(Formerly British Honduras.) A country of Central America on the Caribbean Sea. A British colony in the late 19th century, it became self-governing in 1964 and independent in 1981. Belmopan is the capital. Population: 294,000.
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(Formerly British Honduras.) A country of Central America on the Caribbean Sea. A British colony in the late 19th century, it became self-governing in 1964 and independent in 1981. Belmopan is the capital. Population: 294,000.
For more information on Belize, visit Britannica.com.
Belize in central America is a little larger than Wales and was originally part of the Maya empire. English colonists were repeatedly driven out by the Spaniards. In 1862 it was formed into a colony as British Honduras and was renamed Belize in 1973. Though it became independent in 1981, British troops remained as protection against Guatemalan claims.
Land and People
The land is generally low, with mangrove swamps and cays along the coast, but in the south rises to Victoria Peak (c.3,700 ft/1,128 m high). The climate is subtropical. Although most of the area is heavily forested, yielding mahogany, cedar, and logwood, there are regions of fertile savannas and barren pine ridges.
Besides the capital and Belize City, other important urban areas are Orange Walk, Corozal, and Dangringa. About evenly divided between urban and rural, the people are mainly of mestizo, creole, or Mayan descent. English is the official language; Spanish and Mayan are also spoken. About half the population is Roman Catholic; there is a large Protestant minority.
Economy and Government
Although only a small fraction of the land is cultivated, agriculture provides about 75% of Belize's exports, the chief of which are fish products, citrus, sugar, and bananas. Clothing and timber are also important products and export items, and there is some petroleum, which began being exported in 2006. Tourism is the main source of foreign exchange. Machinery, manufactured goods, fuel, chemicals, and food are imported. The United States, Great Britain, and Mexico are the main trading partners.
A parliamentary democracy, Belize is governed under the constitution of 1981. The monarch of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, represented by the governor general, is the head of state. The head of government is the prime minister. There is a bicameral National Assembly with a 12-seat appointed Senate and a 29-seat elected House of Representatives; all members serve five-year terms. The country is divided administratively into six districts.
History
In 1993 archaeologists discovered evidence of a farming community in Belize dating from 2500–1100 B.C. The Mayas first settled in the area some 200 to 300 years later, and a few ancient Maya cities still survive. The region was probably traversed by Cortés on his way to Honduras, but the Spanish made no attempt at colonization. British buccaneers, who used the cays to prey on Spanish shipping, founded Belize (early 17th cent.). British settlers from Jamaica began the exploitation of timber. Spain contested British possession several times until defeated at the last battle of St. George's Cay (1798). From 1862 to 1884 the colony was administered by the governor of Jamaica.
Guatemala long claimed the territory as part of its inheritance from Spain. As Belize progressed toward independence, the tension between Britain and Guatemala over the issue increased. In 1964 the colony gained complete internal self-government, and in 1981 Belize achieved independence, a development that prompted Guatemala to threaten war. Relations improved, however, and in Sept., 1991, Guatemala officially recognized Belize's independence and sovereignty. Nonetheless, a British force aimed at guaranteeing independence remained in the country until Sept., 1994. The poorly defined border, however, remained a source of tension. In 1993 Manuel Esquivel of the United Democratic party became prime minister; he was replaced in 1998 by Said Musa of the People's United party. In 2000, under the sponsorship of the Organization of the American States, Belize and Guatemala began negotiations to end their territorial dispute, and in 2002 they reached agreement on a draft settlement, which must be approved by national referendums. Musa's party was returned to power in the Mar., 2003, parliamentary elections.
Bibliography
See N. O. Bolland, The Formation of a Colonial Society (1977); J. A. Fernandez, Belize: A Case Study for Democracy in Central America (1989).
Local Time: Jul 24, 12:18 PM
Introduction
| Background: | Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include an unsustainable foreign debt, high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, growing urban crime, and increasing incidences of HIV/AIDS. |
Geography
| Location: | Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico |
| Geographic coordinates: | 17 15 N, 88 45 W |
| Map references: | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Area: | total: 22,966 sq km land: 22,806 sq km water: 160 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Massachusetts |
| Land boundaries: | total: 516 km border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km |
| Coastline: | 386 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note - from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act, 1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: | tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May) |
| Terrain: | flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m |
| Natural resources: | arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower |
| Land use: | arable land: 3.05% permanent crops: 1.39% other: 95.56% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 30 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south) |
| Environment - current issues: | deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal |
| Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note: | only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean |
People
| Population: | 294,385 (July 2007 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 38.9% (male 58,459/female 56,183) 15-64 years: 57.5% (male 85,686/female 83,717) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,979/female 5,361) (2007 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 19.9 years male: 19.7 years female: 20 years (2007 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.258% (2007 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 28.34 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Death rate: | 5.76 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.024 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.929 male(s)/female total population: 1.027 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 24.38 deaths/1,000 live births male: 27.43 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 68.25 years male: 66.44 years female: 70.16 years (2007 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 3.52 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 2.4% (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 3,600 (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 200 (2003 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean |
| Ethnic groups: | mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7% |
| Religions: | Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican 5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist 3.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000) |
| Languages: | Spanish 46%, Creole 32.9%, Mayan dialects 8.9%, English 3.9% (official), Garifuna 3.4% (Carib), German 3.3%, other 1.4%, unknown 0.2% (2000 census) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.9% male: 76.7% female: 77.1% (2000 census) |
Government
| Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Belize former: British Honduras |
| Government type: | parliamentary democracy |
| Capital: | name: Belmopan geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 46 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions: | 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo |
| Independence: | 21 September 1981 (from UK) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 21 September (1981) |
| Constitution: | 21 September 1981 |
| Legal system: | English law |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17 November 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Said Wilbert MUSA (since 28 August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Vildo MARIN (since 5 June 2007) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister |
| Legislative branch: | bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 6 on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 1 each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee; to serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - number of seats will increase to 31 next election elections: House of Representatives - last held 5 March 2003 (next to be held in March 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PUP 21, UDP 8 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister) |
| Political parties and leaders: | National Alliance for Belizean Rights or NABR; National Reform Party or NRP [Cornelius DUECK]; People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Dean BARROW]; Vision Inspired by the People or VIP [Paul MORGAN]; We the People Reform Movement [Hipolito BAUTISTA] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Gustavo PERERA]; Association of Concerned Belizeans or ACB [David VASQUEZ]; National Trade Union Congress of Belize or NTUC/B [Rene GOMEZ] |
| International organization participation: | ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa M. SHOMAN chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636 FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Robert J. DIETER embassy: Floral Park Road, Belmopan City, Cayo District mailing address: 3050 Belize Place, Washington DC 20521-3050 telephone: [501] 822-4011 FAX: [501] 822-4012 |
| Flag description: | blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland |
Economy
| Economy - overview: | In this small, essentially private-enterprise economy tourism is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by exports of marine products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas, and garments. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to sturdy GDP growth averaging nearly 4% in 1999-2006. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit and unsustainable foreign debt. The government in 2006 announced it would seek a restructuring of its sovereign debt and has been negotiating with international creditors to find an acceptable formula for doing so. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international donors. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | $2.307 billion (2006 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $1.141 billion (2006 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 3.5% (2006 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 22.5% industry: 14.8% services: 62.6% (2006 est.) |
| Labor force: | 113,000 note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2006 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 22.5% industry: 15.2% services: 62.3% (2005 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 9.4% (2006) |
| Population below poverty line: | 33.5% (2002 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 4.3% (2006 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | 20.6% of GDP (2006 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $302.6 million expenditures: $324.9 million (2006 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | bananas, cacao, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments |
| Industries: | garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 4.6% (1999) |
| Electricity - production: | 175 million kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 162.8 million kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2005) |
| Oil - production: | 2,413 bbl/day (2006) |
| Oil - consumption: | 3,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 1,960 bbl/day (2006) |
| Oil - imports: | NA bbl/day |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 0 bbl (1 January 2006) |
| Current account balance: | $-26 million (2006 est.) |
| Exports: | $427 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood |
| Exports - partners: | US 33.9%, UK 33.6%, Cote d'Ivoire 3.7% (2006) |
| Imports: | $612 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco |
| Imports - partners: | US 35.7%, Mexico 13%, Cuba 7.7%, Guatemala 7.2%, China 4.3% (2006) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $113.7 million (2006 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $1.2 billion (June 2005 est.) |
| Economic aid - recipient: | $NA (2005) |
| Currency (code): | Belizean dollar (BZD) |
| Exchange rates: | Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2 (2002) |
| Fiscal year: | 1 April - 31 March |
Transportation
| Airports: | 44 (2007) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 40 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 27 (2007) |
| Roadways: | total: 2,872 km paved: 488 km unpaved: 2,384 km (1999) |
| Waterways: | 825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2007) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 261 ships (1000 GRT or over) 940,852 GRT/1,275,111 DWT by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 36, cargo 190, chemical tanker 5, container 5, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 217 (China 107, Croatia 1, Cyprus 1, Estonia 1, Hong Kong 5, Iceland 1, Italy 4, Japan 2, South Korea 4, Latvia 14, Norway 3, Peru 1, Philippines 1, Russia 39, Singapore 3, Spain 2, Turkey 11, Ukraine 10, UAE 4, US 3) (2007) |
| Ports and terminals: | Belize City, Big Creek |
Military
| Military branches: | Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscription has never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available positions by 3:1 (2001) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 18-49: 61,201 females age 18-49: 60,048 (2005 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 18-49: 44,238 females age 18-49: 43,633 (2005 est.) |
| Manpower reaching military service age annually: | males age 18-49: 3,213 females age 18-49: 3,100 (2005 est.) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1.4% (2006) |
Transnational Issues
| Disputes - international: | annual ministerial meetings under the OAS-initiated Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and Confidence Building Measures continue to address Guatemalan land and maritime claims in Belize and Caribbean Sea; the Line of Adjacency created under the 2002 Differendum serves in lieu of the contiguous international boundary to control squatting in the sparsely inhabited rain forests of Belize's border region; Honduras claims Belizean-administered Sapodilla Cays in its constitution but agreed to a joint ecological park under the Differendum |
| Illicit drugs: | transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of cannabis, primarily for local consumption; money-laundering activity related to narcotics trafficking and offshore sector |
O. Land of the Free by the Carib Sea,
Our manhood we pledge to thy liberty!
No tyrants here linger, despots must flee
This tranquil haven of democracy
The blood of our sires which hallows the sod,
Brought freedom from slavery oppression's rod,
By the might of truth and the grace of God,
No longer shall we be hewers of wood.
Arise! ye sons of the Baymen's clan,
Put on your armour, clear the land!
Drive back the tyrants, let despots flee -
Land of the Free by the Carib Sea!
Nature has blessed thee with wealth untold,
O'er mountains and valleys where prairies roll;
Our fathers, the Baymen, valiant and bold
Drove back the invader; this heritage hold
From proud Rio Hondo to old Sarstoon,
Through coral isle, over blue lagoon;
Keep watch with the angels, the stars and moon;
For freedom comes tomorrow's noon.
National Prayer
Almighty and Eternal God, who through Jesus Christ
has revealed Your Glory to all nations, please protect
and preserve Belize, our beloved country.
God of might, wisdom and justice, please assist our
Belizean government and people with your Holy Spirit
of counsel and fortitude.
Let your light of Your divine wisdom direct their plans
and endeavours so that with Your help we may attain
our just objectives. With Your guidance, may all our
endeavours tend to peace, social justice, liberty, national
happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety and useful
knowledge.
We pray, O God of Mercy, for all of us that we may be
blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the
observance of Your most holy law, that we may be
preserved in union and in peace which the world
itself cannot give. And, after enjoying the blessings of
this life, please admit us, dear Lord, to that eternal
reward that You have prepared for those who love You.
Amen.
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Belize
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Sub Umbra Floreo (Latin) "You'd Better Belize It" |
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| Anthem "Land of the Free" Royal anthem "God Save the Queen" |
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| Capital | Belmopan |
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| Largest city | Belize City | |||||
| Official languages | English[1] | |||||
| Demonym | Belizean | |||||
| Government | Parliamentary democracy | |||||
| - | Monarch | Elizabeth II | ||||
| - | Governor-General | Sir Colville Young | ||||
| - | Prime Minister | Rt. Hon. Said Musa | ||||
| Independence | from the United Kingdom | |||||
| - | Date | September 21, 1981 | ||||
| Area | ||||||
| - | Total | sq mi |
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| - | Water (%) | 0.7 | ||||
| Population | ||||||
| - | (July 2007 est.) estimate | 297,651 (174th²) | ||||
| - | Density | 12/km² (203rd²) /sq mi |
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| GDP (PPP) | 2006 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $2.098 billion (163rd) | ||||
| - | Per capita | $8,400 (76th) | ||||
| HDI (2003) | 0.753 (medium) (91st) | |||||
| Currency | Dollar (BZD) |
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| Time zone | (UTC-6) | |||||
| Internet TLD | .bz | |||||
| Calling code | [[+501]] | |||||
| 1 | Significant numbers of people speak Spanish and Kriol. Spanish was nominated as an official language, but was discarded to evade confusion between languages. | |||||
| 2 | These ranks are based on the 2005 figures. | |||||
Belize (IPA: [bəˈliːz]) is the only official English speaking country in Central America. Belize was a British colony for more than a century and was known as British Honduras until 1973. It became an independent nation within The Commonwealth in 1981. Belize is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Sistema de Integración Centroamericana (SICA) and considers itself to be culturally both Caribbean and Central American. With 8,867 square miles (22,960 km²) of territory and only 294,385 people (Belize CSO, 2007 mid year est.), the population density is the lowest in the Central American region and one of the lowest in the world. However, the country's growth rate is 3.5% (2006 est.).
The Maya civilization spread itself over Belize between 1500 BC and 300 AD and flourished until about 900 AD. European settlement began with British Jews, privateers and shipwrecked English seamen as early as 1638.[2]
The origin of the name Belize is relatively unclear, but one theory is that it derives from the Spanish pronunciation of the surname of the pirate who created the first settlement in Belize in 1638, Peter Wallace. Another possibility is that the name is from the Maya word belix, meaning "muddy water", applied to the Belize River.
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 eighteenth century. In the early nineteenth century the settlement was called British Honduras, and in 1871 it became a Crown Colony.
Taking advantage of Spain’s inability to establish--and apparent lack of interest in establishing--control over present-day Belize, Englishmen began to cut logwood (Haematoxylum campechianum L.), a dyewood greatly valued in Europe as the principal dyestuff for the expanding woolen industry. By the 1770s, a second tropical exotic timber, mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King), replaced logwood as the main export from Belize. The economy of Belize remained based on the extraction of mahogany until the early 1900s when the cultivation of export crops such as citrus, sugar cane, and bananas came to dominate the economy.
Hurricane Hattie inflicted significant damage upon Belize in 1961. The government decided that a coastal capital city lying 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" on June 1 1973; it was the United Kingdom's last colony on the American mainland. George Price led the country to full independence on September 21 1981 after delays caused by territorial disputes with neighbouring Guatemala, which did not formally recognize the country.
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 twenty-third province. As of March 2007, the border dispute with Guatemala remains unresolved and quite contentious;[3][4] at various times the issue has required mediation by the United Kingdom, CARICOM heads of Government, the Organization of American States and, on one occasion, the United States. Since independence, a British garrison has been retained in Belize at the request of the Belizean Government. Notably, both Guatemala and Belize are participating in the confidence-building measures approved by the OAS, including the Guatemala-Belize Language Exchange Project.[5]
Belize was recently the site of unrest directed at the country's ruling party, concerning tax increases in the national budget.
Belize is a parliamentary democracy and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
The current head of state is the Queen of Belize, Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, who is represented in the country by the Governor-General. However, the cabinet, led by a prime minister, who is head of government, acting as advisors to the Governor-General, in practice exercise executive authority. Cabinet ministers are members of the majority political party in parliament and usually hold elected seats within it concurrent with their cabinet positions.
The bicameral National Assembly of Belize is composed of a House of Representatives and a Senate. The twenty-nine members of the House are popularly elected to a maximum five-year term and introduce legislation affecting the development of Belize. The Governor-General appoints the twelve members of the Senate, with a Senate president selected by the members. The Senate is responsible for debating and approving bills passed by the House.
Belize is a full participating member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Belize is divided into 6 districts:
These districts are further divided into 31 constituencies.
Belize is located between the Hondo and Sarstoon Rivers, with the Belize River flowing down through the center of the country. The north of Belize consists mostly of flat, swampy coastal plains, in places heavily forested. The flora is highly diverse considering the small geographical area. The south contains the low mountain range of the Mayan Mountains. The highest point in Belize is Doyle's Delight at 1,124 m. (3,688 ft).[6] The Caribbean coast is lined with a coral reef and some 450 islets and islands known locally as cayes (pronounced "keys"), forming the approximately 200 mile (322 km) long Belize Barrier Reef, the longest in the western hemisphere and the second longest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef. Three of the four coral atolls in the Western Hemisphere are also located off the coast of Belize. Belize is also the only Central American country without a coast on the Pacific Ocean.
The climate is tropical and generally very hot and humid. The rainy season lasts from May to November and hurricanes and floods are frequent natural hazards.
According to the CIA World Factbook Belize has the highest unemployment rate in Central America at 9.4%. The population living in poverty is at 33.5%, however, the government will invest close to $4.2 million in projects targeted at poverty alleviation across Belize.[citation needed]
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. More recently, discoveries of petroleum deposits in the Cayo District and possible deposits in the Toledo District have radically altered Belize's previously untapped mining and manufacturing capabilities.
The ruling government's big 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% because of the global slowdown and severe hurricane damage to agriculture, fishing and tourism. Growth was in 2005 3.8%. 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.
Racial tension is very uncommon because of the constant admixture of the different ethnic groups. Many people simply identify as "Belizean". Because of this, the ethnic composition of the country is sometimes hard to determine, but self identified Mestizos comprise 50% of the population, and Kriol 25%. The Indigenous Mayan also make up a good percentage of the Belizean population at 11%. The rest is a mix of Garifuna, Mennonite German farmers, South Asians, other Central Americans, whites from the United States of America, and many other foreign groups brought to assist the country's development. Not surprisingly, this mix creates an equally interesting mix of language and communication. English is the official language because Belize was a British colony and still has ties to Britain. However, most Belizeans use the more familiar Belize Kriol, an English-based language. Spanish has become important as the mother tongue of Mestizo and Central American settlers, and is a second language for much of the country. Less well known are the ancient Maya dialects, Garifuna (which is a mixture of the Carib language, Yoruban, French, and Spanish, and is also spoken in some communities in Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua) and the Plautdietsch dialect of the Mennonites. Literacy currently stands at nearly 80%.
Belize's birth rate currently stands at nearly 25/1000. Nearly 6 people die per year out of 1,000 members of the population; this figure includes murders, accidents and death from natural causes. Infant mortality, now at 24 deaths per thousand people, has been improving over the last century. Male babies are more likely to die than females. The life expectancy of a typical male is 66 years, while for a female it is 70. HIV/AIDS, while not a serious threat to national stability, does affect enough of the population to give Belize a high rating among Caribbean and Central American nations.
According to the latest census, the country's population is close to 300,000. The Maya are the most established of all ethnic groupings, having been in Belize and the Yucatán region since the 500s AD. However, much of Belize's original Maya population was wiped out by disease and conflicts between tribes and with Europeans. Three Maya groups now inhabit the country: Yucatecs (who came from Yucatán, Mexico to escape the Caste War), Mopans (indigenous to Belize, but were forced out by the British; they returned from Guatemala to evade slavery), and Kekchi (also fled from slavery in Guatemala).[7]
White English and Scottish settlers entered the area in the 1630s to cut logwood for export and began settling down. The first African slaves began arriving from elsewhere in the Caribbean and Africa and began intermarrying with whites and each other, to create the Belizean Kriol people ethnic grouping. After 1800, Mestizo settlers from Mexico and Guatemala began to settle in the North; the Garifuna, a mix of African and Carib ancestry, settled in the South by way of Honduras not long after that. During the 1860s a large influx of American Civil War veterans from Louisiana and other Southern states introduced commercial sugar cane production to the colony and established eleven settlements in the interior.
The 1900s saw the arrival of Asian settlers from Mainland China, India, Taiwan, Korea, Syria, and Lebanon. Central American immigrants and expatriate Americans and Africans also began to settle in the country, presenting an interesting potage. However, this was balanced by the migration of Creoles and other ethnic groups to the United States and elsewhere for better opportunities. Estimates have generally placed the number of the Belizean diaspora, consisting mainly of Kriol and Garifuna, at a number roughly equal to the current residents of Belize.
Belize has a relatively young and growing population. Its birth rate is among the highest in the world and there are indications that this trend will continue for the foreseeable future.
| Language | Mother tongue speakers | Percentage | Current users | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | 1,607 | (0.8%) | 1,529 | (0.7%) |
| Kriol | 67,527 | (32.9%) | 75,822 | (37.0%) |
| English | 7,946 | (3.9%) | 11,551 | (5.6%) |
| Garifuna | 6,929 | (3.4%) | 4,071 | (2.0%) |
| German | 6,783 | (3.3%) | 6.624 | (3.2%) |
| Hindi | 280 | (0.1%) | 193 | (0.1%) |
| Maya Ketchi | 10,142 | (4.9%) | 9,314 | (4.5%) |
| Maya Mopan | 6,909 | (3.4%) | 6,093 | (3.0%) |
| Maya Yucateco | 1,176 | (0.6%) | 613 | (0.3%) |
| Spanish | 94,422 | (46.0%) | 88,121 | (43.0%) |
| Others / no answer | 1,402 | (0.7%) | 1,192 | (0.6%) |
Belize is a predominantly Christian society. Roman Catholicism is accepted by about half of the population, and Protestantism by about a quarter. Much of the remaining population is comprised of Taoists, Buddhists and more recently introduced religions like Jainists, Islam, and Bahá'í. Hinduism is followed by most Indian immigrants; Islam is also common among the Middle-eastern immigrants and has also gained a following among Creoles and Garifuna. Religious freedom is guaranteed and churches dot the streets of Belize almost as frequently as places of business; Catholics frequently visit the country for special gospel revivals. Jehovah's Witnesses have also enjoyed significant increase in recent years and now make up around 2% of the population.
Belize boasts a rich mix of ethnicities including Creole, Maya, Mestizo, East Indian, Chinese, Garifuna and Mennonite. Among its other cultural attractions, it has thousands of Maya archaeological temples and in 2001 UNESCO declared the Garifuna language, dance and music a "Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity", along with Honduras and Nicaragua. Belize is the only country in Central America without a Pacific coastline and also the only one with English as its official language. According to the most recent vegetation surveys, about sixty percent (60%) of Belize's land mass is forested, with only about twenty percent (20%) of the country's land subject to human uses (i.e. agricultural land and human settlements). Savannas, scrublands and wetlands constitute extensive parts of the nation's land cover. As a result, Belize's biodiversity is rich, both marine and terrestrial, with a host of flora and fauna. About thirty-seven percent (37%) of Belize's land territory falls under some form of official protected status. As such conservation activities remain an important priority in government policy with the notable example of having the only jaguar reserve in the world among its protected areas. However, Belize is best known for its marine environment, in particular, for having the longest living barrier reef in the western hemisphere and the second longest contiguous reef in the world after Australia. Consequently, divers flock to Belize to enjoy its underwater attractions. Belize, as a consequence of its medley of cultural attractions, unique marine and terrestrial biodiversity, and conservation efforts, is fast becoming a hotspot for travellers seeking eco-tourism and adventure vacation experiences.
As a result of the country's long colonization by the British, English is the official language of Belize. Creole dialect frequently can be heard in the major cities and in the northern regions, Spanish is also widely spoken. Garifuna dialects are also heard, but it is not as predominant as the above languages.
Food, music and socialization are as diverse as the people with whom they are associated.
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Altun Ha archaeological site, Belize |
The Swing Bridge, on Haulover Creek. Belize City |
Memorial Park, Belize City |
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