of hurricanes; only country in Central America without a
coastline on the North Pacific Ocean

@Belize:People

Population: 214,061 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44% (female 45,812; male 47,618)
15-64 years: 53% (female 55,630; male 57,230)
65 years and over: 3% (female 3,970; male 3,801) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.42% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 33.71 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 5.86 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 34.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.32 years
male: 66.37 years
female: 70.36 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.25 children born/woman (1995 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, Maya, Garifuna (Carib)

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970)
total population: 91%
male: 91%
female: 91%

Labor force: 51,500
by occupation: agriculture 30%, services 16%, government 15.4%,
commerce 11.2%, manufacturing 10.3%
note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel
(1985)

@Belize:Government

Names:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Belize
former: British Honduras

Digraph: BH

Type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Belmopan

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

Independence: 21 September 1981 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Constitution: 21 September 1981

Legal system: English law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG (since 17 November
1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Manuel ESQUIVEL (since July 1993);
Deputy Prime Minister Dean BARROW (since NA 1993)
cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on advice from the
prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly
Senate: consist