Belize - Country Profile

Full name: Belize
Population: 307,000 (UN, 2009)
Capital: Belmopan
Area: 22,965 sq km (8,867 sq miles)
Major languages: English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole
Major religion: Christianity
Life expectancy: 74 years (men), 78 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 Belizean dollar = 100 cents
Main exports: Sugar, bananas, citrus fruits, oil, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
GNI per capita: US$3,820 (World Bank, 2008)
Internet domain: .bz
International dialling code: +501

 

 

 

Belize common with the Caribbean island with its Central American neighbors. This is reflected in its major languages, English and Creole, Anglo-Caribbean architecture and especially the relatively peaceful political culture. It has also found the peoples and cultures elsewhere in the Americas - Spanish-speaking mestizos, a combination of Maya Indian Union, Creoles, who speak the local dialect of English, and often of African and Afro-Europe Garifuna are descendants of the Caribs and Africans.

A change in the ethnic composition and use of the Spanish rising, driven by an amnesty for immigrants from neighboring countries of Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Belize, formerly British Honduras was the last colony of the United Kingdom in America. The independence until 1981 by long-term tension with neighboring Guatemala, which delays a large part of its territory claims. Guatemala recognized Belize's independence in 1991, but neighbors still have their border conflict, which fix their roots in the colonial period. Belize has always been closely linked to Britain and US had intensified in recent times relations with Latin American countries like Mexico and Venezuela.

In common with many Caribbean countries, increased service sector, agriculture and fisheries and forestry. Tourism is an important source of foreign exchange. Attractions include wildlife of Belize, the Mayan ruins of the longest coral reef in the world. More than 200 islands nestle in the reef. Cruise ship arrivals increased dramatically in recent years. But tourism has its price, the challenges of Belize the threat of the habitats of birds, mammals in the United States. In addition, Belize always has a problem with violent crime, particularly drug crime and drug trafficking in the archive. In 2006, the U.S. State Department of Belize has declared a list of countries that they were not enough to fight against human trafficking.