Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 1% other: 96% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south)
Environment - current issues: deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean
People Belize
Population: 262,999 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.6% (male 55,716; female 53,581) 15-64 years: 54.9% (male 73,068; female 71,368) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,511; female 4,755) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.65% (2002 est.)