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Country Commercial Guides for FY 2000: Belize Report prepared by U.S. Embassy Belize City, released July 1999 Note*

X. ECONOMIC AND TRADE STATISTICS

APPENDIX A - COUNTRY DATA:

- POPULATION: 239,000 (1998 ESTIMATE)
- POPULATION GROWTH RATE: 3.4 PERCENT (1998 ESTIMATE)
- RELIGIONS: CATHOLIC, ANGLICAN, METHODIST, OTHER PROTESTANT, MUSLIM, HINDU, AND BUDDHIST.
- GOVERNMENT SYSTEM: PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY BASED ON THE WESTMINSTER MODEL. A GOVERNOR-GENERAL REPRESENTS QUEEN ELIZABETH II AS THE HEAD OF STATE. THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CONSISTS OF A HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND A SENATE.
- LANGUAGES: ENGLISH (OFFICIAL), CREOLE, SPANISH, GARIFUNA, AND MAYAN. MOST BELIZEANS SPEAK SPANISH IN ADDITION TO ENGLISH.
- WORK WEEK: MONDAY-FRIDAY, 8:00 A.M. - 12:00 NOON, 1:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M.

APPENDIX B - DOMESTIC ECONOMY:
(ALL MONETARY FIGURES ARE IN U.S. DOLLARS):

	1997	1998
GDP - CURRENT PRICES ($ MILLIONS)	615.0	630.0
GDP GROWTH RATE - CONSTANT PRICES (PERCENT)	4.0	1.4
GDP PER CAPITA ($)	2,676.0	2,647.0
GOVERNMENT SPENDING AS PERCENT OF GDP	30.9	30.0
INFLATION (PERCENT)	1.0	-0.8
UNEMPLOYMENT (PERCENT)	12.7	14.3
FOREIGN RESERVES ($ MILLIONS)	55.8	42.4
OFFICIAL EXCHANGE RATE FOR $ 1.00	2.0	2.0
EXTERNAL PUBLIC DEBT ($ MILLIONS)	241.1	256.9
DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS ($ MILLIONS) (PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST)	30.8	33.3
DIRECT U.S. ECONOMIC/MILITARY ASSISTANCE: EXCLUDING TRADE PREFERENCES SUCH AS CBI OR SUGAR QUOTAS ($ MILLIONS)	5.6	1.9

APPENDIX C- TRADE:
(ALL MONETARY FIGURES ARE IN U.S. DOLLARS):

	1997	1998
TOTAL EXPORTS ($ MILLIONS)	176.3	189.2
TOTAL EXPORTS TO THE U.S.($ MILLIONS)	80.3	70.5
U.S. SHARE OF BELIZEAN EXPORTS (PERCENT)	45.5	37.3
TOTAL IMPORTS ($ MILLIONS)	286.2	324.9
TOTAL IMPORTS FROM THE U.S.($ MILLIONS)	147.3	159.3
U.S. SHARE OF BELIZEAN IMPORTS (PERCENT)	51.5	49.0
BALANCE OF TRADE WITH THE U.S.($ MILLIONS)	-67.0	-88.8

IMPORTS OF MANUFACTURED GOODS (STANDARD INTERNATIONAL TRADE CLASSIFICATION SECTIONS 5-9)

TOTAL FROM WORLD ($MILLIONS)	191.6	233.5
FROM THE U.S.($MILLIONS)	116.7	126.6
U.S. SHARE OF MANUFACTURED IMPORTS (PERCENT)	60.9	54.2
MANUFACTURED GOODS TRADE BALANCE WITH U.S. ($MILLIONS)	-93.6	-102.7

IMPORTS OF AGRICULTURAL GOODS (STANDARD INTERNATIONAL TRADE CLASSIFICATION SECTIONS 0 AND 4)

TOTAL FROM WORLD ($MILLIONS)	94.6	91.4
FROM THE U.S.($MILLIONS)	30.6	32.8
U.S. SHARE OF AGRICULTURAL IMPORTS (PERCENT)	32.3	35.9
AGRICULTURAL GOODS TRADE BALANCE WITH U.S. ($ MILLIONS)	+26.5	+13.9

PRINCIPAL U.S. EXPORTS: (TOP 5 BY 4-DIGIT TARIFF ITEM)

- 6203 MEN'S OR BOY'S TROUSERS AND SHORTS OF COTTON, ETC.
- 8703 MOTOR CARS AND OTHER MOTOR VEHICLES
- 4819 PAPER BOX CARTONS, CARDBOARD BOXES
- 2309 INPUTS USED IN ANIMAL FEED
- 1001 WHEAT AND MESLIN

PRINCIPAL U.S. IMPORTS: (TOP 5 BY 4-DIGIT TARIFF ITEM)

- 0306 CRUSTACEANS (SHRIMPS AND PRAWNS, FROZEN), ETC.
- 2009 FRUIT JUICES, CONCENTRATED
- 6203 MEN'S OR BOYS' SUITS, ENSEMBLES, ETC.
- 1701 RAW CANE SUGAR
- 6211 TRACK SUITS AND SWIMWEAR

(SOURCES: CENTRAL STATISTICAL OFFICE, BELIZE MINISTRY OF FINANCE; AND RESEARCH DEPARTMENT, CENTRAL BANK OF BELIZE.)

APPENDIX D - INVESTMENT STATISTICS:

REFER TO SECTION VII ON INVESTMENT CLIMATE.