Where in the world is Belize?

The Central American nation of Belize is set on the Caribbean coastline – neighbor to Mexico and Guatemala. A coral reef extends beyond the 175 miles of the Belizean coast – the longest reef in the Western Hemisphere.

The land is blanketed with a lush rainforest cover, outlined by 3,675 foot mountains, aligned with the second largest coral reef in the world, and uniquely marked with Mayan temples. The Belize Tourist Board reports 40 percent of its land mass is under preservation.

Belize History

Once a colony known as British Honduras, Belize declared its independence from Great Britain on September 21, 1981. The government is modeled after the Westminster system; Belize’s executive branch includes the Governor General, Prime Minister and Cabinet. An elected House of Representatives (29 members) and an appointed Senate group comprise the legislative branch. The Governor General appoints the Prime Minister, who leads the ruling party and the Cabinet.

The Cultures of Belize

Holding an estimated 291,000 people in population, (Wikipedia - July 2006 Population Estimates) Belize is diverse in culture, language and ethnic groups. The nation’s people groups include Mestizo (largest population – descendants of Mexicans and Yucatec Mayans), Creole (second largest in population – descendants of European settlers who married freed African slaves), Garifuna, Spanish, Maya, English, Mennonite, Lebanese, Chinese and East Indian. Amerindians groups include the Yucatec, Mopan and Kekchi.

The official language of Belize is English which is followed by Creole and Spanish. Other languages include those spoken by the Garifuna, Mayas and Mennonites.