Belize

Belize is a small nation in Central America, on the Caribbean Sea bordering Mexico to the northwest and Guatemala to the west and south. Honduras lies 75 km away at the two nations' closest point across the Gulf of Honduras to the east. In the Spanish language Belize is usually called Belice. Belize was formerly known as British Honduras and the current name is derived from Belize City and the Belize River. Belize City is the country's largest city, as well as the principal port and its former capital. Belize is a member of CARICOM and considers itself a Caribbean nation, not Central American.

Belize

(In Detail) (Full size)
National motto: "Sub Umbra Floreo" (Latin: "Under the Shade I Flourish")
Official language	English
Capital	Belmopan
Queen	Elizabeth II
Governor-General	Sir Colville Young
Prime Minister	Said Musa
Area  - Total  - % water	Ranked 146th 22,966 km² 0.7%
Population Total (2003 E) Density	Ranked 171st 266,440 12/km²
Independence From the UK	September 21, 1981
Currency	Belizean dollar (BZD)
Time zone	UTC -6
National anthem	Land of the Free
Internet TLD	.BZ
Calling Code	011-501

History

Main article: History of Belize

The 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 shipwrecked English seamen in 1638. This period also was marked by piracy, indiscriminate logging, and sporadic conflict with Native American tribes and the neighbouring Spanish.

Belize grew into a more official colony of the United Kingdom during the late 18th, early 19th century under the name of British Honduras, which became a crown colony in 1862. A self-governing colony since January 1964 and renamed Belize in June 1973, 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.

1961 saw significant damage to the country at the hands of Hurricane Hattie. The government decided that having a coastal capital city that is below sea level was too much of a risk. Over the course of several years the British colonial government designed a new city at the exact geographic center of the country, and in 1970 began the slow process of moving the governing offices to the capital of Belmopan.

Throughout Belize's history Guatemala has claimed ownership of the territory, a more recent claim being much of the southern portion.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Belize

Belize is a parliamentary democracy and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The British monarch is head of state and is represented in the country by a governor general who must be a Belizean. The primary executive organ of government is the cabinet, led by a prime minister who is head of government. Cabinet ministers are members of the majority political party in parliament and usually hold elected seats within it concurrently with their cabinet positions.

The bicameral Belizean parliament is the National Assembly, which consists of a House of Representatives and a Senate. The 29 members of the House are popularly elected to a maximum 5-year term. Of the Senate's eight members, five are elected by the prime minister, two by the leader of the opposition, and one by the governor general on the advice of the Belize Advisory Council. The Senate is headed by a president, who is a nonvoting member appointed by the governing party...

Districts

Main article: Districts of Belize

Belize consists of six districts:

1. Belize District
2. Cayo District
3. Corozal District
4. Orange Walk District
5. Stann Creek District
6. Toledo District

Geography

Main article: Geography of Belize

The north of Belize consists mostly of flat, swampy coastal plains, in places heavily forested. In the south is found the low mountain range of the Maya Mountains, of which the highest point in Belize is Victoria Peak at 1,160 m. Belize is located in between the Hondo and Sarstoon Rivers, with the Belize River flowing down in the centre of the country. All along the Caribbean coast are found coral reefs or cays.

The local climate is tropical and generally very hot and humid. The rainy season lasts from May to November and frequent natural hazards include hurricanes and flooding.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Belize

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. Citrus production has become a major industry along the Hummingbird Highway.

The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to GDP growth of 6.4% in 1999 and 10.5% in 2000. Growth decelerated in 2001 to 3% due to the global slowdown and severe hurricane damage to agriculture, fishing, and tourism. Major concerns continue to be the rapidly expanding trade deficit and foreign debt. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international donors.

More Belizians currently live abroad (mostly in the United States) than within the country itself. This is the cause of a circumstance whereby a very significant portion of GNP comes from money sent by families living abroad.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Belize

Most Belizeans are of multiracial descent. About half the population is of mixed Maya and European descent (Mestizo); 25% are of African and Afro-European (Creole) ancestry (note: In Belize this is spelled "Kriol"); about 10% are Maya; and about 6% are Afro-Amerindian (Garifuna). The remainder includes European, Indian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern and North American groups.

English is the official language. Most Belizeans other than recent arrivals from neighboring countries have at least a working knowledge of English. English or Kriol English predominates along the coast, and in the center and south of the country. In the west and north, the Spanish language is more widely spoken. Spanish is the native tongue of about 50% of the people and is spoken as a second language by another 20%. The various Maya groups still speak Maya languages, and an English Creole dialect, similar to the Creole dialects of the English-speaking Caribbean Islands, is spoken by most. Some communities in southern Belize mostly speak Garifuna.

About 50% of the population is Roman Catholic; the Anglican Church and other Protestant Christian groups account for most of the remainder. About 5% belong to the German-/Plautdietsch-speaking Mennonite community.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Belize

National Holidays include Baron Bliss Day on 9 March; Commonwealth Day on the second Monday in March; Labour Day on 1 May; The Battle of St. George's Caye on 10 September; Independence Day on 21 September, Pan American Day on 13 October; and Garifuna Settlement Day on 19 November.

• List of Belizeans
• Music of Belize

Miscellaneous topics

• Communications in Belize
• Transportation in Belize
• Military of Belize
• Foreign relations of Belize
• Ports of Belize
• Plants and animals of Belize
• Maya ruins of Belize

Material in some of these articles comes from the CIA World Factbook 2000 and the 2003 U.S. Department of State website.

External links

• Government of Belize (http://www.belize.gov.bz) - Official governmental site
• Belize Tourism Board (http://www.travelbelize.org) - Official Tourism site
• Belize by Naturalight (http://www.belizenet.com) - Belize Portal
• Belizean Journeys (http://www.belizeanjourneys.com) - Belize Online Magazine
• Belize Forums (http://www.belizeforum.com) - Community Forums on Belize
• Belize.Net (http://www.belize.net/) - Belize Specific Search Engine
• Map (http://www.world-gazetteer.com/s/p_bz.htm)

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