EUTELSAT systems; nationwide
mobile phone system

*Belgium, Defense Forces

Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 2,556,189; fit for military service 2,133,051; reach
military age (19) annually 63,532 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $4 billion, 2% of GDP (1992)

*Belize, Geography

Location:
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea between Guatemala and Mexico
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean, North America, Standard Time Zones of the
World
Area:
total area:
22,960 km2
land area:
22,800 km2
comparative area:
slightly larger than Massachusetts
Land boundaries:
total 516 km, Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
Coastline:
386 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea:
12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south
note:
from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Caye, Belize's territorial
sea is 3 miles; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act, 1992, the purpose
of this limitation is to provide a framework for
the negotiation of a definitive agreement on territorial differences with
Guatemala
International disputes:
border with Guatemala in dispute; negotiations to resolve the dispute have
begun
Climate:
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to February)
Terrain:
flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish
Land use:
arable land:
2%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
2%
forest and woodland:
44%
other:
52%
Irrigated land:
20 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
frequent devastating hurricanes (September to December) and coastal flooding
(especially in south); deforestation
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

*Belize, People

Population:
203,957 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.42% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
35.75 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
6.15 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
-5.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
36.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
67.85 years
male:
65.91 years
female:
69.88 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.53 children