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• Full Name:  Belize
• Geographical Area: Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
• Terrain and Climate: flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south, tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
• Population: 301,270 (July 2008 est.)
• Ethnicity:  mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7% (2000 census)
• Capital: Belmopan
• Government:  Parliamentary democracy, English law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 6 on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 1 each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and Evangelical Association of Churches
• Major Languages: Spanish 46%, Creole 32.9%, Mayan dialects 8.9%, English 3.9% (official), Garifuna 3.4% (Carib), German 3.3%, other 1.4%, unknown 0.2% (2000 census)
• Major Religion:  Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican 5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist 3.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000)
• Life Expectancy: 68.19 years
• Monetary Unit: Belizean dollar (BZD)
• Exchange Controls and Taxation: 
• Stamp Tax: 
• Main Exports: sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
• Compulsory Education:  To age 13
• GDP: $7,900 (2007 est.)
• Annual Growth Rate: 2.2%
• Major Industry:  garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil
• Communication:  Broad Spectrum Evaluation, above-average system; fixed-line teledensity of 12 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of about 40 per 100 persons
• Internet: .bz
• International dialing code:  1 + 501
• Known as “tax-haven” for qualified individuals
• Number of Banks:  5 Domestic Commercial and 8 Private
• Head of State:  Chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Colville Young, Sr. (since 17 November 1993)  head of government: Prime Minister Dean Barrow (since 8 February 2008);
• Radio:  AM 1, FM 16
• Television:  5 Stations
• Time Zone:
• Airport:  4 with paved runways
• Banks – Partial List (5 Domestic Commercial)

 

Commercial

• Alliance Bank of Belize Limited
• Atlantic Bank Limited
• Belize Bank Limited
• Scotiabank (Belize) Limited
• First Caribbean International Bank (Barbados) Limited

                 Private

·         Atlantic International Bank Limited

·         Investment & Commerce Bank Limited

·         Inter Bank & Trust Limited

·         Handels Bank and Trust Limited

·         Market Street Bank Limited

·         The Oxxy Bank Limited

·         Provident Bank & Trust of Belize Limited

·         Caye International Bank Limited.

 

Belize

• Full Name:  Belize
• Geographical Area: Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
• Terrain and Climate: flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south, tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
• Population: 301,270 (July 2008 est.)
• Ethnicity:  mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7% (2000 census)
• Capital: Belmopan
• Government:  Parliamentary democracy, English law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 6 on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 1 each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and Evangelical Association of Churches
• Major Languages: Spanish 46%, Creole 32.9%, Mayan dialects 8.9%, English 3.9% (official), Garifuna 3.4% (Carib), German 3.3%, other 1.4%, unknown 0.2% (2000 census)
• Major Religion:  Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican 5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist 3.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000)
• Life Expectancy: 68.19 years
• Monetary Unit: Belizean dollar (BZD)
• Exchange Controls and Taxation: 
• Stamp Tax: 
• Main Exports: sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
• Compulsory Education:  To age 13
• GDP: $7,900 (2007 est.)
• Annual Growth Rate: 2.2%
• Major Industry:  garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil
• Communication:  Broad Spectrum Evaluation, above-average system; fixed-line teledensity of 12 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of about 40 per 100 persons
• Internet: .bz
• International dialing code:  1 + 501
• Known as “tax-haven” for qualified individuals
• Number of Banks:  5 Domestic Commercial and 8 Private
• Head of State:  Chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Colville Young, Sr. (since 17 November 1993)  head of government: Prime Minister Dean Barrow (since 8 February 2008);
• Radio:  AM 1, FM 16
• Television:  5 Stations
• Time Zone:
• Airport:  4 with paved runways
• Banks – Partial List (5 Domestic Commercial)

Commercial

• Alliance Bank of Belize Limited
• Atlantic Bank Limited
• Belize Bank Limited
• Scotiabank (Belize) Limited
• First Caribbean International Bank (Barbados) Limited

                 Private

·         Atlantic International Bank Limited

·         Investment & Commerce Bank Limited

·         Inter Bank & Trust Limited

·         Handels Bank and Trust Limited

·         Market Street Bank Limited

·         The Oxxy Bank Limited

·         Provident Bank & Trust of Belize Limited

·         Caye International Bank Limited.