Economy Of Belize

Economy overview In this small, essentially private enterprise economy the tourism industry is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by cane sugar, citrus, marine products, bananas, and garments. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to GDP growth of 6.5% in 1999, 10.8% in 2000, 4.6% in 2001, and 3.7% in 2002. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit and foreign debt. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international donors.
 
GDP purchasing power parity - $1.28 billion (2004 est.)
 
GDP - real growth rate 3.7% (2004 est.)
 
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2004 est.)
 
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 22.7%
industry: 24.5%
services: 52.8% (2004 est.)
 
Investment gross fixed 33% of GDP (2004 est.)
 
Population below poverty line 33% (1999 est.)
 
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
 
Distribution of family income - Gini index  
Inflation rate consumer prices 2.6% (2004 est.)
 
Labor force 90,000
note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2001 est.)
 
Labor force by occupation agriculture 27%, industry 18%, services 55% (2001 est.)
 
Unemployment rate 9.1% (2002)
 
Budget
revenues: $222 million
expenditures: $300 million, including capital expenditures of $70 million (2004 est.)
 
Public debt  
Agriculture products bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments
 
Industries garment production, food processing, tourism, construction
 
Industrial production growth rate 4.6% (1999)
 
Electricity production 199.5 million kWh (2001)
 
Electricity production by source
fossil fuel: 59.9%
hydro: 40.1%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%
 
Electricity consumption 185.5 million kWh (2001)
 
Electricity exports 0 kWh (2001)
 
Electricity imports 0 kWh (2001)
 
Oil production 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 
Oil consumption 5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 
Oil exports NA (2001)
 
Oil imports NA (2001)
 
Oil proved reserves  
Natural gas production  
Natural gas consumption  
Natural gas exports  
Natural gas imports  
Natural gas proved reserves  
Current account balance $-142 million (2004 est.)
 
Exports $207.8 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
 
Exports commodities sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
 
Exports partners US 39.1%, UK 25%, France 4% (2003)
 
Imports $500.6 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 
Imports commodities machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco
 
Imports partners US 41.9%, Mexico 12.4%, UK 5.9%, Cuba 5.5% (2003)
 
Reserves of foreign exchange gold $84.7 million (2004 est.)
 
Debt external $475 million (2001 est.)
 
Economic aid recipient NA
 
Currency Belizean dollar (BZD)
 
Currency code BZD
 
Exchange rates Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2003), 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000), 2 (1999)
 
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March

 

 

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This information was reproduced in part from the CIA World Fact book.

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