The small, essentially private enterprise economy is based primarily on agriculture, agro-based industry, and merchandising, with tourism and construction assuming greater importance. Sugar, the chief crop, accounts for nearly half of exports, while the banana industry is the country's largest employer. The government's tough austerity program in 1997 resulted in an economic slowdown that continued in 1998. The trade deficit has been growing, mostly as a result of low export prices for sugar and bananas. The tourist and construction sectors strengthened in early 1999, supporting growth of 6% in 1999 and 4% in 2000. Aided by international donors, the government's key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty.
Industry:
garment production, food processing, tourism, construction
Ethnicgroups:
mestizo 43.7%, Creole 29.8%, Maya 10%, Garifuna 6.2%, other 10.3%
Yellow fever:
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers coming from infected areas.
Malaria:
Malaria risk—almost exclusively due to P. vivax—exists in all districts but varies within regions. Risk is highest in the western and southern regions. No resistant P. falciparum strains reported.
