). The bank of issue is the Central Bank of Belize. The gross national product (GNP) was estimated to be US$1,115 million, or US$3,760 per capita (2007 World Bank figure). In 2007 annual exports earned about US$267 million, and imports cost about US$684 million. In 1997 the annual budget included about US$123.7 million in revenue and about US$140.6 million in expenditure.

A

Transport

In 1998 there were 543 km (337 mi) of main roads. Belize has no railways. The international airport, Philip S. W. Goldson Airport, is based in Belize City; the national carrier is Maya Airways.

B

Communications

Belize has a number of weekly newspapers, including The Belize Times (circulation 7,000), The People’s Pulse (5,000), and The Reporter (7,000), all published in Belize City, and the San Pedro Sun (3,000), published in Ambergris Caye. Channel 5 is the nation’s largest television station. In addition, there is a number of commercial radio and television stations.

V

Government

Belize is governed under a constitution that became effective at independence in 1981. The British sovereign is head of state and is represented by a governor-general, who has little power. Executive power is mainly exercised by a Cabinet of ministers, led by a prime minister. The bicameral national assembly consists of a Senate of 9 appointed members and a House of Representatives of 29 members elected by universal suffrage to terms of up to five years. The prime minister must have the support of a majority of the members of the house of representatives. The leading political parties are the People’s United Party (PUP) and the United Democratic Party (UDP).

The small Belize Defence Force has a strength of 1,050 (1999).