*Belize, Economy
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
*Belize, Communications
Highways:
2,710 km total; 500 km paved, 1,600 km gravel, 300 km improved earth, and
310 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways:
825 km river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally navigable
Ports:
Belize City; additional ports for shallow draught craft include Corozol,
Punta Gorda, Big Creek
Merchant marine:
4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,768 GRT/12,721 DWT; includes 3 cargo,
1 roll-on/roll-off
Airports:
total:
42
usable:
32
with permanent-surface runways:
3
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
1
with runways 1,229-2,439 mr:
2
Telecommunications:
8,650 telephones; above-average system based on microwave radio relay;
broadcast stations - 6 AM, 5 FM, 1 TV, 1 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean
INTELSAT earth station
*Belize, Defense Forces
Branches:
British Forces Belize, Belize Defense Force (including Army, Navy, Air
Force, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 47,135; fit for military service 28,070; reach military age
(18) annually 2,066 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $5.4 million, 2% of GDP (1992)
*Benin, Geography
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Nigeria and Togo
Map references:
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
112,620 km2
land area:
110,620 km2
comparative area:
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries:
total 1,989 km, Burkina 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
Coastline:
121 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea:
200 nm
International disputes:
none
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:
arable land:
12%
permanent crops:
4%
meadows and pastures:
4%
forest and woodland:
35%
other:
45%
Irrigated land:
60 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter; deforestation;
desertification
Note:
recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; no
natural harbors
*Benin, People
Population:
5,166,735 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.33% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
48.09 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
14.8 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
112.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
51.31 years
male:
49.51 years
female:
53.16 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.86 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Beninese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Beninese
Ethnic divisions:
African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba,
Bariba), Europeans 5,500
Religions:
indigenous beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian 15%
Languages:
French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal
languages (at least six major ones in north)
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
23%
male:
32%
female:
16%
Labor force:
1.9 million (1987)
by occupation:
agriculture 60%, transport, commerce, and public services 38%, industry less
than 2%
note:
49% of population of working age (1985)