Part 76

Television broadcast stations: 1

Televisions: 27,048 (1993 est.)

Defense -------

Branches: Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 52,290 males fit for military service: 31,086 males reach military age (18) annually: 2,390 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $8.1 million, NA% of GDP (FY95/96)

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@Benin -----

Map ---

Location: 9 30 N, 2 15 E -- Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo

Flag ----

Description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side

Geography ---------

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo

Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N, 2 15 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total area: 112,620 sq km land area: 110,620 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: total: 1,989 km border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km

Coastline: 121 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Tanekas 641 m

Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Land use: arable land: 12% permanent crops: 4% meadows and pastures: 4% forest and woodland: 35% other: 45%

Irrigated land: 60 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geographic note: no natural harbors