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BELIZEBelize was the site of several Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include an unsustainable foreign debt, high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, growing urban crime, and increasing incidences of HIV/AIDS. WHEN TO GO The best time to visit Belize is during the drier months from December to May. If you are traveling on a tight budget, go during the rainy off-season from June to November when rates are relatively low. FACTS ABOUT BELIZE - Location: Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
- Geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 45 W
- Area: 22,966 sq km
- Coastline: 386 km
- Max elevation: Doyle's Delight 1,160 m
- Population: 301,270
- Capital: Belmopan
- Government: Parliamentary democracy
- Currency: Belizean dollar (BZD)
- Internet Country Code: .bz
- Calling code: 501
- Ethnic groups: mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7%
- Languages: Spanish 46%, Creole 32.9%, Mayan dialects 8.9%, English 3.9% (official), Garifuna 3.4% (Carib), German 3.3%, other 1.4%, unknown 0.2%
- Religions: Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican 5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist 3.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4%
- Major Industries: Garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil
- Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower
- Environmental issues: Deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal.
- Climate: Tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
- Average sea surface temp: 27 °C
- Average annual rainfall: 1,524 mm in the north to 4,064 mm in the south
- Average annual tourist arrivals: 251,655
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