| Geography | Belize |
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Location:
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Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico |
Geographic coordinates:
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17 15 N, 88 45 W |
Map references:
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Central America and the Caribbean |
Area:
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total: 22,966 sq km
land: 22,806 sq km
water: 160 sq km |
Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Massachusetts |
Land boundaries:
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total: 516 km
border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km |
Coastline:
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386 km |
Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note - from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act, 1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Climate:
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tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May) |
Terrain:
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flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south |
Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Doyle's Delight 1,160 m |
Natural resources:
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arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower |
Land use:
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arable land: 3.05%
permanent crops: 1.39%
other: 95.56% (2005) |
Irrigated land:
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30 sq km (2003) |
Total renewable water resources:
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18.6 cu km (2000) |
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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Total: 0.15 cu km/yr (7%/73%/20%)
Per capita: 556 cu m/yr (2000) |
Natural hazards:
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frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south) |
Environment - current issues:
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deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal |
Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Geography - note:
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only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean |
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