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Published: 03-10-2022
Tucked between the Caribbean Sea and the rainforest on the eastern coast of Central America, Belize is a small yet diverse nation. The country was formerly known as British Honduras, is an ex-colony of the United Kingdom, and maintains strong ties with Britain. Today Belize is both parts of the Caribbean and Central America, and tourism is a significant source of foreign investment. Belize's attractions include wildlife, Mayan ruins and the second longest barrier reef in the world.
Belize Coastline
Geography
For a small country, Belize has a remarkably varied geography. Within the country are some 185 miles of coastline, over 200 islands or cayes, the largest being Ambergris Caye, thousands of acres of rainforest, mountains, mangroves, numerous rivers, waterfalls, caves, and the world’s second-largest barrier reef. Within the borders of this small country, you’ll find a remarkably diverse landscape. The northern interior region tends to be flat and is where much of the nation’s sugarcane, citrus and cattle are produced. The Belize coast stretches some 185 miles, and along its entire length lies the Belize Barrier Reef. The reef lies 10-40 miles offshore and inside the reef’s protective barrier lie 200+ small islands or "cayes." The country's southern regions are more mountainous and crossed by numerous rivers. Some 70% of the nation is covered in forest, and much of the tropical jungle and rainforest is now under protection by the government. Despite its small size, Belize is home to incredibly varied ecosystems. Located north of the equator and west of the Prime Meridian on the Yucatán Peninsula, Belize shares borders with Mexico to the north-northwest and Guatemala to the south-southwest. Its coastline borders the Caribbean Sea to the east. Interestingly, Belize is the only country in Central America with no Pacific coastline.
Belize Landscape
History
Archaeologists estimate that at their peak, 1 to 2 million Mayans lived within the borders of present-day Belize. Mighty Maya cities such as Caracol, Xunantunich and Lamanai dotted the landscape, with small agricultural communities farming the land. The Maya civilization is divided into the Pre-Classic (1000 BC to AD 300), the Classic (AD 300 to 900), when the culture reached its height of development, and the Post-Classic (AD 1000 to 1500), when the civilization fell apart and disappeared. No one knows for sure what caused the disappearance of the Maya. Perhaps it was war, loss of faith, famine, or natural disasters.
Xunantunich
Christopher Columbus sailed along the coast of Central America in 1502 and named the Bay of Honduras, which borders the southern part of the barrier reef. The first settlers in Belize were English Puritans, setting up trading posts along the coast of Belize. Various bands of ship-wrecked sailors, buccaneers, and pirates established permanent bases in Belize, harassing the Spanish ships carrying gold, silver, and hardwoods from Central America to Europe. Spain continually attempted to expel these British buccaneers from Spanish territory but finally signed treaties in 1763 and 1786, allowing the British to continue harvesting timber in exchange for protection against pirates preying on the Spanish ships. During the 1840s, Great Britain declared Belize to be the colony of British Honduras. In 1973, the colony's name was changed from British Honduras to Belize, and Belize's Independence was declared on September 21, 1981.
Altun Ha
Population
With a population of just over 300,000, Belize is the second smallest country in Central America. Despite its sparse population, Belizean society is genuinely multicultural, with Creole, Mestizos, Garifuna, Maya and refugees from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador all living peacefully together.
Amerindians originally inhabited Belize was initially inhabited by Amerindians, and later Mayan Indians from Mexico and Guatemala also migrated to the area. The Mayan culture thrived in Belize through the Classic period, which ended around the 10th century. Many Mayan ruins from this Classic period have been discovered within Belize, and it’s widely believed that many archaeologically significant sites within Belize remain undiscovered. Mayans currently compose approximately 8% of the population and speak various dialects, including Yucatec, Mopan and Kekchi.
Most Belizeans are Creole people descended from enslaved Africans and the original English and Scottish settlers. Many enslaved people were brought to Belize from Jamaica to harvest mahogany. The Creoles speak their language, known by locals as Kriol, similar to Jamaican patois. Fluency in Kriol is said to be the sign of a true Belizean. The Garifuna make up approximately 20% of the Belize population and are descended from Caribbean Indians and black Africans. The Garifuna have their language comprised of West Indian, Yoruba, Spanish, English and French words and grammar. Contemporary Garifuna musicians are among the region’s most innovative and continue to attract a wider audience through the world music market. The Mestizo are descendants of the Spanish and Yucatan Mayans. Many originally entered the region from the Yucatan during the War of the Races in the mid-1800s. The northern areas of Belize are home to large populations of Mestizo people who primarily speak Spanish and practice Catholicism. Belizean Mestizo communities maintain the social and cultural traditions of the Yucatan and Guatemala, with lives centered around family and church. Belize is also home to some four thousand Mennonites whose descendants were Northern European immigrants escaping religious persecution. The Mennonites speak an archaic dialect of German and Dutch, and through an agreement with the Belizean government, they manage their schools, banks and local government. The Mennonites of Belize are mainly poultry and dairy farmers. Although their communities are pretty segregated, their contributions to the economy and strong work ethic are admired by the population.
Mennonites in Belize
Religion
The majority of Belizeans are Roman Catholic. However, due to the heavy British influence, Belize has a larger Protestant population than any other country in Central America. The Maya and Garifuna practice their mixture of traditional shamanism and Christianity.
Mayan Ceremony
Language
The official language of Belize is English, but many other languages are also used. Along the coast, you'll likely hear an English-based Creole. Spanish is the primary language in towns that border Guatemala to the west and Mexico to the north, and it's possible to run into several other languages such as Mayan, German, Chinese, Lebanese, and Arabic.
Katampe Mayan Coconut Man
Cuisine
While Belize has never developed a national cuisine, its food is diverse and influenced by its history: it was inhabited by the Maya for centuries, colonized by English buccaneers, and served as a refuge for escaped enslaved Africans. As a result, Belizean food offers spicy Creole creations, standard English corned beef, and the Mayan delicacy of the fried paca (a small jungle rodent). For most meals, rice and beans are a staple, and coconut milk, plantains, and hot peppers are common ingredients. Sitting down to a traditional Mayan meal can be a treat for the adventurous. Suckling pig roasted underground is a delicious favorite in the countryside!
