Belize 
Facts
Population: 294,385 (July 2007 est.).
Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.9% (male 58,459/female 56,183)
15-64 years: 57.5% (male 85,686/female 83,717)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,979/female 5,361) (2007 est.).
Population growth rate: 2.258% (2007 est.).
Birth rate: 28.34 births/1,000 population (2007 est.).
Death rate: 5.76 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.).
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.).
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.024 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.929 male(s)/female
total population: 1.027 male(s)/female (2007 est.).
Infant mortality rate: total: 24.38 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 27.43 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.).
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.25 years
male: 66.44 years
female: 70.16 years (2007 est.).
Total fertility rate: 3.52 children born/woman (2007 est.).
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.4% (2003 est.).
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,600 (2003 est.).
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.).
Nationality: noun: Belizean(s)
adjective: Belizean.
Ethnic groups: mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7%.
Religions: Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican 5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist 3.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000).
Languages: Spanish 46%, Creole 32.9%, Mayan dialects 8.9%, English 3.9% (official), Garifuna 3.4% (Carib), German 3.3%, other 1.4%, unknown 0.2% (2000 census).
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.9%
male: 76.7%
female: 77.1% (2000 census).
GDP (purchasing power parity): $2.307 billion (2006 est.).
GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (2006 est.).
GDP - per capita (PPP): $8,400 (2006 est.).
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22.5%
industry: 14.8%
services: 62.6% (2006 est.).
Labor force: 113,000
note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2006 est.).
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 22.5%
industry: 15.2%
services: 62.3% (2005 est.).
Population below poverty line: 33.5% (2002 est.).
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%.
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.5% (2006 est.).
Unemployment rate: 9.4% (2006).
Budget: revenues: $302.5 million
expenditures: $357.5 million; including capital expenditures of $70 million (2006 est.).
Agriculture - products: bananas, cacao, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments.
Industries: garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil.
Industrial production growth rate: 4.6% (1999).
Electricity - production: 175 million kWh (2004).
Electricity - consumption: 162.8 million kWh (2004).
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004).
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2004).
Exports: $359.5 million f.o.b. (2006 est.).
Exports - commodities: sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood.
Exports - partners: US 31%, UK 25.3%, France 4.9%, Jamaica 4% (2005).
Imports: $543 million f.o.b. (2006 est.).
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco.
Imports - partners: US 31%, Mexico 11.6%, Russia 8.8%, Cuba 6%, Guatemala 5.6%, China 4.6%, Spain 4.5% (2005).
Debt - external: $1.2 billion (June 2005 est.).
Economic aid - recipient: $NA.
Currency (code): Belizean dollar (BZD).
Exchange rates: Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2 (2002).
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March.
Statistics: C.I.A. World Factbook. Updated: July 20, 2007.
Press
(independent, biweekly), Belize City
http://www.amandala.com.bz
(English-language weekly; organ of PUP party), Belize Times
http://www.belizetimes.com
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