| |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
| Belize | Introduction | Back to Top |
Belize, independent state, north-eastern Central America, bordered on the north and north-west by Mexico, on the east by the Caribbean Sea, and on the south and west by Guatemala. Belize, until 1973 known as British Honduras, became independent in 1981 and is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The total area of Belize is 22,965 sq km (8,867 sq mi). The capital city is Belmopan; the largest city and major port is Belize City.
Official Name- Belize| Belize | Provinces | Back to Top |
6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo
| Belize | People | Back to Top |
Many Belizeans are of mixed ancestry, most of them descendant of immigrants. Mestizos (of mixed Maya Indian and European ancestry) are the largest ethnic group, accounting for more than two-fifths of the population. English-speaking people of largely African and African-European ancestry, who are called Creoles, account for nearly one-third of the population and predominate in the central coastal regions. Mestizos predominate in the more sparsely inhabited interior, along with the Maya, who account for one-ninth of the population. Several thousand Garifuna, formerly called Black Caribs, who are descendants of the Carib Indians and Africans exiled from British colonies in the eastern Caribbean (Lesser Antilles) in the 18th century, live in communities on the south coast. People of European and East Indian ancestry are also present, as are smaller numbers of Chinese, Arabs, and others.
Anglicans, who established the first church in the early 19th century, were soon followed by Baptist and Methodist missionaries. The Roman Catholic church was established in 1851, and nearly three-fifths of the population are adherents of that religion. Protestants account for more than one-third of the population, with the largest denominations being Anglican, Pentecostal, Methodist, Seventh-day Adventist, and Mennonite. Evangelical and fundamentalist churches, many of them based in the United States, are small but growing rapidly.
| Belize | History | Back to Top |
Belize was part of the territory of the Maya. It was included in the Viceroyalty of New Spain in the 1500s, and sometime later English woodcutters from Jamaica established a settlement on the Belize River. During the wars between England and Spain in the 1700s, Spain failed to dislodge the British from the area. In 1836, after the emancipation of Central America from Spanish rule, the British claimed the right to administer the region; it was declared a British colony, subordinate to Jamaica, in 1862 and an independent crown colony in 1884.
Maya Indians lived in the area now known as Belize for centuries before the arrival of Europeans, as manifested by more than a dozen major ruins such as La Milpa, Xunantunich, Altun Ha, and Caracol. The Spanish penetrated the area in the 16th and 17th centuries and tried to convert the Maya to Christianity, but with little success. British buccaneers and logwood cutters finally settled on the inhospitable coast in the mid-17th century.
Long-range constitutional reforms were initiated by the British in 1954, resulting in a new constitution ten years later. Progress toward independence, however, was hampered by an old Guatemalan claim to sovereignty over the territory. When Belize finally attained full independence on September 21, 1981, Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation; about 1,500 British troops remained to protect Belize from the Guatemalan threat.
| Belize | Culture | Back to Top |
The small population of Belize is culturally diverse. This multiplicity of ethnicities, languages, religions, modes of dress, cuisines, styles of music, and folklore reflects the cultural mix. There are many ethnically distinct communities, but people of different groups also mix in many social contexts: at work, in schools, and in the political parties that are not ethnically based. Though prejudices exist, there is no history of interethnic violence in Belize.
The social class of the people—whether they are poor or middle class—affects whether they will have such amenities as a car or television and influences as well whether their children will complete secondary school. Belizeans who have television watch mostly foreign programs, such as Mexican soap operas and North American sports; and the music they listen to largely reflects the traditions of their ethnic group, though recorded music from the Caribbean and United States is widely enjoyed by young people. One hybrid musical form, “punta rock,” seems to blend Caribbean soca, calypso, and reggae styles with merengue, salsa, and hip-hop. Also popular are the traditional sounds of brukdown—the tapping of assorted bottles, tables, cans, or other objects—an energetic percussion that originated in the logging camps.
Food also reflects ethnicity and international influences, but corn tortillas and rice and beans are widespread staples. Other assorted fare may include Jamaican stews and jerks, Mexican-style chilies, or English roasts. One of the special “national dishes” is the tailless gibnut (Agouti paca; a relative of the guinea pig), called the “Royal Rat” on many Belizean restaurant menus because the British press had objected to its being served to Elizabeth II in 1985. Locally produced rum, beer, and chicha (a fermented corn drink) are common, as are soft drinks.
| Belize | Life | Back to Top |
The majority of the population of Belize is of mixed racial descent. The largest group is of black or partly black ancestry. Other groups include Native Americans, principally Carib and Maya, located in the north and west; people of European descent, mainly English and Spanish; and people of mixed Native American-European descent. The population of Belize is 256,062 (2001 estimate).
| Belize | Land | Back to Top |
Situated south of the Yucatán Peninsula, Belize is a land of mountains, swamps, and tropical jungle. 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 culminates in Victoria Peak, which at an elevation of 3,681 feet (1,122 metres) is the highest point in Belize. The northern half of the country consists of limestone lowlands and swamps less than 200 feet (60 metres) above sea level. 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 Belize Barrier Reef, the second largest barrier reef in the world, which is fringed by dozens of small islands called cays (see photograph).
| Belize | Plants and Animal | Back to Top |
N/A
| Belize | Economy | Back to Top |
The main economic resource is Belize’s arable land, although only 3 percent of the total land area is under cultivation. Agricultural exports include sugar, citrus fruits, and bananas. Rice, beans, and corn are grown as subsistence crops. Lumbering, formerly the chief economic activity, has declined in importance. Major manufactures are processed food, wood products, and clothing. A road network of 2,872 km (1,785 mi) links the major urban centers, but some areas remain inaccessible. An international airport serves Belize City. The unit of currency is the Belize dollar (2 Belize dollars equal U.S.$1; 1999 fixed rate). In 1999 exports earned $167 million, and imports cost $366 million. The government’s budget included $133 million in revenue and $179.8 million in expenditure in 1995.
The service sector of the economy—including trade, tourism, and administration—has accounted for the largest share of the gross national product (GNP) since the early 1980s, when it overtook agriculture, forestry, and fishing. Nearly half the labour force and the GNP are now sustained by services. Tourism expanded rapidly in the 1980s and '90s and became a major source of foreign exchange. Fishing, boating, and swimming along the reef are popular, and ecotourism in the interior has grown.
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. The government's tough austerity program in 1997 resulted in an economic slowdown that continued in 1998. The trade deficit has been growing, mostly as a result of low export prices for sugar and bananas. The tourist and construction sectors strengthened in early 1999, supporting growth of 6% in 1999 and 4% in 2000. Aided by international donors, the government's key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty.
| Belize | Communications | Back to Top |
general assessment: above-average system domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
| Belize | Languages | Back to Top |
English is the official language; other languages spoken include Carib, Mayan, Spanish, and a Creole dialect of English. More than half the people are Roman Catholic, and most of the remainder are Protestant.
| Belize | Politics | Back to Top |
People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Manuel ESQUIVEL, Dean BARROW, Doug SINGH] Political pressure groups and leaders: Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Diane HAYLOCK]; United Worker's Front
| Belize | Government | Back to Top |
Belize is governed under a constitution that became effective at independence in 1981. The British sovereign is head of state and is represented by a governor-general, who has little power. Executive power is mainly exercised by a cabinet of ministers, led by a prime minister. The bicameral National Assembly consists of a Senate of 8 appointed members and a House of Representatives of 29 members elected by universal suffrage to terms of up to five years. The prime minister must have the support of a majority of the members of the House. The leading political parties are the People’s United Party (PUP, 1950) and the United Democratic Party (UDP, 1974).
| Belize | Legal | Back to Top |
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 (since 17 November 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Said MUSA (since 27 August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September 1998) 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; governor general appoints the member of the House of Representatives who is leader of the majority party to be prime minister Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (eight members, five appointed on the advice of the prime minister, two on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and one by the governor general; members are appointed for five-year terms); and the House of Representatives (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 27 August 1998 (next to be held by NA August 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 59.2%, UDP 40.8%; seats by party - PUP 26, UDP 3 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister)
| Belize | organization | Back to Top |
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
| Belize | Education | Back to Top |
Education is compulsory for children between the ages of 5 and 14. Attendance at primary schools was widespread in 1996, but only 50 percent of children in secondary school were enrolled. Higher education is available at colleges in Belize City and Corozal. The literacy rate of 98 percent is one of the highest in Latin America.
| Belize | Defence | Back to Top |
Military branches: Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 62,698 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 37,174 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 2,847 (2001 est.)
| Belize | International Disputes | Back to Top |
Guatemala periodically asserts claims to territory in southern Belize; to deter cross-border squatting, both states in 2000 agreed to a "line of adjacency" based on the de facto boundary, which is not recognized by Guatemala
Write your own experience on Europe Travel includes each countries and cities, map, car rental, airfare, attractions, and hotels.
| FreeGK | Map4Travel | USA | Hotel | ATM | Mapzones | Webmaster | Actress | Map | Kids |
MapZones™ is created and maintained by Panalink Internet Services and is a trade mark of Panalink Technologies. Copyright © 1995-2002 Panalink Internet Services. All rights reserved worldwide. Email: mailto:info@mapzones.com?subject=Mail from HomePage. Disclaimer. Privacy Policy |