to constitutional
amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.

Belize:
Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed
the independence of Belize (formerly British Honduras) until 1981.
Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism
has become the mainstay of the economy. The country remains plagued
by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug
trade, and increased urban crime.

Benin:
Dahomey gained its independence from France in 1960; the name
was changed to Benin in 1975. From 1974 to 1989 the country was a
socialist state; free elections were reestablished in 1991.

Bermuda:
Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English
colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North
American winters first developed in Victorian times. Bermuda has
developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A
referendum on independence was soundly defeated in 1995.

Bhutan:
Under British influence a monarchy was set up in 1907; three
years later a treaty was signed whereby the country became a British
protectorate. Independence was attained in 1949, with India
subsequently guiding foreign relations and supplying aid. A refugee
issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of
these displaced persons are housed in seven United Nations Office of
the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. Maoist Assamese
separatists from India, who have established themselves in the
southeast portion of Bhutan, have drawn Indian cross-border
incursions.

Bolivia:
Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR,
broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history
has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and counter-coups.
Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in the 1980s,
but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty,
social unrest, and drug production. Current goals include attracting
foreign investment, strengthening the educational system, continuing
the privatization program, and waging an anti-corruption campaign.

Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of
sovereignty in October 1991, was followed by a referendum for
independence from the former Yugoslavia in February 1992. The
Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia - responded with