Belize

**Belize**
	sovereign state in Central America Topografia de Belize
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Instance of	sovereign state;
Part of	Central America; Continental Central America; European Union tax haven blacklist (2019–2019); Caribbean;
Culture	culture of Belize;
Location	Belize;
Capital	Belmopan;
Basic form of government	constitutional monarchy; parliamentary monarchy;
Legislative body	National Assembly;
Executive body	Government of Belize;
Official language	English;
Anthem	Land of the Free (1981–);
Currency	Belize dollar;
Head of state	Charles III (Governor-General of Belize, 2022–);
Head of government	Johnny Briceño (2020–);
Inception	21 September 1981;
Highest point	Doyle's Delight;
Population	374,681 (2017);
Area	22,966 ±1 km²;
Follows	British Honduras;
Top-level Internet domain	.bz;
Different from	Belize ;
	official website
	17° 04′ 00″ N, 88° 42′ 00″ W
Authority control
	Q242; ISNI: 0000 0001 2286 2013; VIAF ID: 132456691; GND ID: 4005412-3; Library of Congress authority ID: n79126944; Bibliothèque nationale de France ID: 119959890, 152385004, 131627681; IdRef ID: 028045564; NDL Authority ID: 00576491; Libraries Australia ID: 35814170; NKCR AUT ID: ge128737; National Library of Israel ID (old): 000977248; U.S. National Archives Identifier: 10044662; BabelNet ID: 00009725n; National Library of Korea ID: KAB202014610; PLWABN ID: 9810678262205606; National Library of Israel J9U ID: 987007554790705171; OpenStreetMap relation ID: 287827
	Reasonator; Scholia; KML file; WikiShootMe; OpenStreetMap; Search depicted;

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English: Belize is a country in Central America. The capital is Belmopan.

National emblem[edit]

Flag of Belize

Coat of arms of Belize
Coat of arms of Belize
Flag map of British Honduras (1919 - 1981)
Flag map of British Honduras (1950 - 1981)
Flag of British Honduras (1870-1919), red variant
Coat of arms of British Honduras (1907-1981)
Full Arms of British Honduras

Maps[edit]

Selected maps are included in the Wikimedia Atlas of Belize.

Shaded relief map of Belize

Location map for Belize
Map of Belize from the CIA World Factbook, 2004
A map showing the 4 main highways in Belize
Satellite image of Belize in March 2002
Map of the districts of Belize

History[edit]

Belize City, British Honduras, circa 1914

Holy Redeemer cathedral and rectory in Belize City in the 1930s
Men with barge-loads of chicle in Belize Harbor.
Maya Indians of southern Yucatán and northern British Honduras
Squaring mahogany logs, circa 1936
Cooking sapodilla latex, circa 1936
Kneading Chicle gum into blocks, circa 1936
Pioneer aviator Charles Lindbergh at Loyola Park, 1928
First aircraft to land in Belize at the Barracks
Press conference held by Mr George Price showing members of Peoples United Party 1965
Mr George Price, Prime Minister of British Honduras 1965
Bishop Joseph A. Murphy entering Maya village in Toledo District 1931
Convent in Belize City, after the 1931 Belize hurricane
Street scene in Benque Viejo del Carmen, Cayo District 1965
Governor Cornelius Alfred Moloney Governor of Belize 1891-1897 and staff with Icaiche General Tamay, circa 1894

Geography[edit]

Districts[edit]

Belize District‎[edit]

Boody Island
San Pedro, Ambergris Caye
Fort Street, Belize City
Radisson Hotel, Belize City
Belize City
Bermudian Landing street
Fort George's Caye
St. George's Caye
Caye Caulker
Fishermen, Caye Caulker
Caye Caulker
Caye Caulker

Cayo District[edit]

Independence day parade in San Ignacio

Victor Galvez Stadium in San Ignacio
Peter's Barber Shop, San Ignacio
The Hawkesworth Bridge in San Ignacio
Hummingbird Highway

Corozal District[edit]

Corozal Town Hall

Sarteneja
Corozal Beach
Belize

Orange Walk District[edit]

Street, park, and clock tower in Orange Walk Town

Orange Walk
Blue Creek Village
Sugar Mill, Lamanai
Visitor center, Lamanai

Stann Creek District[edit]

Sitter River Village
Sitter River Village
House in Hopkins
Dangriga
Dangriga
Placencia Independence Day
Gap Hill

Toledo District‎[edit]

Punta Gorda Clocktower

Punta Gorda Town Market
Punta Gorda Town Market
Monkey River

Bodies of water[edit]

Wetlands[edit]

Jabiru, Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Egrets at Belize Bird Rescue
Neotropic cormorants, New River, Lamanai
Mangrove, Caye Caulker Forest Reserve
Limpkin (Aramus guarauna), Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Rivers[edit]

Sibun River

New River
Moho river
Macal River
Cable ferry on Belize River
Hand-cranked cable ferry crossing Mopan River to get to Xunantunich

Lakes[edit]

Labouring Creek

Crooked Tree Lagoons
Honey Camp Lagoon
Green Hills Lake
Aguacate Lagoon

Waterfalls[edit]

Falls on Privassion River

Big Rock Falls
Upper Tiger Fern Double Waterfall, Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
1,000 foot water fall at Mountain Pine Ridge

Geomorphology and landforms[edit]

Beaches[edit]

Silk Caye, Stann Creek

Half Moon Caye
Half Moon Caye
Hunting Caye
Silk Caye, Stann Creek

Reefs and corals[edit]

Caye Caulker reefs

Great Blue Hole
Great Blue Hole
Corals in the Great Blue Hole
Glover's Reef
Glover's Reef
Glover's Reef
Coral Reefscape
Coral Reefscape
Coral Reefscape
Coral Reefscape

Islands[edit]

Silk Caye, Stann Creek

Northern Caye, Lighthouse Reef
Glover's Reef
Laughing Bird Caye in the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve
Boody Island
Boody Island
Cayo Espanto
Goff's Caye

Caves[edit]

Actun Kabal, part of the Chiquibul Cave System

Barton Creek Cave
Che Chem Ha Cave
Barton Creek Cave
Rio Frio Cave
Rio Frio Cave
Rio Frio Cave
Rio Frio Cave
Mayan Pottery in Actun Tunichil Muknal cave
Skeleton of a teenage girl within the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave
Human skull within the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave
Actun Tunichil Muknal cave

Protected areas[edit]

Caye Caulker Forest Reserve[edit]

Caye Caulker Forest Reserve

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary[edit]

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Lookout on Tiger Fern Trail
Lower Tiger Fern Double Waterfall
Along the road to get to the visitor center
Chestnut-headed oropendola nests

Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve[edit]

Panorama of the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve

Rio On
Caribbean pine
Campground

St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park[edit]

The cenote in St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park

Trail in the park
Stairs in the park
The cenote in St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park
The cenote in St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary[edit]

Crooked Tree Lagoon

Crooked Tree Lodge
Crooked Tree Lodge
Crooked Tree Lagoon
Pound at Crooked Tree Lodge
Sunset at Crooked Tree Lodge
Brown Basilisk in the sanctuary
Green kingfisher in the sanctuary
Jabiru in the sanctuary

Nature[edit]

Forests[edit]

Canopy in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Buttress roots in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Lookout on Tiger Fern Trail, Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve
Stream in understory, Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Canopy and New River from top of Jaguar Temple, Lamanai
Caribbean pines, Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve
Scattered Caribbean pines in Payne's Creek National Park
Mangrove, Caye Caulker Forest Reserve

Plants[edit]

Black Orchid (Prosthechea cochleata), the national flower of Belize

Water snowflake, Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
Fruits of Achiote
Trimezia martinicensis
On the right, individual mangroves, Caye Caulker
Logwood, Crooked Tree Lodge
Coconut Tree

Animals[edit]

Crustaceans[edit]

Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus), Blackbird Caye

Spiny lobster (Palinuridae)
Forest Crab
Caribbean hermit crab (Coenobita clypeatus) in a shell of Cittarium pica
Spider Crab (Majoidea)

Spiders[edit]

Female Micrathena sagittata

In St. Herman's Cave
Net-casting spider (Deinopis longipes), Caves Branch Jungle Lodge
Lynx Spider (Oxyopidae), Caves Branch Jungle Lodge
In Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Adult male Corythalia jumping spider, Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
At Caves Branch Jungle Lodge
Harvestman (Opiliones), Caves Branch Jungle Lodge
Tailless whip scorpion (Amblypygi), Footprint Cave
Tailless whip scorpion (Paraphrynus) wity youngs

Insects[edit]

Taeniopoda grasshopper

Palm Weavil (Rhynchophorus palmarum), Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Flea Beetle (maybe Omophoita cyanipennis), Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Unknown Fulgoridae
Turquoise Shield Bugs (Edessa rufomarginata), Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Lantern Bug (Enchophora sanguinea), Black Rock Lodge, San Ignacio
Stingless Bees (Tetragonisca angustula), Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Geometrid Moth (Pyrochlora rhanis), Black Rock Lodge, San Ignacio
Mexican Blue Wing (Mycelia ethusa), Butterfly Farm, San Ignacio
Glasswing butterflies (Greta oto), Green Hills Butterfly Ranch, Cay
Blue Morpho (Morpho peleides), Butterfly Farm, San Ignacio
Lichen Mantis (Liturgusa maya), Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Grasshopper (Caelifera), Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Love Bugs (Plecia), Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Fishes[edit]

Spotted Moray Eel (Gymnothorax isingteena)
Spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari)
Banded Butterflyfish (Chaetodon striatus), Long Cay
Queen Triggerfish (Balistes vetula)
Lion Fish (Pterois volitans)
Yellow Stingray (Urobatis jamaicensis), Hol Chan Marine Reserve
French Angel Fish (Pomacanthus paru)

Amphibians[edit]

Red-eyed treefrog (Agalychnis callidryas)

Mexican burrowing toad (Rhinophrynus dorsalis)
Triprion petasatus
Likely Phrynohyas venulosa
Black-backed Thin-toed Frog (Leptodactylus melanonotus), Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Reptiles[edit]

Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) off the coast of San Pedro

Central American Whiptail (Ameiva festiva), Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Anole (Norops), Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Black iguana (Ctenosaura similis), Caye Caulker Forest Reserve
Green Iguana (Iguana iguana), Green Iguana Conservation Project, San Ignacio
Common basilisk (Basiliscus basiliscus)
Mexican parrot snake (Leptophis mexicanus)
Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), Hol Chan Marine Reserve
American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), Caye Caulker Forest Reserve

Birds[edit]

Blue-gray tanager (Thraupis episcopus), Crooked Tree Lodge

Ocellated Turkey (Meleagris ocellata), Chan Chich Lodge
Black-headed trogon (Trogon melanocephalus), Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) on nest
White-bellied Emerald (Amazilia candida)
Cabot's Tern (Thalasseus acuflavidus), Caye Caulker
Willet (Tringa semipalmata)
Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus)
Laughing gull (Leucophaeus atricilla), Caye Caulker
Northern jacana (Jacana spinosa), Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
Groove-billed ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris), Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
Great Curassow (Crax rubra)
Brown jay (Psilorhinus morio), Lamanai
Mangrove swallow (Tachycineta albilinea), New River, Lamanai
Tropical mockingbird (Mimus gilvus), Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
Rose-throated Becard (Pachyramphus aglaiae)
Tropical kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus), Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
Great kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus), Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus obscurus), Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), Caye Caulker
Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea), Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
Keel-billed toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus)
Collared Aracari (Pteroglossus torquatus)
Yellow-headed Amazon (Amazona oratrix belizensis)
Magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens), Caye Caulker
Red Footed Boobies (Sula sula)
Slaty-tailed Trogon (Trogon massena)

Mammals[edit]

Geoffroy's spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) in Belize zoo

Baird's Tapir (Tapirus bairdii) in Belize zoo
Grey Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
Jaguar (Panthera onca) in Belize zoo
Collared Peccary (Pecari tajacu)
Common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)

Politic[edit]

Belmopan Parliament

Belizean Central Bank, Belize City
Government house, Belize City
Supreme Court of Belize, Belize City
Belize City Hall
Corozal Town Hall

Military[edit]

Navy Sailor pulls rear security on a rivercraft during joint river operations

Education[edit]

Central Campus of University of Belize

Libraries[edit]

Bliss Institute, Belize City

Miss Bertie's Library
San Ignacio Public Library
Leo Library, Belize City

Museum[edit]

Museum of Belize
Museum of Belize

Illustrious Belizeans[edit]

Dean Oliver Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize

Frederick Palgrave Barlee (1827–1884)
George Cadle Price and a Peace Corps volunteer, 1976
George Cadle Price
Felicita Arzú, Miss Belize 2007
Charmaine Chinapen, Miss Belize 2008
Javier Canul as Ozzy The Clown
Bishop David Francis Hickey
Bishop Salvatore di Pietro, (1830 – 1898)
Verge of Umbra
Marie Sharp
From left to right :Sr. Yvonne Hunter, R.S.M., Sr. Caritas Lawrence, R.S.M. and Charles M. Woods
Wilfred Elrington
Lee Mark Chang
Luis Torres of Placencia Texmar Assassins
Kenneth Medwood, track and field athlete
Kaina Martinez, track and field athlete

Economy[edit]

Coins[edit]

Commemorative 1991 ten dollar coin

Reverse of modern Belize coins
Comparison of British Honduras and Belize one cent coins
1974 25 cent coin

Stamps[edit]

Stamps from British Honduras from 1891 to 1898

British Honduras stamps, 1962 and earlier
1953 and 1961 (overprinted) stamps of British Honduras.
British Honduras 5c stamp of 1948, H.M.S. Merlin.
British Honduras 15c stamp of 1938, Sergeant's Cay, 1938
British Honduras 1c stamp of 1948, St. George's Cay, 1948

Tourism[edit]

Agriculture[edit]

Shipyard Colony, Orange Walk District

Corn Field
Corn Field
Sorting bananas and slicing them from bunches

Industries[edit]

Oil well

Sugar Cane Processing Plant, Orange Walk Town
Tropic Air Cessna Grand Caravan arriving at Maya Flats Air Park in Cayo District
Punta Gorda Market
Detailed view of where cane is processed

Marie Sharp's Fine Foods[edit]

A variety of Marie Sharp's hot sauces

Architecture[edit]

Caye Caulker

Caye Caulker
Caye Caulker
Caye Caulker
Belize City
Belize City
Belmopan Civic Center
Yim Saam Hotel and Restaurant, Belmopan

Churches[edit]

St. John's Anglican Church, Belize City
Wesley Methodist Church, Belize City
St. Andrews Presbyterian church, Belize City
Holy Redeemer Cathedral, Belize City
Inmaculada Catholic church, Orange Walk
Roman Catholic Church, San Antonio
Epworth Methodist Church, Dangriga

Culture[edit]

Gastronomy[edit]

Mestizo Belizean food
Belizean food
Belizean food
Garifuna Hudut Belize
Rice and Beans, Stew Chicken and Potato Salad
Garnaches (tostadas) at Syd's on Caye Caulker
Burrito and garnaches
Cocoa Production in San Pedro Columbia, Toledo District
Fire Hearth Corn for corn tortilla

Pre-Columbian art[edit]

Incense burner. Exhibit in the Visitors Centre of Cahal Pech, San Ignacio

Sculpture called Piedra Chalchihuitl, located in the gardens of the Watercolor Museum, in Coyoacán
Effigy censer, AD 900-1200 BC. Exhibit in the Visitors Centre of Cahal Pech, San Ignacio
Stela 9, from a tomb in the Structure A1 of the Zopilote Group, a few hundred meters in the periphery of Cahal Pech.
Stela 15 from Nim Li Punit, Toledo District
The "Monkey Pot" at Actun Tunichil Muknal, San Ignacio