h and forestry);
commercial crops include sugarcane, bananas, coca, citrus fruits; expanding
output of lumber and cultured shrimp; net importer of basic foods

Illicit drugs: an illicit producer of cannabis for the
international drug trade; eradication program cut marijuana
production from 200 metric tons in 1987 to 66 metric tons in 1989;
transshipment point for cocaine

Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $94 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $194 million

Currency: Belizean dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Belizean dollar
(Bz$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Belizean dollars (Bz$) per US$1--2.00 (fixed rate)

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

- Communications
Highways: 2,575 km total; 340 km paved, 1,190 km gravel, 735 km improved
earth, and 310 km unimproved earth

Inland waterways: 825 km river network used by shallow-draft craft;
seasonally navigable

Ports: Belize City, Belize City Southwest

Civil air: no major transport aircraft

Airports: 38 total, 30 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 2,439 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications: 8,650 telephones; above-average system based on
radio relay; stations--6 AM, 5 FM, 1 TV, 1 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean
INTELSAT earth station

- Defense Forces
Branches: British Forces Belize, Belize Defense Force, Coast
Guard, Police Department

Military manpower: males 15-49, 50,988; 30,502 fit for military service;
2,500 reach military age (18) annually

Defense expenditures: 2.0% of GDP, or $4.6 million (1989 est.)
----------------------------------------------------
Country: Benin
- Geography
Total area: 112,620 km2; land area: 110,620 km2

Comparative area: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: 1,989 km total; Burkina 306 km, Niger 266 km,
Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km

Coastline: 121 km

Maritime claims:

Territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone,
marble, timber

Land use: 12% arable land; 4% permanent crops; 4% meadows and pastures;
35% forest and woodland; 45% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Environment: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter;
deforestation; desertification

Note: recent droughts have severely affected marginal
agriculture in n