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Boarded
by Mexico to the North and Guatemala to the West and South,
Belize engrosses a land area of 8,867 square miles. She is
known for having the longest living Barrier Reef in the world.
A reef that stretches out 185 miles along the Eastern Coast of
Belize.
Belize's
barrier reef is home to 70 hard corals and over 430 species of
reef fish. Considering this abundance of marine life, along
with its tropical climate, beautiful breezes and friendly
people, it is with some understanding why so many visitors who
have discovered Belize have chosen to return again and again.
Beautiful
cayes line Belize from Corozal all the way down to Toledo
giving you the opportunity to choose from many little islands
away from the city or country. Some cayes are more exclusive
than others but each one promises its own unique touch of
Belize. Our culture is diverse which gives us a multiracial
flavor that will prove itself very tasteful. We pride
ourselves on a conservation for jaguars which is located in
the Southern district of Stann Creek. A place called Cockscomb
Basin. Plan a trip, book cheap airfares, purchase airline tickets. Let's go travel!
Belize is a
land of mountains, swampy lowlands, and tropical jungle. The
Maya Mountains form a plateau in the south. Victoria Peak,
which rises to 3,681 feet (1,122 meters) in a spur of the Maya
range, is the highest point. Lowlands lie along the coast, and
jungle covers most of the interior. The climate is subtropical
with a dry season from February to May and a rainy season from
June to November. Hurricanes occasionally cause extensive
damage.
The chief
cities are Belize City, the main port and commercial center,
Orange Walk, San Ignacio/Santa Elena, Corozal, and the
capital, Belmopan, which is located about 50 miles (80
kilometers) inland. After Belize City, the former capital, was
devastated by a 1961 hurricane, construction of Belmopan began
in 1966, financed by a British grant. Government operations
moved there in 1970.
The population
of Belize includes mestizos (descendants of Spaniards and
Carib Indians), Creoles (persons of mixed racial background),
black Caribs (descendants of blacks and Carib Indians), Mayan
Indians, and a small percentage of whites and Asian Indians.
Although English is the official language, the Creole dialect,
Spanish, and several Indian dialects are also spoken.
A majority of
the people of Belize earn their living from agriculture.
Fishing and forestry are other important sources of income.
Furniture, boats, and wood products are manufactured from the
high quality native wood. Chief exports include sugar, citrus
fruits and products, bananas, fish and lobster, and clothing.
Sugarcane, oranges, and grapefruits are the main food crops.
Farmers also raise pigs and cattle.
The earliest
European settlements in Belize were established by British
loggers in the 1600s. Because Spain claimed sovereignty over
the region, Spanish settlers repeatedly attacked the British.
The dispute continued until a decisive British naval victory
in 1798. In 1862 the settlement was declared a British crown
colony. It was Britain's last colony on the American mainland
when self-government was finally granted in 1964.
Belize's
parliamentary government consists of a cabinet and a National
Assembly that is composed of an 8-seat appointed Senate and a
29-seat elected House of Representatives. National elections
are held every five years. George Price, who had served as
head of government for 23 years before his party lost the 1984
election, regained the office of prime minister in 1989.
Population (2000 estimate), 250,000.
We
believe that we hold true to the name "The Jewel of the
Caribbean" and take pride in our country which is the
only English-speaking country in Central America and still
considered a part of the Caribbean. We are a member of the
Commonwealth, the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement,
the Organization of American States and CARICOM.
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