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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.
History
Main article: History of Belize
The Maya civilization spread over Belize between 1500 BC and 300 AD and flourished until about 900 AD. 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 Amerindian 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.
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 6 districts:
- Belize District Central Sea coast
- Cayo District West Central Belize
- Corozal District Northern Belize
- Orange Walk District Below Corozal
- Stann Creek District Below Cayo
- Toledo District Southern Belize
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.
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; 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 Creole 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.
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
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