Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent, devastating hurricanes (September to
December) and coastal flooding (especially in south)
Environment - current issues: deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: national capital moved 80 km inland from Belize City to Belmopan because of hurricanes; only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean
@Belize:People
Population: 224,663 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (male 48,921; female 47,057) 15-64 years: 54% (male 61,133; female 59,466) 65 years and over: 3% (male 3,965; female 4,121) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.42% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 31.91 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)