Baker Island:
The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its
guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the
second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at
colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland
Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned.
Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US
Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle
of the west coast.
Bangladesh:
Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East
Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of
this extremely poor country annually floods during the monsoon rainy
season, hampering economic development.
Barbados:
The island was uninhabited when first settled by the
British in 1627. Its economy remained heavily dependent on sugar,
rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. In
the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in
economic importance.
Bassas da India:
This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs
and is awash at high tide. A French possession since 1897, it was
placed under the administration of a commissioner residing in
Reunion in 1968.
Belarus:
After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR,
Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer
political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former
Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state
union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic
integration but, to date, neither side has actively sought to
implement the accord.
Belgium:
Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and
was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered
in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced
European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the
Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking
Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional
amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.
Belize:
Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed
the independence of Belize (formerly British Honduras) until 1981.
Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism
has become the mainstay of the economy. The country remains plagued
by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug
trade, and increased urban crime.
Benin:
Dahomey gained its independence from France in 1960; the name
was changed to Benin in 1975. From 1974 to 1989 the country was a
socialist state; free elections were reestablished in 1991.
Bermuda:
Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English
colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North
American winters first developed in Victorian times. Bermuda has
developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A
referendum on independence was soundly defeated in 1995.
Bhutan:
Under British influence a monarchy was set up in 1907; three
years later a treaty was signed whereby the country became a British
protectorate. Independence was attained in 1949, with India
subsequently guiding foreign relations and supplying aid. A refugee
issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of
these displaced persons are housed in seven United Nations Office of
the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. Maoist Assamese
separatists from India, who have established themselves in the
southeast portion of Bhutan, have drawn Indian cross-border
incursions.