Biggest Cities In Belize
Belize is a country on Central America's eastern coast where it is bordered by Mexico and Guatemala. The country has a coastline on the east by the Caribbean Sea. Belize encompasses a total land area of around 22,800 square km and a population of around 395,000. Belize has one of Central America's lowest population densities and a population growth rate of 1.87% per year. The five biggest cities in Belize are Belize City, San Ignacio, Belmopan, Orange Walk Town, and San Pedro. All data comes from the Statistical Institute of Belize.
The Five Biggest Cities In Belize
Belize City - 57,164
Belize City is the most populous city in Belize. It is located at the mouth of the Haulover Creek, a tributary of the Belize River which drains into the Caribbean Sea just 5 miles away from the city. Belize City is the financial and industrial capital of the country and also its principal port. Hurricane Hattie in 1961 nearly destroyed the city but gradually recovered after the storm. Most of the major banks, insurance centers, and trade hubs of Belize are located in Belize City. The city is associated with hustle and bustle throughout the day and is an important cultural hub in Belize.
Belmopan - 13,919
Unlike most other capital cities of the world, Belmopan, the capital city of Belize is not the first biggest but the third biggest city in the country. Founded only recently in 1970 as a planned community, Belmopan is one of the newest capital cities in the world. The city was built 76 meters inland from Belize City, the former capital of the country. The destruction of the latter by the Hurricane Hattie necessitated the need of shifting the capital to an inland area that would be less vulnerable to hurricanes.
Orange Walk Town - 13,700
The fourth biggest city in Belize, Orange Walk Town is the capital of the Orange Walk District and is situated on the New River’s left bank. The city is inhabited by Mestizos, Yucatec Mayas, Mennonites, Taiwanese, Chinese, Kriols, and others. The Orange Walk Airport serves the city.
San Pedro - 11,767
San Pedro is located on the Ambergris Caye island in Belize District. The town was once a sleepy village but soon grew to a town status in 1984. Tourism is the most popular industry in San Pedro. Scuba diving facilities are extremely well-developed on the island, and there is even hyperbaric decompression chamber here to train tourists to scuba dive.
San Ignacio - 10,490
San Ignacio is another important town of Belize that is located on the banks of the River Macal at a distance of about 63 miles from Belize City. San Ignacio encompasses an area of about 2.5 square miles and ranks as the second biggest city in Belize. It is the Cayo District's economic and cultural hub. Mestizo and Kriol people dominate the population of the city. The area in and around San Ignacio is one of the major tourist hotspots of the country. The Mayan ruins of Caracol, Cahal Pech, etc., are visited by many tourists. Cave tubing is a popular tourist activity in the Barton Creek Cave.
