meadows and pastures: 2%
forest and woodland: 44%
other: 52%

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: deforestation; water pollution from sewage,
industrial effluents, agricultural runoff
natural hazards: frequent, devastating hurricanes (September to
December) and coastal flooding (especially in south)
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Whaling

Geographic note: national capital moved 80 km inland from Belize
City to Belmopan because of hurricanes; only country in Central
America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean

People
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Population: 219,296 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 48,291; female 46,451)
15-64 years: 53% (male 59,132; female 57,498)
65 years and over: 4% (male 3,881; female 4,043) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.42% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 32.8 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 5.73 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.03 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 33.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.53 years
male: 66.58 years
female: 70.58 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.12 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Belizean(s)
adjective: Belizean

Ethnic divisions: mestizo 44%, Creole 30%, Maya 11%, Garifuna 7%,
other 8%

Religions: Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 30% (Anglican 12%,
Methodist 6%, Mennonite 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Pentecostal
2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6% (1980)

Languages: English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib)

Literacy: age 14 and over has ever attended school (1991 est.)
total population: 70.3%
male: 70.3%
female: 70.3%

Government
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Name of country:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Belize
former: British Honduras

Data code: BH

Type of government: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Belmopan

Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal,
Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo

Independence: 21 Se