Belize
Belize (/bɪˈliːz, bɛ-/ ⓘ, bih-LEEZ, beh-; Belize Kriol English: Bileez) is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a water boundary with Honduras to the southeast.
For the former British Crown Colony, see British Honduras.
Belize
- 87.6% Christianity
- 9.7% no religion
- 1.5% folk religions
- 1.2% other
Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
January 1964
21 September 1981
0.8
397,483[6]
17.31/km2 (44.8/sq mi)
2023 estimate
2023 estimate
53.1[8]
high
right
The Maya civilization spread into the area of Belize between 1500 BC and AD 300 and flourished until about 1200.[11] European contact began in 1502–04 when Christopher Columbus sailed along the Gulf of Honduras.[12] European exploration was begun by English settlers in 1638. Spain and Britain both laid claim to the land until Britain defeated the Spanish in the Battle of St. George's Caye (1798).[13] It became a British colony in 1840, and a Crown colony in 1862. Belize achieved its independence from the United Kingdom on 21 September 1981.[14] It is the only mainland Central American country which is a Commonwealth realm, with King Charles III as its monarch and head of state, represented by a governor-general.[15]
Belize's abundance of terrestrial and marine plants and animals and its diversity of ecosystems, including extensive coral reefs, give it a key place in the globally significant Mesoamerican Biological Corridor.[16] It is considered a Central American and Caribbean nation with strong ties to both the American and Caribbean regions.[17]
It has an area of 22,970 square kilometres (8,867 sq mi) and a population of 441,471 (2022).[18] Its mainland is about 290 km (180 mi) long and 110 km (68 mi) wide. It is the least populated and least densely populated country in Central America. Its population growth rate of 1.87% per year (2018 estimate) is the second-highest in the region and one of the highest in the Western Hemisphere. Its capital is Belmopan, and its largest city is the namesake city of Belize City. The country has a diverse society composed of many cultures and languages. It is the only Central American country where English is the official language, while Belizean Creole is the most widely spoken dialect. Spanish is the second-most-commonly-spoken language, followed by the Mayan languages, German dialects, and Garifuna. Over half the population is multilingual due to the diverse linguistic backgrounds of the population. It is known for its September Celebrations and punta music.[19][20]
Name[edit]
The earliest known record of the name "Belize" appears in the journal of the Dominican priest Fray José Delgado, dating to 1677.[21] Delgado recorded the names of three major rivers that he crossed while travelling north along the Caribbean coast: Rio Soyte, Rio Kibum, and Rio Balis. The names of these waterways, which correspond to the Sittee River, Sibun River, and Belize River, were provided to Delgado by his translator.[21] It has been proposed that Delgado's "Balis" was actually the Mayan word belix (or beliz), meaning "muddy water",[21] although no such Mayan word actually exists.[22][b] More recently, it has been proposed that the name comes from the Mayan phrase "bel Itza", meaning "the way to Itza".[22]
In the 1820s, the Creole elite of Belize invented the legend that the toponym Belize derived from the Spanish pronunciation of the name of a Scottish buccaneer, Peter Wallace, who established a settlement at the mouth of the Belize River in 1638.[25] There is no proof that buccaneers settled in this area and the very existence of Wallace is considered a myth.[21][22] Writers and historians have suggested several other possible etymologies, including postulated French and African origins.[21]
