ent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge

Merchant marine:
total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 35,075 GRT/57,347 DWT
ships by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 8, petroleum tanker 7 (1999
est.)

Airports: 42 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 24
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 6 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 16 (1999 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1999 est.)

@Belgium:Military

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

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,527,752 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,090,800 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 64,165 (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2.8 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.2% (FY99)

@Belgium: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

______________________________________________________________________

BELIZE

@Belize:Introduction

Background: 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.

@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 prov