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| 1. Facts at a Glance |
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| Belize is a Lilliputian country located in the southeast
of the Yucatan Peninsula, on the Caribbean coast of the
Central American isthmus. It shares borders with Mexico
to the north and Guatemala to the west. The country consists
predominantly of tropical lowland and swampy plains, though
the Maya Mountains in the west rise to almost 1000m (3280ft).
Thirty kilometers (19mi) offshore is the world's second
largest barrier reef. |
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| Half of the country is covered by dense jungle, the
rest is farmland, scrub and swamp. The tropical forests
provide habitats for a wide range of animals, including
jaguar, puma, ocelot, armadillo, tapir and crocodile.
The country also harbors keel-billed toucan, an abundance
of macaws and parrots, and heron and snowy egret. |
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| Belize is hot and humid year round, but respite from
the weather can be found in the cooler mountains or from
the tropical breezes which waft over the cayes. Rainfall
is a whopping 4m (13ft) a year, most of it falling between
June and November. |
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| Full
country name |
Belize |
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| Area |
23,300 sq km (9087 sq mi) |
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| Population |
200,000 (growth rate 3.5%) |
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| Capital
city |
Belmopan (pop 5,000) |
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| People |
50% Creole, 30% mestizo, 10% Maya, 10% Garifuna (plus a sizable migrant population from nearby countries, notably El Salvador) |
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| Language |
English, English Creole, Spanish, Maya and Garifuna |
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| Religion |
62% Catholic, 25% Protestant |
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| Government |
Parliamentary democracy |
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| President |
Said Musa |
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| 2. Economic Profile |
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| GDP |
US$575 million |
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| GDP
per head |
US$2,750 |
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| Inflation |
2.3% |
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| Major
industries |
Sugar cane, fish, timber |
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| Major
trading partners |
USA, UK, Europe |
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| 3. Culture |
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| The Maya built breathtaking temple complexes aligned
to the movement of celestial bodies. Although they remained
technically a Stone Age culture, they also developed sophisticated
mathematics, astronomy and calendars. The Spanish constructed
some plain stone churches, but the modern architecture
is predominantly British Caribbean in style. |
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| Belize is officially English-speaking, but the creoles
(the largest ethnic group) speak their own colorful dialect
as well as standard English. Spanish is the main language
in the north and some towns in the west. You may also
hear Mayan, Chinese, Mennonite German, Lebanese, Arabic,
Hindi and Garifuna (the language of the Garinagu people
of Stann Creek district) being spoken. |
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| The majority of Belize's population are Roman Catholics,
but British influence has created a sizable and varied
protestant congregation, including German Swiss Mennonites.
The Mayan practice of Catholicism is a fascinating fusion
of shamanist-animist and Christian ritual. |
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| Belize has never really developed a national cuisine.
Its cooking borrows elements from the UK, the USA, Mexico
and the Caribbean. The traditional staples are rice and
beans. These are often eaten with chicken, pork, beef,
fish or vegetables. Coconut milk and fried plaintain add
a tropical flavor. Exotic traditional foods include armadillo,
venison and paca (a small brown-spotted rodent similar
to a guinea pig). |
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