Belize Passport

【 Country Name 】 Belize.

【 Area 】 22966 square kilometers.

Population: 411000 (2024). Mixed race and Creole people account for 48.7% and 24.9% of the total population, respectively, followed by Native Americans, Indians, Chinese, and white people. 49.6% of the residents believe in Catholicism, 25.5% believe in Protestantism, and there are also a few Muslims.

English is the official language, but nearly half of the residents speak Spanish or Creole.

The capital is Belmopan, with a population of approximately 13300 people.

[Head of State] King Charles III of England appointed the Governor General as his representative. The current Governor Froyla TZALAM took office in May 2021.

Independence Day: September 21st.

【 Overview 】 Located in the northeast of Central America. It borders Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. The coastline is 386 kilometers long. It belongs to subtropical rainforest climate. The annual average temperature is 25 to 27 ℃. The rainfall in the south is as high as 4550 millimeters.

Originally inhabited by the Maya people. At the beginning of the 16th century, it became a Spanish colony. In 1638, British colonizers invaded and officially declared it a British colony in 1862, renaming it as British Honduras. In June 1973, it was changed to Belize. On September 21, 1981, it gained independence and became a member of the Commonwealth.

Since independence, the United Democratic Party and the People's United Party have taken turns governing. On November 11, 2020, Bo held a general election. The opposition People's United Party won the election and took power, with party leader John Briceno serving as prime minister.

The current Constitution came into effect in September 1981. The Constitution stipulates that the King of England is the Head of State of Belize and appoints the Governor General (who must be a citizen of Belize) as his representative; The Governor appoints the majority leader of the House of Representatives as the Prime Minister of the government, and appoints Deputy Prime Ministers and Ministers based on the Prime Minister's nomination.

The parliament is composed of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, with a term of 5 years each. Thirteen senators are appointed by the Governor General, with six nominated by the Prime Minister, three nominated by opposition leaders, and one each recommended by the Belizean Church, business community, trade union organizations, and non-governmental organizations. 31 members of the House of Representatives are elected through general elections. Current Senate Speaker Carolyn Trench Sandiford and House Speaker Valerie WOODS both took office in December 2020.

The current government was formed in November 2020. At present, the cabinet mainly includes Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development, Investment, Civil Aviation and Immigration John Brice ñ o, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources, Petroleum and Mining Cordel HYDE, Minister of Agriculture, Food Safety and Enterprise Abelardo MAI, Minister of Youth, Sports and Transport Rodwell FERGUSON, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing Julius ESPAT, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Education, Culture and Technology Francis FONSECA, Minister of Defense and Border Security Florencio MARIN, Minister of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labour and Local Government Oscar Rekna Requesta, Dolores Balderamos GARCIA, Minister of Human Development, Family and Indigenous Affairs, Kareem MUSA, Minister of the Interior and New Growth Industries, Orlando HABET, Minister of Sustainable Development and Climate Change, Kevin BERNARD, Minister of Health and Welfare, Michel CHEBAT, Minister of Public Utilities, Energy, Logistics and E-Government, Anthony MAHLER, Minister of Tourism and Diaspora Relations, Andre PEREZ, Minister of Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management, Henry Charles Ehrenberg, Minister of Public Services, Constitution, Political Reform and Religious Affairs She (Henry) Charles USHER, Attorney General Anthony Sylvestre, and others.

The judicial system includes appellate courts, the Supreme Court, and district courts. In February 2010, Belize announced that the Caribbean Court of Justice would replace the Privy Council of the United Kingdom as the final court of appeal.

Main political parties:

(1) People's United Party (PUP): The ruling party. Established in 1950, the supporters mostly come from mixed race races. He was in power from 1954 to 1984, 1989 to 1993, and 1998 to 2008, and won the general election in November 2020. Leader John Brice ñ o.

(2) United Democratic Party (UDP): an opposition party formed in 1974 by the merger of the National Independence Party, the People's Development Movement, the Liberal Party, and the Black United Development Association, mainly supported by black people. He was in power from 1984 to 1989, 1993 to 1998, and 2008 to 2020. Leader Shyne BARROW.

[Important Person] John Brice ñ o. Born in Belize in 1960. Obtained a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Texas in the United States. Joined the People's United Party in 1992 and entered politics. Elected as a member of the House of Representatives in 1993. Served as the Deputy Leader of the Party from 1996 to 2007. From 1998 to 2007, he served as Vice Premier, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Minister of Industry and Commerce, and assisted the Premier in handling foreign affairs. He was appointed as the party leader in March 2008, resigned from the party leader in November 2011 due to health reasons, re assumed the party leader position in February 2016, and has been serving as the prime minister since November 2020.

The economy is mainly based on agriculture. In recent years, the tourism industry has gradually become a pillar industry, with rapid development in offshore finance, fisheries, light industry, and construction. The industry is underdeveloped, and the vast majority of people's daily necessities rely on imports.

Since the People's United Party came into power, it has been committed to attracting foreign investment, developing the tourism industry, increasing investment in education, housing, and healthcare, increasing government fiscal revenue, and improving the national debt situation. The COVID-19 has had a serious impact on the tourism industry, a pillar industry of Botswana. The income from trade and overseas remittances has decreased significantly, and the overall economy has contracted. At present, the economy is beginning to recover, and the main economic indicators for 2023 are as follows:

Gross Domestic Product: 3.07 billion US dollars

Per capita Gross Domestic Product: 7590 US dollars

Gross Domestic Product Growth Rate: 1.1%

Inflation rate: 4.4%

Currency Name: Belize Dollar

Exchange rate: 1 US dollar ≈ 2 Belize dollars

(Source: International Monetary Fund)

Forest and fishery resources are abundant. The forest area is about 16000 square kilometers, with a coverage rate of about 70%. Producing valuable woods such as rosewood, Sumu, and dye wood, rosewood is known as the national wood. Rich in lobsters, swordfish, manatees, and corals. There are mineral deposits such as oil, barite, cassiterite, and gold in the northwest region. The confirmed oil reserves of Bo are 6.7 million barrels. In order to protect the natural environment, the Bo government began to ban domestic oil development at the end of 2017.

Industry is underdeveloped, with the main industrial sectors being clothing, sugar production, citrus processing, beer, and beverages. Industrial production is mainly aimed at meeting domestic consumption, while export product production is concentrated in areas such as sugar production, clothing, and grain production. In recent years, the clothing industry has developed rapidly, becoming the second largest revenue generating industry after sugar production and the main sector providing employment opportunities.

Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries are the pillars of the economy, with farmland accounting for one-third of the country's land area. The main crops include sugarcane, citrus, bananas, rice, corn, cocoa, etc.

The tourism industry started relatively late, but has developed rapidly. Having the world's second-largest reef and the largest Maya ruins in the Northern Hemisphere, it is attracting an increasing number of tourists. It has eight major wildlife reserves, including the world's only remaining reserves for jaguars and red footed booby. In recent years, the government has attached great importance to investment in the tourism industry, and the number of tourists has rapidly increased.

Transportation: The total length of the highway is 3007 kilometers. There are highways connecting major towns, and there are four major transportation arteries throughout the country, two of which are connected to neighboring Mexico and Guatemala.

Water transportation: Belize City is a major port that can accommodate container ships and has regular shipping lines with Jamaica. It also has good sea transportation routes with the United States, the United Kingdom, and mainland Europe.

Air freight: Phillip Goldson International Airport is located on the outskirts of Belize City and has routes to neighboring countries in the United States and Central America. There are domestic airlines such as Maya Island and Tropical Airlines.

High dependence on imports and long-term trade deficit. Mainly exporting sugar, bananas, ready to wear clothing, fruits, wood, and seafood; The main imported machinery and transportation equipment include industrial products, daily necessities, food, fuel, and medicine. The main trading partners are the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Mexico, Canada, and Caribbean Community countries.

The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, established in 1920, is an economic organization. website: www．belize．org

The Belize Trade and Investment Development Service was established in 1986. website: www.belizeinvest.org.bz

The government has always provided strong financial support to the education sector, with 1/4 of its current expenditure allocated to education. Children aged 5 to 14 enjoy free compulsory education. The education system mainly consists of three levels: primary, secondary, and higher education. Primary education is an 8-year program, while secondary education is a 4-year program.

The National Defense Force was established in 1978 and includes the Army, Air Force, and Coastal Defense Force. It currently has 1050 regular soldiers and 700 reserve troops.

Belize Times: Weekly; The Reporter: a weekly newspaper founded in 1968; Amandala: Weekly; Belize Today: Monthly; The People's Pulse: Weekly Report.

Belize Radio: National Radio, established in 1937. Broadcast in English and Spanish every day. There is also a private radio station.

Belize Broadcasting Network (BBN): Established in 1952, it is state-owned but operates independently, with two radio stations under its umbrella. Broadcast in English and Spanish. There are also several small TV stations that broadcast 24 hours a day, mainly broadcasting American satellite TV programs.

We adhere to a non aligned foreign policy in our foreign relations. Actively maintain and develop relations with Caribbean countries, participate in regional integration processes, emphasize neighborly friendship, strive to promote peace and stability in Central America, focus on developing traditional relations with the United Kingdom and relations with the United States, actively maintain and develop relations with Caribbean countries, and strive to promote peace and stability in Central America. Joined the Caribbean Community in May 1974 and became a member of the Organization of American States in 1990.

The relationship with the United States and Britain is that the United States is Bo's largest trading partner and economic aid country. The main investment area of American companies in Bo Investment is the tourism industry. After independence, Bo continued to maintain its traditional relationship with Britain, which provided him with economic assistance.

The relationship with Caribbean countries is similar to that of other countries in the Caribbean region in terms of history, politics, culture, economy, and society. As a member of the Caribbean Community, it actively supports and participates in the process of regional integration and joined the Caribbean Single Market in January 2006.