Portal:Belize

Belize
Belize
	Flag Coat of arms
	Motto: "Sub Umbra Floreo" (Latin); "Under the shade I flourish"
	Anthem: "Land of the Free";
ISO 3166 code	BZ

The Belize Portal

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. It has an area of 22,970 square kilometres (8,867 sq mi) and a population of 441,471 (2022). 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. Belize is often thought of as a Caribbean country in Central America because it has a history similar to that of English-speaking Caribbean nations. Belize's institutions and official language reflect its history as a British colony.

The Maya civilization spread into the area of Belize between 1500 BC and AD 300 and flourished until about 1200. European contact began in 1502-04 when Christopher Columbus sailed along the Gulf of Honduras. 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). In 1840 it became a British colony known as British Honduras, and a Crown colony in 1862. Belize achieved its independence from the United Kingdom on 21 September 1981. 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. (Full article...)

Selected article -

The Maya Golden Landscape is an area in Belize of approximately 275,000 hectares consisting of protected areas, agriculture, private lands and many small communities that is under the management of the Ya'axché Conservation Trust in Toledo District. The Landscape area encompasses the Bladen Nature Reserve, Colombia River Forest Reserve, Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, Deep River Forest River Reserve, Port Honduras Marine Reserve, along with commercial and subsistence farmland. Most of the area is dominated with various types of broadleaf forests which varies with topography, soil type and the disturbance history (which are disturbances caused by hurricanes or agriculture). One disturbance that affect the area, as well, is fires caused by agricultural farming due to the slash and burn practice. (Full article...)

List of selected articles

Selected image -

Image 1The New River near its estuary into the Caribbean Sea (Corozal District, Belize)
Image 2An aerial view of Caye Caulker
Image 3A view of New River, Belize
Image 4A view at Laughing Bird Caye
Image 5A satellite image of Belize, March 2002
Image 6A view of Orange Walk Town
Image 7Aerial view of Corozal Town
Image 8Caye Caulker is located in the beautiful world heritage Belize Barrier Reef
Image 9San Pedro Beach in Ambergris Caye, Belize, 2007
Image 10An aerial view of Belize City
Image 11A collage of San Pedro, Belize

General images -

The following are images from various Belize-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1St. John's Cathedral (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 2The Great Blue Hole is one of the most recognisable natural features in Belize. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 3The Great Blue Hole is a prime ecotourism destination. A World Heritage Site, ranked among the top 10 nominees for the world's New 7 Wonders of Nature. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 4High Temple at Lamanai (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 5Coral patch in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 6Sarteneja (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 7Wilderness scene in the Bladen Nature Reserve. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 8Maya fisherwomen in British Honduras, beginning of the 20th century. (from History of Belize)
Image 9The "Split" at Caye Caulker, Caused by Hurricane Hattie in 1961 (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 10Men working in the mahogany industry, around 1930. (from History of Belize)
Image 11Big Rock Falls in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 12Overlooking the Caracol ruins, the most extensive archaeological site in the country. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 13Belize electricity supply by source (from Economy of Belize)
Image 14Biodiversity is an asset for ecotourism. A red-lored amazon (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 15Beachront of Ramon's Village, San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 16Che Chem Ha Cave (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 17A proportional representation of Belizean exports in 2015 (from Economy of Belize)
Image 18The flag of Belize, originally adopted in 1922. (from History of Belize)
Image 19Sarstoon Kekchi Mayan village (from History of Belize)
Image 20Wilderness scene in the Bladen Nature Reserve. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 21Overlooking the Caracol ruins, the most extensive archaeological site in the country. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 22Köppen climate classification zones of Belize. (from Geography of Belize)
Image 23Little Guana Caye plays host to the largest colony of reddish egrets in the Caribbean. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 241790 map of territory conceded by Spain to British settlers for cutting timber. (from History of Belize)
Image 25Half Moon Caye (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 26Sapodilla Cayes (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 27Coral patch in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 28The flag of British Honduras. (from History of Belize)
Image 291831 map of Belize by Daniel Lizars (from History of Belize)
Image 30High Temple at Altun Ha (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 31Map of Belize's exclusive economic zone (from Geography of Belize)
Image 32Maya Beach, Placencia (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 33Almond Beach, Hopkins (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 34St. Herman's Cave in St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 35San Antonio Falls (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 36St. Herman's Cave in St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 37Big Rock Falls in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 38Rio Frio Cave (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 39Riot police and protesters during the unrest in 2005. (from History of Belize)
Image 40Thousand Foot Falls actually stand at about 1,600 feet high. It is the highest waterfall in Central America. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 41Barton Creek Cave (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 42The Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, Belize. (from Geography of Belize)
Image 43Zip-lining in the jungles of Belize (from Tourism in Belize)

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14 November 2023 –

Belize suspends diplomatic relations with Israel over its war conduct, and calls for an immediate ceasefire. (CNN)

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