3 GeoFroggy

Belize

Continent:

Geography

People &
Society

Government

Economy

Energy

Communications

Military &
Security

Transportation

Terrorism

Transnational Issues
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Country Name

Conventional long form: none

Conventional short form: Belize

Former: British Honduras

Administrative Divisions

6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo

Independence

21 September 1981 (from the UK)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Constitution

21 September 1981

Legal System

English common law

International Law Organization Participation

Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17 November 1993)

Head of government: Prime Minister Dean Oliver BARROW (since 8 February 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar VEGA (since 12 February 2008)

Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from the General Assembly

Elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative Branch

Bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 6 on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 1 each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee; to serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives (31 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held on 6 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - UDP 56.3%, PUP 40.9%; seats by party - UDP 25, PUP 6

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal; Privy Council in the UK; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ); Summary Jurisdiction Courts (criminal) and District Courts (civil jurisdiction)

Political Parties and Leaders

National Alliance for Belizean Rights or NABR; National Reform Party or NRP [Cornelius DUECK]; People's National Party or PNP [Wil MAHEIA]; People's United Party or PUP [John BRICENO]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Dean BARROW]; Vision Inspired by the People or VIP [Paul MORGAN]; We the People Reform Movement or WTP [Hipolito BAUTISTA]

Political Pressure Groups and Leaders

Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Nicole HAYLOCK]; Association of Concerned Belizeans or ACB [David VASQUEZ]; National Trade Union Congress of Belize or NTUC/B [Rene GOMEZ]

Flag Description

Blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland of 50 mahogany leaves; the colors are those of the two main political parties: blue for the PUP and red for the UDP; various elements of the coat of arms - the figures, the tools, the mahogany tree, and the garland of leaves - recall the logging industry that led to British settlement of Belize note: Belize's flag is the only national flag that depicts human beings; two British overseas territories, Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands, also depict humans

National Symbols

Baird's tapir (a large, browsing, forest-dwelling mammal); keel-billed toucan

National Anthem

: undefined

Lyrics:

Year

Government Type

  • Parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital

  • Name
    Belmopan
  • Geographic Coordinates
    17 15 N, 88 46 W
  • Time Difference
    UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Diplomatic Representation in the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Nestor MENDEZ
  • Chancery
    2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  • Telephone
    [1] (202) 332-9636
  • FAX
    [1] (202) 332-6888
  • Consulate(s) General
    Los Angeles

Diplomatic Representation from the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Vinai THUMMALAPALLY
  • Embassy
    Floral Park Road, Belmopan City, Cayo District
  • Mailing Address
    P.O. Box 497, Belmopan City, Cayo District, Belize
  • Telephone
    [501] 822-4011
  • FAX
    [501] 822-4012

International Organization Participation

  • ACP
  • AOSIS
  • C
  • Caricom
  • CDB
  • FAO
  • G-77
  • IADB
  • IAEA
  • IBRD
  • ICAO
  • ICRM
  • IDA
  • IFAD
  • IFC
  • IFRCS
  • ILO
  • IMF
  • IMO
  • Interpol
  • IOC
  • IOM
  • ITU
  • LAES
  • MIGA
  • NAM
  • OAS
  • OPANAL
  • OPCW
  • PCA
  • PetroCaribe
  • RG
  • SICA
  • UN
  • UNCTAD
  • UNESCO
  • UNIDO
  • UPU
  • WCO
  • WHO
  • WIPO
  • WMO
  • WTO
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