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Belize
Find a premier Hotel & Resort at
Hilton Hotels.
or book Sheraton Hotels and Resorts
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Swing Bridge, on Haulover Creek. Belize |
Mayan ruins in Belize |
Altun Ha archaeological site, Belize. |
Xunantunich, Belize |
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History
Main article: History of
Belize
Belmopan
Xunantunich, BelizeThe Maya civilization spread
over Belize between 1500 BC and AD 300 and
flourished until about AD 900.
The first Europeans arrived in the area in the
early 16th century and settlement began with
British privateers and shipwrecked English
seamen as early as 1638.
The origin of the name Belize is unclear but one
explanation is that it derives from the Spanish
pronunciation of Wallace, the name of the pirate
who created the first settlement in Belize in
1638. Another possibility is that the name is
from the Maya word belix, meaning "muddy water",
applied to the Belize River.
Belmopan
The early "settlement of Belize in the Bay of
Honduras" grew from a few habitations located at
Belize Town and St George's Caye, into a
de-facto colony of the United Kingdom during the
late 18th century. In the early 19th century,
the settlement was called the British Honduras,
and in 1862 it became a Crown Colony.
Hurricane Hattie inflicted significant damage
upon Belize in 1961. The government decided that
having a coastal capital city that is below sea
level was too risky. Over several years, the
British colonial government designed a new
capital Belmopan at the exact geographic centre
of the country, and in 1970 began slowly moving
the governing offices there.
British Honduras became a self-governing colony
in January 1964 and was renamed Belize in June
1973; it was Britain's last colony on the
American mainland. George Price led the country
to full independence in September 1981 after
delays caused by territorial disputes with
neighbouring Guatemala, which did not formally
recognise the country until 1992.
Throughout Belize's history, Guatemala has
claimed ownership of all or part of the
territory. This claim is occasionally reflected
in maps showing Belize as Guatemala's most
eastern province. As of 2005, the border dispute
with Guatemala remains unresolved and quite
contentious, at various times the issue has
involved mediation assistance from the United
Kingdom and the CARICOM heads of Government.
Belize was recently the site of unrest directed
at the country's ruling party concerning tax
increases in the national budget.
Belize is a small nation on the eastern coast of
Central America, on the Caribbean Sea bordered
by Mexico to the northwest and Guatemala to the
west and south. The country is a parliamentary
democracy and constitutional monarchy which
recognizes Queen Elizabeth II as Sovereign. The
nation of Honduras is a near neighbour, 75 km
away (47 miles) across the Gulf of Honduras to
the east. The name is derived from the Belize
River which Belize City, the former capital and
largest city, is also named after. In Spanish it
is usually called Belice. Belize was a British
colony for more than a century, known as British
Honduras, until 1973. It became an independent
nation in 1981. Belize is a member of Caribbean
Community (CARICOM) and the Sistema de
Integracion Centro Americana (SICA) and
considers itself to be both Caribbean, and
Central American. |
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Background:
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Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala
delayed the independence of Belize (formerly British
Honduras) until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize
the new nation until 1992. Tourism has become the
mainstay of the economy. The country remains plagued
by high unemployment, growing involvement in the
South American drug trade, and increased urban
crime. |
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Location:
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Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
Guatemala and Mexico |
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Geographic coordinates:
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17 15
N, 88 45 W
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Map references:
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Central America and the Caribbean |
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Area:
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total: 22,966 sq km
water: 160 sq km
land: 22,806 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Massachusetts |
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Ethnic groups:
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mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna
6.1%, other 9.7% |
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Religions:
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Roman
Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Anglican 5.3%,
Methodist 3.5%, Mennonite 4.1%, Seventh-Day
Adventist 5.2%, Pentecostal 7.4%, Jehovah's
Witnesses 1.5%), none 9.4%, other 14% (2000) |
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Languages:
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English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib),
Creole |
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Currency:
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Belizean dollar (BZD)
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Currency code:
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BZD
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Exchange rates:
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Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2.0000 (fixed rate
pegged to the US dollar) |
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