: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie

Military manpower--military age: 19 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 2,537,544 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,098,883 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 64,180 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $4.6 billion (1995)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.7% (1995)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

Illicit drugs: source of precursor chemicals for South American
cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin,
hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe

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@Belize
------

Geography

Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
Guatemala and Mexico

Geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 45 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 22,960 sq km
land: 22,800 sq km
water: 160 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries:
total: 516 km
border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Coastline: 386 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note--from
the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's
territorial sea is 3 nm; 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

Climate: tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to
February)

Terrain: flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m

Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish

Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 2%
forests and woodland: 92%
other: 3% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent, devastating hurricanes (September to
December) and coastal flooding (especially in south)

Environment--current issues: deforestation; water pollution from
sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; Hurricane Mitch
damage

Environment--int