At only 8,666 square miles Belize is about the same size as the U.S. state of Massachusetts or Wales in the U.K.  But few countries on earth can boast so much diversity in such a small area. From the hemisphere’s longest barrier reef sheltering hundreds of deserted islands to pristine rainforests that are home to countless rare species and the thousand year old cities of the ancient Maya, Belize offers a lifetime of adventure.

Location:

Belize borders Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula to the North, Guatemala to the West and South, the Caribbean sea to the east.


People:

Belize’s population numbers just under 300,000.  It is the only English speaking country in Central America.  Racial and ethnic lines are growing increasingly blurred but the main ethnic groups include Mestizo (Maya/European mixture), Creole (African/European), Garifuna, Maya, East Indian and Mennonites.  Expatriate North Americans and Europeans are spread throughout the country but are concentrated in the resort areas of Placencia, Ambergris Caye and Cayo. English is the official language with Spanish widely spoken.  English based Kriol, however, is the nation’s lingua franca, and is the choice of spoken communication most often used between Belizeans.

Economy:

Tourism, as well as exports of citrus, sugar, bananas, seafood and papayas are mainstays of the economy.  Belize is self sufficient in most basic foodstuffs but manufactured goods are largely imported.  The Belize dollar, equal to 50 U.S. cents, has remained stable at that rate since 1976.

Government:

Belize is parliamentary democracy based on the British model.  The country became fully independent in 1981, having changed its name from British Honduras in 1973.  Since Independence a vibrant two party system has seen peaceful changes of government on a regular basis. 

Climate:

Daytime temperatures range from the low 70’s to high 80’s most of the year, tempered by the easterly tradewinds.  March, April and May is the heart of the dry season and rains are variable the rest of the year, falling most heavily from July through October.

The Placencia Peninsula stretches approximately 12 miles, dividing the Caribbean Sea from the Placencia Lagoon.  Originally settled by the ancient Maya, most likely as a source of salt, Placencia became a buccaneer haven in the 17th and 18th centuries.  The descendants of those adventurers and former African slaves today predominate in the village of Placencia at the southern tip of the Peninsula.  Commercial lobster fishing, once the dominant activity, now has given way to tourism oriented adventures such as SCUBA diving and snorkeling on the magnificent Belize Barrier Reef, trolling for wahoo, kingfish, mackerel and tuna on the blue or fly fishing for tarpon, permit or bonefish on the abundant flats.  Land tours to nearby ancient Maya sites, national parks, rivers and cave systems are growing increasingly popular and will become even more accessible with the current paving of the Placencia Road.

The village of Seine Bight, five miles north of Placencia Village, is home to the Garifuna.  A mixture of Africans and Carib Indians who took refuge in Belize in the early 19th century, the Garifuna maintain a distinct language and unique culture, rich in culinary and musical tradition.

Getting Here:

Belize is served daily by major US airlines including American, Delta, Continental and U.S. Airways, flying non-stop from the major hubs of Miami, Dallas, Houston, Charlotte, Atlanta, Newark and Los Angeles.