(i) Population is de jure, but excludes persons residing in institutions.

(ii) Excluding dependencies. Population of South Georgia at the end of 1970 was 22 persons; the other islands are uninhabited.

(iii) Including Christmas, Fanning, Ocean and Washington Islands, and Phoenix Islands group except Canton and Enderbury Islands.

(iv) The other islands in the group, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno are uninhabited and have an area of approximately 43 km'.

(v) Excluding dependencies. Ascension, 88km2, population 1206 (mid-1973 estimates) and Tristan da Cunha, 99 km2; population 294 (mid-1972 estimates).

B

BELIZE

ELIZE is situated on the east coast of Central America bounded on the north and part of the west by Mexico and by Guatemala on the remainder of the west and south. In length the country extends 174 miles from the Rio Hondo in the north to the Sarstoon River in the south. In breadth the widest part (Belize City to Benque Viejo del Carmen) is 68 miles. Its land area is about 8,866 square miles which includes a number of islets (known as cayes) lying off the coast.

The coastline is for the most part flat and swampy but the country rises gradually towards the interior. The Maya Mountains and the Cockscombs, which reach a height of 3,800 feet (Victoria Peak), form the backbone of the southern half of the territory. All the Western (Cayo) District is hilly and includes the Mountain Pine Ridge most of which lies between 1,000 and 2,000 feet above sea level but rises in parts to around 3,000 feet. The northern districts are also hilly except towards the coast but contain considerable areas of low tableland. There are seventeen principal rivers, of which the Belize River is the most impor tant. None is navigable by vessels over five feet draught and few for any distance. The coastal waters are shallow for 10-20 miles to the east. This shallow sea is dotted with cayes and is bounded by a coral encrusted reef second only in size to the great barrier reef off the eastern coast of Australia. Three separate reef areas lie still further to the east and the most easterly islet is more than 60 miles to the east of Belize City.

The climate is sub-tropical and on the whole agreeable. In the largest city, Belize City, the temperature averages 75°F from November to January and 81°F from May to September. The mean annual temperature is 79°F. Day temperatures often reach 90°F-96°F and night temperatures may very occasionally fall to the fifties. Most of the year the heat and humidity are tempered by sea breezes. This description applies with small variation along the whole coastal area. Inland, the day temperatures during the dry season tend to be higher, but drop considerably at night. Rainfall increases from north to south:

There are two dry seasons, the main one from March to May and the other in August and September (called the Maugre Season).

Belize has been struck from time to time by hurricanes. In recent years a hurricane struck Belize City on 10th September 1931, causing heavy loss of life and property; on 27th September 1955 hurricane ‘Janet' struck the northern part of the country completely destroying the town of Corozal and damaging dozens of villages in the Corozal and Orange Walk Districts; on 15th July 1960 hurricane "Abby" struck the area of the Sittee River, south of Stann Creek, causing some damage to crops and dwellings; on 24th July 1961 hurricane "Anna" wrought fairly extensive damage in the villages of Seine Bight and

Placentia and almost completely destroyed banana plantations in the Stann Creek district; on 31st October 1961 Hurricane "Hattie" caused 262 deaths and most serious damage to Belize City, Stann Creek Town and other parts of the country. In 1974 Belize was struck by hurricanes "Carmen" and "Fifi" but suffered only one fatality. Crops, bananas and corn, were the main victims.

The census of 1970 showed the population of Belize as 119,934. This figure was made up of 60,091 males and 59,843 females. In 1971 the birth rate was 40.9 per 1,000 population; the death rate 5.06 per 1,000. The infant death rate per 1,000 live births was 30-9. The main racial groups are Creoles, Mestizos (Maya/Spanish) and Caribs. There are also a number of persons of East Indian and Spanish descent. The races are, however, now heavily inter-mixed and a great many persons would have considerable difficulty in deciding to which group they belong. There are 3,500 Mennonites farming at Spanish Lookout and the Blue Creek area of Belize.

The great majority of the population belong to one or other of the Christian churches. About 60 per cent are Roman Catholics and 40 per cent Protestants. In addition to a large contribution in the field of education a few of the denominations, notably the Roman Catholics and Nazarenes, operate health clinics, and many provide social and family welfare services.

Until 1st August 1970 Belize City was the capital, where one third of the country's population live (39,050). The new capital of the country is Belmopan, some fifty miles inland on the Western Highway. It had a population of over 3,000 at the end of May 1973.

English is the official language. In certain areas, for instance Corozal and Cayo districts, the mother tongue of many people is Spanish and in the southern districts, Stann Creek and Toledo, there are ethnic groups whose first language is Carib or Maya. But everywhere English is, from the beginning, the medium of instruction in schools. Spanish is taught in secondary schools but a start has now been made in introducing the teaching of Spanish in primary schools and bi-lingualism is the objective. Nearly everyone speaks an English dialect known as "creole". It is the most popular vernacular of the country.

Education is compulsory from the age of 6 to 14 years. Only about 5 per cent of the population over the age of 10 years is illiterate. In 1973 primary education was provided by 11 state schools and 162 grant-aided schools almost entirely run by the churches under a denominational system. The total enrolment, free of cost in Government and Government-assisted primary schools, was 31,192 pupils with a further 1,600 pupils enrolled in private primary schools, Secondary education is provided by 4 Government and 15 grant-aided schools with a total of 5,165 pupils. The primary and secondary schools were staffed by 1,400 teachers, certificated and uncertificated. The Government also maintains 2 special schools for the mentally retarded and physically handicapped. There are three post-secondary institutions, the Belize Teachers College, the Belize Technical College and St John's Junior College. Vocational training is provided for primary school leavers who do not enter technical college; in addition vocational training is afforded to adults. There are no universities and students must go abroad for further study, scholarships being awarded by the University of the West Indies and other universities in Britain, Canada and the U.S.A. The number of scholarships to universities and other institutions abroad in 1973 was 224. Expenditure on education was estimated in 1974 at BZ $3,331,783 or 11.9

per cent of the national revenue. In the capital, Belmopan, two primary schools and a comprehensive secondary school are operating and during 1974 a new Ecumenical High School was opened in Stann Creek Town.

There are three government training institutions, one for the teachers, another for the nurses and a third for the police.

The Baron Bliss Institute which was opened in May 1954 is maintained and operated by the Government for the encouragement of cultural activities. The National Library Service, the headquarters of which are housed in a section of the institute, has established 74 service points all over the country. The British Council was withdrawn on 31st March 1974.

The Government operates a radio broadcasting service (Radio Belize) which transmits programmes from Belize City in both English and Spanish for some 120 hours per week. The service is radiated on medium and short wave and covers most areas of the territory. It is semi-commercial. There are also transmitters at Belmopan, Punta Gorda and Corozal. There is no television service in the country.

The Belize Telecommunications Authority acts as an agent for Government for the regulation of internal telecommunication services including the assignment of radio frequencies. The automatic telephone service covers the entire country of Belize. External services are operated by Cable and Wireless Limited under licence from the Government of Belize. The B.T.A. National Telephone System is connected by HF radio telephone and telegraphic services to Kingston, Jamaica; Miami, Florida and points beyond through the international facilities of Cable and Wireless Limited.

The country is relatively free from endemic diseases. Malaria which was most prevalent is no longer a problem owing to an intense programme of malaria eradication. There are nine hospitals and medical institutions with a complement of 598 beds. The main general hospital, with 163 beds, is in Belize City, and in Belmopan there is a hospital with 40 beds. A new hospital will be completed during 1975 at Orange Walk Town. Expenditure on medical and health services during 1974 amounted to BZ$1,751,123.

The Belize City International Airport is nine miles north-west of Belize City. It is the principal airport of the territory and international air services are operated by Transportes Aereos Centro Americano S.A. (T.A.C.A. International Airlines), Transportes Aereo Nacionales S.A. (T.A.N. Airlines) and Servicio Aereo de Honduras S.A. (S.A.H.S.A.) to and from all parts of Central America and to Miami and New Orleans in the United States and Kingston, Jamaica. The runway, at present 6,300 feet long and 150 feet wide, is capable of handling up to DC 9, Boeing 737, Lockheed Electras and BAC 111s. Plans for extending the runway and general facilities are currently in hand so that within five years Belize International Airport will be able to accommodate 4 engine type aircraft. A weather radar system came into operation in 1973. Maya Airways maintains a scheduled internal passenger air service to the principal towns throughout the country using 4-10 seater aircraft. At present there are 21 government owned or privately licensed airfields throughout the country suitable for light single and twin engined aircraft.

The main port is Belize City, There are, however, no docks nor deep water quays and vessels drawing more than five feet have to anchor in the harbour. Vessels drawing over 20 feet or more anchor a mile or more off shore. Cargoes