Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Belize former: British Honduras

Capital City: Belmopan

Population: 287,730 (July 2006 est.)

GDP Per Capita: $8,400 (2006 est.)

Currency: Belizean dollar (BZD)

Languages: English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole

Total Area: total: 22,966 sq km land: 22,806 sq km water: 160 sq km slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Region: South America

Industries: garment production, food processing, tourism, construction

Agriculture: bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments

Resources: arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

Labor Force: 90,000 note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2001 est.)
agriculture: 27% industry: 18% services: 55% (2001 est.)

Exports: $359.5 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)
sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood

Imports: $543 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco

Overview: In this small, essentially private-enterprise economy the tourism industry is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by marine products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas, and garments. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to sturdy GDP growth averaging nearly 4% in 1999-2006. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit and unsustainable foreign debt. The government in 2006 announced it would seek a restructuring of its sovereign debt and has been negotiating with international creditors to find an acceptable formula for doing so. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international donors.

_{CIA World Book}

In 2007 Missouri exported $658,288 in goods to Belize. This ranks Belize 115^th among the 223 international buyers of Missouri goods. Missouri exports to Belize increased from the previous year by $424,464 a change of 181.56%. State exports to Belize have increased over the last 5 years by $442,322 a change of 204.81%. Missouri exports account for .00%. of all 2007 US exports to Belize.