Belize | History, Capital, Language, Flag, Facts & Geography of Belize

History of Belize:

Belize was originally inhabited by the Mayan civilization. They started in 1500 BC. With immigrants to Belize. Belize has several Mayan ruins, including Altun Ha, Xunantunich and Karakol. At that time Belize was quite populated.

Christopher Columbus was the first European to visit Belize in 1502. Shipwrecked sailors then established the first settlements in Belize. Many years later, in 1840, Belize became a British colony. It was called the Colony of British Honduras.

In 1973 we renamed this territory Belize. It became independent on September 21, 1981.

Information about Belize:

Capital Belmopan
Population 411,578 (Source: 2023 worldometer)
Major Cities BELMOPAN (capital)
Borders Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) $2,824,081,836 (2022 worldometer)

Flag of Belize:

Belize Economy Key Industries:

Belize Major Industries: garment production, food processing, tourism, construction

Belize Agricultural Products: bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments

Belize Natural Resources: arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

Belize Major Exports: sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood

Belize Major Imports: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco

The Geography of Belize:

Total Size of Belize: 22,966 km2 (source: 2022 The world factbook)

Geographical Low Point of Belize: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Geographical High Point of Belize: Victoria Peak 1,160 m

Climate of Belize: Tropical; very hot and humid; Rainy season (May to November); Dry season (February to May)

General Terrain of Belize: flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

World Region or Continent of Belize:  Central America

Geographical Coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 45 W

The People of Belize & Culture

Belize Government Type: parliamentary democracy

Belize Nationality: Belizean (s)

Belize National Holiday: Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Belize Independence: 21 September 1981 (from UK)

Belize National Symbol: Baird’s tapir (a large, browsing, forest-dwelling mammal); keel-billed toucan

Belize National Anthem or Song: Land of the Free

Belize Languages Spoken: English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole

Belize Religions: Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican 5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist 3.5%, Jehovah’s Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000).

Interesting Facts about Belize:

Belize’s highest point is Doyles his delight. Many jaguars lurk in the darkness of the night on a tree-covered mountaintop.

The pyramid-shaped El Castillo is the tallest man-made structure in Belize. A white-robed spirit with fiery eyes, known as the “Woman of Stone,” is said to climb the stairs and join the walls of the temple.

Authorities have protected over 80% of him in the rainforest and are off limits. Belize has 450 small islands called Keys (pronounced “Kee”). Those are the best techniques for happiness.

In 2016, a Guatemalan minor was murdered near the Belize border. The incident prompted Guatemala to station an additional 3,000 troops on its border with Belize.

The islands have remained uninhabited for years, but each key has a lifeguard appointed by the authorities. This must be the mother of all pleasant pursuits.

The forests here have an incredible variety of cashew trees. Some are edible and some are really poisonous.

The Great Blue Hole is the world’s largest sea hole and a deep-sea diver’s paradise. This is a huge depression in the middle of the ocean, 407 feet deep and 984 feet wide. It is also part of the larger Belize Barrier Reef Reserve system.

French naval officer Jacques Cousteau first dived into this sinkhole in 1971. His actual remark sparked a tourism boom, with diving enthusiasts flocking to discover the hole.

Myth: Swimming in Belize on Good Friday is unlucky.

Cacao is another exotic gift from Mother Nature. The Toledo Cacao Fest offers an unforgettable guided tour through the entire chocolate-making process.

Belize has the lowest population density in Central America, with just 15 people per square kilometer.