Belize
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Where is Belize located?
Belize is on the northeast coast of Central America, south of the Yucatán Peninsula. It is a land of mountains, swamps, and tropical jungle. Belize is bordered to the north by Mexico, and to the west and south by Guatemala. To the east, it has a 174-mile (280-km) coastline bordering the Caribbean Sea. Belize is often considered a Caribbean country in Central America because its history is similar to English-speaking Caribbean nations.
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What is the capital city of Belize?
The capital of Belize is Belmopan. It is located inland in the Belize River valley, roughly 50 miles (80 km) from Belize City, the former capital on the Caribbean coast.
Belmopan was established as the new capital after Belize City was significantly damaged by Hurricane Hattie and a tidal wave in 1961. Construction began in 1966, funded by a grant from the United Kingdom, and government offices were relocated there in 1970. Most of Belmopan's residents are government employees and their families.
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What languages are spoken in Belize?
Belize is a culturally diverse country with many languages spoken among its population. Though English is the official language, a creole patois is also widely spoken. Many Belizeans are multilingual.
Other languages spoken in Belize:
* Mayan languages Yucatec, Mopán, and Kekchí
* Spanish Spoken by the Mestizos
* Garifuna An Arawak-based language
* Plautdietsch Spoken by the Mennonites, is an archaic Low Saxon (Germanic) language influenced by Dutch2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What are some important natural features of Belize?
Belize is a land of mountains, swamps, and tropical jungles. The southern half of Belize features the Maya Mountains, while the northern half contains limestone lowlands and swamps. The navigable Belize River, New River, and Hondo River drain the lowlands.
The Belize Barrier Reef, the second largest in the world, lies along the Caribbean coast. This reef system is home to around 450 mangrove cays and sandy islands, and it supports a diverse array of plant and animal life.
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How has Belize's history influenced its culture?
Belize's history has significantly shaped its culture, creating a diverse population reflected in its ethnicities, languages, and traditions. The Maya presence dates back centuries before European arrival, with ruins like La Milpa, Xunantunich, and Caracol as evidence.
British settlement in the 17th century led to the import of enslaved Africans, influencing the ethnic mix and labor systems. The arrival of the Garifuna in the 19th century, along with Spanish-speaking refugees and Maya communities, further diversified Belize. This blend of cultures contributes to Belize's unique cultural milieu.
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Why is Belize known for its barrier reef and why is it important?
The Belize Barrier Reef is renowned as the second-largest barrier reef after Australia's Great Barrier Reef, and it is the largest in the Northern and Western Hemispheres. Stretching 180 miles along Belize's Caribbean coast, it is home to diverse marine life, including endangered species like the American crocodile and the West Indian manatee.
The reef's importance lies in its ecological diversity, offering habitats for over 500 fish species, 65 species of stony corals, and 350 varieties of mollusks. It also attracts 100,000 to 150,000 tourists annually for snorkeling and diving. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996, the reef is vital for tourism and fishing, providing seafood exports like lobster and conch.
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News •
Belize, country located on the northeast coast of Central America. Belize, which was known as British Honduras until 1973, was the last British colony on the American mainland. Its prolonged path to independence was marked by a unique international campaign (even while it was still a British colony) against the irredentist claims of its neighbour Guatemala. Belize achieved independence on September 21, 1981, but it has retained its historical link with the United Kingdom through membership in the Commonwealth.
Belize is often thought of as a Caribbean country in Central America because it has a history similar to that of English-speaking Caribbean nations. Indeed, Belize’s institutions and official language reflect its history as a British colony. However, its culture is more typical of that of other Central American countries. Belize’s small population is ethnically diverse and includes a large proportion of immigrants. Since the 1970s, migration has shifted Belize’s ethnic composition from a predominantly Creole (mixed African and British descent) population to one in which mestizos (in Belize, people of mixed Mayan and Spanish ancestry) make up half of the total inhabitants. Belize has one of the most stable and democratic political systems in Central America. After its original capital, Belize City, was ravaged by a hurricane in 1961, a new capital, Belmopan, was built inland, about 50 miles (80 km) west of Belize City, which remains the country’s commercial and cultural centre as well as its most populous city.
- Head Of Government:
- Prime Minister: John Briceño
- Capital:
- Belmopan
- Population:
- (2026 est.) 423,900
- Head Of State:
- British Monarch: King Charles III, represented by Governor-General: Froyla Tzalam
- Form Of Government:
- constitutional monarchy with two legislative houses (Senate [131, 2]; House of Representatives [312])
- Official Language:
- English
- Official Religion:
- none
- Official Name:
- Belize
- Total Area (Sq Km):
- 22,965
- Total Area (Sq Mi):
- 8,867
- Monetary Unit:
- Belize dollar (BZ$)
- Population Rank:
- (2026) 178
- Population Projection 2030:
- 491,000
- Density: Persons Per Sq Mi:
- (2026) 47.8
- Density: Persons Per Sq Km:
- (2026) 18.5
- Urban-Rural Population:
- Urban: (2022) 44.6%
- Rural: (2022) 55.4%
- Life Expectancy At Birth :
- Male: (2021) 71.4 years
- Female: (2021) 75.4 years
- Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000):
- (2024) 2,981
- Gni Per Capita (U.S.$):
- (2024) 7,150
- All seats are nonelected.
- Excludes speaker, who may be designated from outside either legislative house.
The name Belize is traditionally believed to have been derived from the Spanish pronunciation of the last name of Peter Wallace, a Scottish buccaneer who may have begun a settlement at the mouth of the Belize River about 1638. It is also possible that the name evolved from the Mayan word belix (“muddy water”) or belikin (“land facing the sea”).
Land
Situated south of the Yucatán Peninsula, Belize is a land of mountains, swamps, and tropical jungle. It is bounded by Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. The country has a 174-mile (280-km) coastline.
Relief
The southern half of the country is dominated by the rugged Maya Mountains, a plateau of igneous rock cut by erosion into hills and valleys that stretch in a southwesterly to northeasterly direction. The Cockscomb Range, a spur of the Maya Mountains, runs toward the sea and rises to Doyle’s Delight. The northern half of the country consists of limestone lowlands and swamps less than 200 feet (60 metres) above sea level.
Drainage and soils
The lowlands are drained by the navigable Belize River (on which stands Belize City), the New River, and the Hondo River (which forms the northern frontier with Mexico). Both the New and the Hondo rivers drain into Chetumal Bay to the north. South of Belize City the coastal plain is crossed by short river valleys. Along the coast is the Belize Barrier Reef, the second largest barrier reef in the world, which is fringed by dozens of small islands called cays. The reef reserve system was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996. Belize’s most fertile soils are the limestone soils found in the northern half of the country and in the coastal plain and river valleys in the south.