Map of Belize

Archaeological evidence in Belize indicates that the famed Maya culture began to emerge in this lowland area of the Yucatan Peninsula around 1000 BC.

That Maya civilization flourished here for eons; great cities were formed, massive ceremonial buildings, palaces, temples and personal dwellings were constructed, and the people farmed the land with great proficiency.

There are many theories (none proven) why the Maya society began its general decline across the entire Yucatan in the 10th century, yet remnants of this extraordinary people and a quite sizeable population of direct descendants still exist in Belize and all across the Yucatan today, despite hundreds of years of European colonization of the area.

And speaking of Europeans, Spain aggressively controlled most of the colonies on the fringes of this New World, when the first English settlers arrived in the early 1600s. For the next two centuries military conflicts (mostly naval) between the British and Spanish raged, as both countries desired this land.

The last attack by the Spanish occurred in 1796, and in the early 1800s, after most of the Spanish colonies in the New World had gained independence, the Settlement of Belize was under British control.

Regional power struggles continued in the area over the next 50 years, and then in 1862, the Settlement of Belize was officially declared a British colony, and named British Honduras.

Similar to all European colonies in the Americas, British Honduras also craved independence, but Guatemala continued to claim the entire area, and the British were reluctant to release their firm grip.

By the 1960s the British began to soften their position, and though they still controlled all of the defense and foreign affairs of the settlement, its name was changed to Belize in anticipation of the independence, which finally did come in 1981.

As the second smallest and least populated country in Central America, the relatively new (independent) nation of Belize continues to struggle with high unemployment, increasing drug traffic and urban crime.

On the hopeful side, the country's natural beauty has sparked a significant increase in cruise ship passengers and eco-tourism, and those industries are now major factions in its improving economy.

More information about Belize

Latitude/Longitude: (Capital City)
16° 13' N, 88° 48' W

Relative Location:
Belize is positioned in both the northern and western hemispheres. Located in North America on the northern edge of the Central America isthmus - a somewhat narrow strip of land that connects North and South America - the country is bordered by Guatemala, Mexico, the Gulf of Honduras and the Caribbean Sea.

Land Areas
Land: 8,805 sq miles (22,806km)
Water: 62 sq miles (160 sq km)
Total: 8,867 sq miles (22,966 sq km)
Coastline: 240 miles (386 km)
Land Area of all countries

Landforms: Belize is divided into four main geographic regions, including the relatively low Maya Mountains of the south that dominate all but the narrow coastal plain; the northern lowlands and its many rivers and streams; the flat and swampy coastal plain, and the almost countless cayes, islands and lagoons that fringe its Caribbean coastline.

More than 50% of Belize is covered by tropical rain forest that's dissected by a network of rivers, mostly small in length. The largest and most significant river is the navigable Belize that stretches from the Guatemala border all the way to the Caribbean Sea.

Second only in size to the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coastline of Australia, a 175 mile long barrier reef fronts the Belize coastline, intermixed with literally hundreds of islands and cayes.

58 miles direct east of Belize City sits the Blue Hole; more than 1,000 feet across and some 400 feet deep, it's the opening to a former Ice Age cave, and is today one of the world's most popular dive sites.

Highest Point: Victoria Peak - 3,805 ft. (1,160 m)
Lowest Point: Caribbean Sea - 0 ft. (0 m)

Land Divisions: 6 districts; including Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek and Toledo.

Attractions: For any fan of outdoor activities, Belize has a broad menu of choices, including birding and eco-tours, boating, cave diving, world-class fishing and scuba opportunities - to name but a few.

Significant attractions include the remains of the Maya culture, especially the buildings and ruins at Lamanai, Orange Walk and Xunantunich; Belize City; Ambergris Caye; Half Moon Caye; the Blue Hole; stunning national parks, and a wide variety of colorful native-population festivals and holidays.

Country Dialing Code: 501
Electricity: Belize uses 110/220 volts AC (60 HZ)
Electrical adapters, products and tips
Travel Warnings here

PASSPORTS - TRAVEL VISAS:

NOTE: Before making your travel plans to any worldwide destination, we strongly recommend you authenticate important details regarding all passport and visa requirements. The experienced people at Travel Visa Pro can answer all of your questions!

Belize (Complete) info on the (GDP) economy, imports and exports, natural resources, government, population, military, transportation, and more
Belize Embassy (Washington, DC)
Belize Photos at TrekEarth.com
Belize Tourism
Belize Travel
Ambergris Caye
Blue Hole
Half Moon Caye
Xunantunich a not to be missed site