Belize

Belize

Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...

is a sovereign country located in Central America

Central America

Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...

. Belize is the only Central American country where English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 is an official language. Belize has a diverse society, composed of many languages and cultures. The Belizean territory was once part of the Mayan and Spanish empires before becoming a British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 colony

Colonialism

Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...

 and for more than a century until 1973, the colonial territory was known as British Honduras

British Honduras

British Honduras was a British colony that is now the independent nation of Belize.First colonised by Spaniards in the 17th century, the territory on the east coast of Central America, south of Mexico, became a British crown colony from 1862 until 1964, when it became self-governing. Belize became...

. The country became an independent nation in 1981. Belize is a member of the Caribbean Community

Caribbean Community

The Caribbean Community is an organisation of 15 Caribbean nations and dependencies. CARICOM's main purposes are to promote economic integration and cooperation among its members, to ensure that the benefits of integration are equitably shared, and to coordinate foreign policy...

 (CARICOM), the Central American Integration System

Central American Integration System

Central American Integration System is the economic, cultural and political organization of Central American states since February 1, 1993. It was on December 13, 1991, however, when all the countries of the ODECA signed the Protocol of Tegucigalpa which extended the earlier cooperation in search...

 (SICA), and the Commonwealth of Nations

Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...

. With 8,867 square miles (22,960 km²) of territory and 297,651 people (Belize CSO, 2007 mid-year estimate), the population density is the lowest in the Central American region and one of the lowest in the world. The country's growth rate is 3.5% (2006 estimate). It is bordered to the south and west by Guatemala

Guatemala

Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...

, to the north and northwest by Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

, and to the east by the Caribbean Sea

Caribbean Sea

The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....

.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and introduction to Belize:

General reference

• Pronunciation:
• Common name in English: Belize (etymology)
• Official name in English: Belize
• Common endonym(s): Belize
• Official endonym(s): Belize
• Demonym(s): Belizean
  Belizean
  Belizean may refer to:* Something of, or related to Belize* A person from Belize, or of Belizean descent. For information about the Belizean people, see Demographics of Belize and Culture of Belize. For specific Belizeans, see List of Belizeans....
  
  
• International rankings
• ISO country codes: BZ, BLZ, 084
• ISO region codes: see ISO 3166-2:BZ
  ISO 3166-2:BZ
  ISO 3166-2:BZ is the entry for Belize in ISO 3166-2, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization , which defines codes for the names of the principal subdivisions of all countries coded in ISO 3166-1.Currently for Belize, ISO 3166-2 codes are...
  
  
• Internet country code top-level domain: .bz
  .bz
  .bz is the Internet country code top-level domain for Belize. It is administered by the University of Belize.At one point, .bz domains were being marketed by an American company as standing for "business", and that company took legal action against ICANN in an attempt to block the .biz domain as...
  
  

Geography of Belize

• Belize is...
  • a country
    Country
    A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously...
    
    
    • a nation state
    • a Commonwealth Realm
      Commonwealth Realm
      A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
      
      
• Location:
  • Northern Hemisphere
    Northern Hemisphere
    The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
    
     and Western Hemisphere
    Western Hemisphere
    The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...
    
    
    • Americas
      Americas
      The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
      
      
      • North America
        North America
        North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
        
        
        • Middle America
          Middle America (Americas)
          Middle America is a region in the mid-latitudes of the Americas. In southern North America, it usually comprises Mexico, the nations of Central America, and the West Indies. The scope of the term may vary...
          
          
          • Central America
            Central America
            Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
            
            
  • Time zone
    Time zone
    A time zone is a region on Earth that has a uniform standard time for legal, commercial, and social purposes. In order for the same clock time to always correspond to the same portion of the day as the Earth rotates , different places on the Earth need to have different clock times...
    
    : Central Standard Time (UTC-06)
  • Extreme points of Belize
    • High: Doyle's Delight
      Doyle's Delight
      Doyle's Delight is the highest peak in Belize . It lies in the Cockscomb Range, a spur of the Maya Mountains in Western Belize.The name Doyle's Delight was first coined in by Sharon Matola in 1989 and based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's book "The Lost World" , which contains the quote "there must...
      
       1124 m (3,688 ft)
    • Low: Caribbean Sea
      Caribbean Sea
      The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
      
       0 m
  • Land boundaries: 516 km

 Guatemala 266 km

 Mexico 250 km

• Coastline: 386 km
• Population of Belize: 301,270(2008) - 174th most populous country
• Area of Belize: 22966 square kilometres (8,867.2 sq mi) - 150th largest country
• Atlas of Belize

Environment of Belize

• Climate of Belize
• Environmental issues in Belize
• Ecoregions in Belize
• Renewable energy in Belize
• Geology of Belize
• Protected areas of Belize
  • Biosphere reserves in Belize
  • National parks of Belize
• Wildlife of Belize
  • Flora of Belize
  • Fauna of Belize
    Fauna of Belize
    Belize is a country with a rich variety of wildlife, due to its unique position between North and South America, and a wide range of climates and habitats for plant and animal life...
    
    
    • Birds of Belize
    • Mammals of Belize

Natural geographic features of Belize

• Fjords of Belize
• Glaciers of Belize
• Islands of Belize
• Lakes of Belize
• Mountains of Belize
  • Volcanoes in Belize
• Rivers of Belize
  • Waterfalls of Belize
• Valleys of Belize
• World Heritage Sites in Belize

Ecoregions of Belize

Main article: Ecoregions in Belize

Administrative divisions of Belize

Main article: Administrative divisions of Belize

• Districts of Belize
  Districts of Belize
  Belize is divided into 6 districts. The districts are listed below, with the capital city and some statistics:-List:-Largest cities and towns by population:Based on 2005 estimate:#Belize City, BZ 70,800#Orange Walk, OW 17,300#San Ignacio, CY 16,800...
  
  
  • Constituencies of Belize
    Constituencies of Belize
    ||Belize's 6 districts are politically divided into 31 constituencies. Each constituency sends one representative to Belize's House of Representatives for 5-year terms. This election is known as the General Election. Each person votes for the candidate they would want to represent their...
    
    

Districts of Belize

• Belize
  Belize District
  The Belize District is a district of the nation of Belize, with its district capital being the nation's largest city, Belize City.- Settlements :...
  
  
• Cayo
  Cayo District
  Cayo District is a district in the west of the nation of Belize. The District capital is the town of San Ignacio.- Geography :The Cayo District is the largest district in Belize. It is located on the western side of the country which borders Guatemala. The nation's capital, Belmopan, is...
  
  
• Corozal
  Corozal District
  Corozal District is the northernmost district of the nation of Belize. The population was 33,335 as of 2000. The district capital is Corozal Town.-The Villages of Corozal District:...
  
  
• Orange Walk
  Orange Walk District
  Orange Walk District is a district in the northwest of the nation of Belize, with its district capital in Orange Walk Town.- Main settlements :...
  
  
• Stann Creek
  Stann Creek District
  Stann Creek District is a district in the south east region of Belize. According to the 2010 census, the district had a population of 32,166 people...
  
  
• Toledo
  Toledo District
  Toledo District is the southernmost district in Belize, and Punta Gorda the District capital. Although the least developed region in the country, it features some of the most pristine rainforests, extensive cave networks, coastal lowland plains, and offshore cays...
  
  

Constituencies of Belize

The constituencies of Belize by District:

• Belize District
  Belize District
  The Belize District is a district of the nation of Belize, with its district capital being the nation's largest city, Belize City.- Settlements :...
  
  :
  • Albert
    Albert, Belize
    Albert is a constituency in the Belize District of the Central American nation of Belize.-History:Albert was one of the original 18 constituencies that were by the government of the then British Colony of British Honduras...
    
    
  • Belize Rural Central
  • Belize Rural North
  • Belize Rural South
  • Caribbean Shores
  • Collet
  • Fort George
  • Freetown
  • Lake Independence
  • Mesopotamia
  • Pickstock
  • Port Loyola
    Port Loyola
    Port Loyola is a parliamentary constituency in Belize City, Belize. It is among the largest constituencies in the city, with over 5,000 voters. As of 2007 its representative to the House of Representatives is the United Democratic Party's Anthony Martinez....
    
    
  • Queen's Square

• Cayo District
  Cayo District
  Cayo District is a district in the west of the nation of Belize. The District capital is the town of San Ignacio.- Geography :The Cayo District is the largest district in Belize. It is located on the western side of the country which borders Guatemala. The nation's capital, Belmopan, is...
  
  
  • Belmopan
    Belmopan
    Belmopan , estimated population 20,000 is the capital city of Belize.Belmopan is located at , at an altitude of 76 metres above sea level. Belmopan was constructed just to the east of Belize River, inland from the former capital, the port of Belize City, after that city's near destruction by...
    
    
  • Cayo Central
  • Cayo North
  • Cayo North East
  • Cayo South
  • Cayo West

• Corozal District
  Corozal District
  Corozal District is the northernmost district of the nation of Belize. The population was 33,335 as of 2000. The district capital is Corozal Town.-The Villages of Corozal District:...
  
  
  • Corozal Bay
  • Corozal North
  • Corozal South East
  • Corozal South West

• Orange Walk District
  Orange Walk District
  Orange Walk District is a district in the northwest of the nation of Belize, with its district capital in Orange Walk Town.- Main settlements :...
  
  
  • Orange Walk Central
  • Orange Walk East
  • Orange Walk North
  • Orange Walk South

• Stann Creek District
  Stann Creek District
  Stann Creek District is a district in the south east region of Belize. According to the 2010 census, the district had a population of 32,166 people...
  
  
  • Dangriga
  • Stann Creek West

• Toledo District
  Toledo District
  Toledo District is the southernmost district in Belize, and Punta Gorda the District capital. Although the least developed region in the country, it features some of the most pristine rainforests, extensive cave networks, coastal lowland plains, and offshore cays...
  
  
  • Toledo East
  • Toledo West

Municipalities of Belize

• Capital: Belmopan
• Cities: Cities of Belize

Government and politics of Belize

Main article: Government of Belize and Politics of Belize

Politics of Belize

Politics of Belize takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the...

• Form of government
  Form of government
  A form of government, or form of state governance, refers to the set of political institutions by which a government of a state is organized. Synonyms include "regime type" and "system of government".-Empirical and conceptual problems:...
  
  : parliamentary
  Parliamentary system
  A parliamentary system is a system of government in which the ministers of the executive branch get their democratic legitimacy from the legislature and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined....
  
   representative democratic
  Representative democracy
  Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy...
  
   monarchy
  Monarchy
  A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
  
  
• Capital of Belize: Belmopan

• Elections in Belize
  Elections in Belize
  Elections in Belize are the duly held elections held at various levels of government in the nation of Belize.- The Legislature :Dissolving the National Assembly is the prerogative of the Governor General of Belize, currently Sir Colville Young...
  
  
  • (specific elections)
• Political parties in Belize
• Political scandals of Belize
• Taxation in Belize

Executive branch of the government of Belize

• Head of state
  Head of State
  A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
  
  : Monarch of Belize
  Monarchy of Belize
  The monarchy of Belize is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign of Belize, holding the position of head of state; the incumbent is Elizabeth II, officially called Queen of Belize, who has reigned since September 21, 1981...
  
  , Elizabeth II
  • Her Majesty's representative: Governor-General of Belize, Colville Young
    Colville Young
    Sir Colville Norbert Young, GCMG, MBE is the Governor General of Belize, and also patron of the Scout Association of Belize. He was appointed Governor-General in 1993, taking office on 17 November of that year, and was knighted in 1994....
    
    
• Head of government
  Head of government
  Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
  
  : Prime Minister of Belize, Dean Barrow
  Dean Barrow
  Dean Oliver Barrow is Prime Minister of Belize and leader of the United Democratic Party. An attorney by trade, he served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1993 to 1998 and was then Leader of the Opposition until the UDP won the February 2008 election...
  
  
• Cabinet of Belize

Legislative branch of the government of Belize

• National Assembly of Belize
  National Assembly of Belize
  The National Assembly of is the bicameral legislature of Belize. It is divided into the House of Representatives, with 29 members, and the Senate, with 13 members.- History :...
  
   (bicameral)
  • Upper house
    Upper house
    An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
    
    : Senate of Belize
    Senate of Belize
    The Senate is one of the chambers of the National Assembly. It has 12 members appointed for a five year term by the Governor General.- Establishment and appointment :Senators are appointed by the Governor General in the following manner:...
    
    
  • Lower house
    Lower house
    A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...
    
    : House of Representatives of Belize
    House of Representatives of Belize
    The House of Representatives of Belize is one of two chambers of the National Assembly, the other being the Senate. It was created under the 1981 constitution....
    
    

Judicial branch of the government of Belize

• Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
  Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
  The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is one of the highest courts in the United Kingdom. Established by the Judicial Committee Act 1833 to hear appeals formerly heard by the King in Council The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) is one of the highest courts in the United...
  
  
  • Supreme Court of Belize
    • Magistrates' Court of Belize

Foreign relations of Belize

• Diplomatic missions in Belize
• Diplomatic missions of Belize
  Diplomatic missions of Belize
  This is a list of diplomatic missions of Belize, excluding honorary consulates. Belize is a Central American country bordering Mexico and Guatemala.-Europe:** Vienna ** Brussels ** Rome ** London...
  
  

International organization membership

Belize is a member of:

• African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP)
• Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL)
• Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom)
• Caribbean Development Bank
  Caribbean Development Bank
  The Caribbean Development Bank is a financial institution which assists Caribbean nations in financing social and economic programs in its member countries...
  
   (CDB)
• Central American Integration System
  Central American Integration System
  Central American Integration System is the economic, cultural and political organization of Central American states since February 1, 1993. It was on December 13, 1991, however, when all the countries of the ODECA signed the Protocol of Tegucigalpa which extended the earlier cooperation in search...
  
   (SICA)
• Commonwealth of Nations
  Commonwealth of Nations
  The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
  
  
• Food and Agriculture Organization
  Food and Agriculture Organization
  The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and...
  
   (FAO)
• Group of 77
  Group of 77
  The Group of 77 at the United Nations is a loose coalition of developing nations, designed to promote its members' collective economic interests and create an enhanced joint negotiating capacity in the United Nations. There were 77 founding members of the organization, but the organization has...
  
   (G77)
• Inter-American Development Bank
  Inter-American Development Bank
  The Inter-American Development Bank is the largest source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean...
  
   (IADB)
• International Atomic Energy Agency
  International Atomic Energy Agency
  The International Atomic Energy Agency is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. The IAEA was established as an autonomous organization on 29 July 1957...
  
   (IAEA)
• International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development is one of five institutions that compose the World Bank Group. The IBRD is an international organization whose original mission was to finance the reconstruction of nations devastated by World War II. Now, its mission has expanded to fight...
  
   (IBRD)
• International Civil Aviation Organization
  International Civil Aviation Organization
  The International Civil Aviation Organization , pronounced , , is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth...
  
   (ICAO)
• International Criminal Court
  International Criminal Court
  The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
  
   (ICCt)
• International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol)
• International Development Association
  International Development Association
  The International Development Association , is the part of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest countries. It complements the World Bank's other lending arm — the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development — which serves middle-income countries with capital investment and...
  
   (IDA)
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
  International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
  The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is a humanitarian institution that is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement along with the ICRC and 186 distinct National Societies...
  
   (IFRCS)
• International Finance Corporation
  International Finance Corporation
  The International Finance Corporation promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries.IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States....
  
   (IFC)
• International Fund for Agricultural Development
  International Fund for Agricultural Development
  The International Fund for Agricultural Development , a specialized agency of the United Nations, was established as an international financial institution in 1977 as one of the major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference. IFAD is dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries...
  
   (IFAD)
• International Labour Organization
  International Labour Organization
  The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
  
   (ILO)
• International Maritime Organization
  International Maritime Organization
  The International Maritime Organization , formerly known as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization , was established in Geneva in 1948, and came into force ten years later, meeting for the first time in 1959...
  
   (IMO)
• International Monetary Fund
  International Monetary Fund
  The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
  
   (IMF)
• International Olympic Committee
  International Olympic Committee
  The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
  
   (IOC)
• International Organization for Migration
  International Organization for Migration
  The International Organization for Migration is an intergovernmental organization. It was initially established in 1951 as the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration to help resettle people displaced by World War II....
  
   (IOM)

• International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
  International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
  The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human...
  
   (ICRM)
• International Telecommunication Union
  International Telecommunication Union
  The International Telecommunication Union is the specialized agency of the United Nations which is responsible for information and communication technologies...
  
   (ITU)
• International Trade Union Confederation
  International Trade Union Confederation
  The International Trade Union Confederation is the world's largest trade union federation. It was formed on November 1, 2006 out of the merger of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and the World Confederation of Labour...
  
   (ITUC)
• Latin American Economic System
  Latin American Economic System
  The Latin American and the Caribbean Economic System, officially known as Sistema Económico Latinoamericano y del Caribe , is an organization founded in 1975 to promote economic cooperation and social development between Latin American and the Caribbean countries...
  
   (LAES)
• Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
  Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
  The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency is a member organization of the World Bank Group that offers political risk insurance. It was established to promote foreign direct investment into developing countries. MIGA was founded in 1988 with a capital base of $1 billion and is headquartered in...
  
   (MIGA)
• Nonaligned Movement (NAM)
• Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
• Organization of American States
  Organization of American States
  The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
  
   (OAS)
• Permanent Court of Arbitration
  Permanent Court of Arbitration
  The Permanent Court of Arbitration , is an international organization based in The Hague in the Netherlands.-History:The court was established in 1899 as one of the acts of the first Hague Peace Conference, which makes it the oldest institution for international dispute resolution.The creation of...
  
   (PCA)
• Rio Group
  Rio Group
  - List of Summit meetings :- See also :* Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, possible successor of the Rio Group* Union of South American Nations...
  
   (RG)
• United Nations
  United Nations
  The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
  
   (UN)
• United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
  United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
  The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body. It is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment, and development issues....
  
   (UNCTAD)
• United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
• United Nations Industrial Development Organization
  United Nations Industrial Development Organization
  The United Nations Industrial Development Organization , French/Spanish acronym ONUDI, is a specialized agency in the United Nations system, headquartered in Vienna, Austria...
  
   (UNIDO)
• Universal Postal Union
  Universal Postal Union
  The Universal Postal Union is an international organization that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system. The UPU contains four bodies consisting of the Congress, the Council of Administration , the Postal Operations Council and the...
  
   (UPU)
• World Confederation of Labour
  World Confederation of Labour
  The World Confederation of Labour was an international labour organization founded in 1920 and based in Europe. Totalitarian governments of the 1930s repressed the federation and imprisoned many of its leaders, limiting operations until the end of World War II...
  
   (WCL)
• World Customs Organization
  World Customs Organization
  The World Customs Organization is an intergovernmental organization headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. With its worldwide membership, the WCO is recognized as the voice of the global customs community...
  
   (WCO)
• World Federation of Trade Unions
  World Federation of Trade Unions
  The World Federation of Trade Unions was established in 1945 to replace the International Federation of Trade Unions. Its mission was to bring together trade unions across the world in a single international organization, much like the United Nations...
  
   (WFTU)
• World Health Organization
  World Health Organization
  The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
  
   (WHO)
• World Intellectual Property Organization
  World Intellectual Property Organization
  The World Intellectual Property Organization is one of the 17 specialized agencies of the United Nations. WIPO was created in 1967 "to encourage creative activity, to promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world"....
  
   (WIPO)
• World Meteorological Organization
  World Meteorological Organization
  The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
  
   (WMO)
• World Trade Organization
  World Trade Organization
  The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
  
   (WTO)

Law and order in Belize

Main article: Law of Belize

• Capital punishment in Belize
• Constitution of Belize
  Constitution of Belize
  The Constitution of Belize is the supreme law of the nation of Belize. It was signed in September 1981 with effect from that date.- Structure :...
  
  
• Crime in Belize
• Human rights in Belize
  • LGBT rights in Belize
    LGBT rights in Belize
    Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons in Belize face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT citizens. Male same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Belize, with a penalty of 10 years imprisonment...
    
    
  • Freedom of religion in Belize
• Law enforcement in Belize

Military of Belize

Main article: Military of Belize

Military of Belize

The Belize Defence Force is the military of Belize, and is responsible for protecting the sovereignty of Belize The BDF, along with the National Forensic Science Service, the National Coast Guard, and the Immigration Department, is a department of the Ministry of National Security, which is...

• Command
  • Commander-in-chief
    Commander-in-Chief
    A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
    
    
    • Ministry of Defence of Belize
• Forces
  • Army of Belize
  • Navy of Belize
  • Air Force of Belize
  • Special forces of Belize
• Military history of Belize
• Military ranks of Belize

History of Belize

Main article: History of Belize

History of Belize

The history of Belize dates back thousands of years. The Maya civilization spread into the area of Belize between 1500 BC and AD 200 and flourished until about AD 1200. Several major archeological sites—notably Cahal Pech, Caracol, Lamanai, Lubaantun, Altun Ha, and Xunantunich—reflect the advanced...

, Timeline of the history of Belize, and Current events of Belize

• Economic history of Belize
• Military history of Belize

Culture of Belize

Main article: Culture of Belize

Culture of Belize

The Belizean culture is made up of influences and people from Kriol, Maya, Garinagu , Mestizo , Mennonites who are of German descent, with a blend of many other cultures from Chinese to Lebanese...

• Architecture of Belize
• Cuisine of Belize
  Cuisine of Belize
  Belizean cuisine is an amalgamation of all ethnicities in the nation of Belize, and their respectively wide variety of foods. Breakfast consists of bread, flour tortillas, or fry jack that are often homemade. Fry jacks aren't only served in Belize...
  
  
• Ethnic minorities in Belize
• Festivals in Belize
• Humor in Belize
• Languages of Belize
  Languages of Belize
  English is the official language of Belize, a former British colony. Although only 4 percent of the population speaks it as their first language, a majority speak English very well.Kriol is spoken as the first language of 33 percent of Belizeans...
  
  
• Media in Belize
• National symbols of Belize
  • Coat of arms of Belize
    Coat of arms of Belize
    The Coat of Arms of Belize was adopted upon independence, and is only slightly different from the coat of arms used when Belize was a British colony....
    
    
  • Flag of Belize
    Flag of Belize
    The flag of Belize is a continued version of the earlier flag of British Honduras .British Honduras obtained a coat of arms on January 28, 1907, which formed the basis of the badge used on British ensigns. The coat of arms recalls the logging industry that first led to British settlement there...
    
    
  • National Anthem: "Land of the Free
    Land of the Free
    Land of the Free is the national anthem of Belize. The words were written by Samuel Alfred Haynes and the music by Selwyn Walford Young in 1963. It was officially adopted in 1981.-Lyrics:-External links:**...
    
    "
• People of Belize
• Prostitution in Belize
  Prostitution in Belize
  Prostitution itself is not illegal in Belize, but associated activities such as operating a brothel, loitering for the purposes of prostitution and soliciting sex are illegal.-External links:***...
  
  
• Public holidays in Belize
  Public holidays in Belize
  This is a list of public holidays in Belize.Note 1 - Chapter 289 of the laws of Belize states that if the holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed as the bank and public holiday....
  
  
• Records of Belize
• Religion in Belize
  Religion in Belize
  According to the 2000 census, Roman Catholics constitute 49.6% of the population of Belize; Protestants constitute 29% , Baptists 3.5 percent, and Methodists 3.5 percent...
  
  
  • Buddhism in Belize
  • Christianity in Belize
  • Hinduism in Belize
    Hinduism in Belize
    The origins of Hinduism in Belize date to 1857 when three thousand East Indians migrated from Jamaica to Belize. People from the Indian subcontinent, Hindus and Muslims, continued to arrive in Belize during the 19th century to work as indentured labourers on sugar cane plantations.The Hindu...
    
    
  • Islam in Belize
    Islam in Belize
    The statistics for Islam in Belize estimate a total Muslim population of 2,794, representing 1 percent of the total population. The Muslim community is led by the Islamic Mission of Belize headquartered in Belize City.-Sources:...
    
    
  • Judaism in Belize
  • Sikhism in Belize
• World Heritage Sites in Belize

Art in Belize

• Art in Belize
• Cinema of Belize
• Literature of Belize
• Music of Belize
  Music of Belize
  The music of Belize has a mix of Kriol, Mestizo, Garifuna, and Maya influences. After many centuries of Maya habitation, British colonizers arrived in the area in the 17th century. Belize was Britain's only colony in Spanish-dominated Central America until self-government in 1964 and gaining full...
  
  
• Television in Belize
• Theatre in Belize

Sports in Belize

Main article: Sports in Belize

• Football in Belize
  Football in Belize
  The sport of football in the country of Belize is run by the Football Federation of Belize. The association administers the Belize national football team, as well as the Belize Premier Football League. Football is the most popular sport in Belize....
  
  
• Belize at the Olympics
  Belize at the Olympics
  Belize first participated at the Olympic Games in 1968, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except when they participated in the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics. The nation has never participated in the Winter Olympic Games...
  
  

Economy and infrastructure of Belize

Main article: Economy of Belize

Economy of Belize

The economy of Belize depended on forestry until well into the 20th century. Logwood, used to make dye, was Belize's initial main export. However, the supply outstripped the demand, especially as Europeans developed man-made dyes which were less expensive. Loggers turned to mahogany, which grew...

• Economic rank, by nominal GDP (2007): 163rd (one hundred and sixty third)

• Agriculture in Belize
• Banking in Belize
  • National Bank of Belize
• Communications in Belize
  Communications in Belize
  Communications in BelizeThis article discusses facts regarding communication in Belize.Telephones - main lines in use: 33,900 country comparison to the world: 176Telephones - mobile cellular: 118,300...
  
  
  • Internet in Belize
• Companies of Belize

• Currency of Belize
  Currency
  In economics, currency refers to a generally accepted medium of exchange. These are usually the coins and banknotes of a particular government, which comprise the physical aspects of a nation's money supply...
  
  : Dollar
  Belize dollar
  The Belize dollar is the official currency in Belize, formerly known as British Honduras; is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively BZ$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. It is divided into 100 cents...
  
  
  • ISO 4217
    ISO 4217
    ISO 4217 is a standard published by the International Standards Organization, which delineates currency designators, country codes , and references to minor units in three tables:* Table A.1 – Current currency & funds code list...
    
    : BZD
    Belize dollar
    The Belize dollar is the official currency in Belize, formerly known as British Honduras; is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively BZ$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. It is divided into 100 cents...
    
    

• Economic history of Belize
• Energy in Belize
  Energy in Belize
  Energy in Belize is based on four main sources: imported fossil fuels, biomass, hydro, and imported electricity. Belize currently imports 100% of its fossil fuel use...
  
  
  • Energy policy of Belize
  • Oil industry in Belize
• Mining in Belize
• Tourism in Belize
  Tourism in Belize
  The tourism industry is an important part of the economy of Belize, in 2007 contributing to over 25% of all jobs, and making up over 18% of the GDP. This constituted 590 million BZD , according to the Belize government, up 90 million BZD from the year before...
  
  
• Transport in Belize
  Transport in Belize
  - Public transportation :Most Belizeans travel the country using public buses as their primary form of transportation. In the larger towns and cities, such as Belize City or Belmopan, there are bus terminals. In smaller places, there are bus stops. However, the most common way of catching a bus is...
  
  

• Belize Stock Exchange

Infrastructure of Belize

• Health care in Belize
• Transportation in Belize
  • Airports in Belize
  • Rail transport in Belize
    Rail transport in Belize
    There is currently no active rail transport in Belize, although there were lines in the past.- Overview :Historically, one of the major railroads in Belize was the Stann Creek Railway used by United Fruit, which connected Middlesex Estate with the port of Dangriga. The railway was narrow gauge,...
    
    
  • Roads in Belize
    Roads in Belize
    - Highways :Belize has four major asphalt-paved two-lane roads:* Northern Highway between Belize City and the Mexican border north of Corozal * Western Highway between Belize City and the Guatemalan border near Benque Viejo del Carmen...
    
    
• Water supply and sanitation in Belize

See also

• Commonwealth realm
  Commonwealth Realm
  A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
  
  
• Index of Belize-related articles
• List of Belize-related topics
• List of international rankings
• Member state of the Commonwealth of Nations
• Member state of the United Nations
• Monarchy of Belize
  Monarchy of Belize
  The monarchy of Belize is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign of Belize, holding the position of head of state; the incumbent is Elizabeth II, officially called Queen of Belize, who has reigned since September 21, 1981...
  
  
• Outline of Central America
• Outline of geography
  Outline of geography
  The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to geography:Geography – science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth.- Geography is :...
  
  
• Outline of North America

External links

• Government of Belize - Official governmental site
• Belize National Emergency Management Organization - Official governmental site
• Belize Tourism Board - Official Tourism site
• Encyclopaedia Britannica Belize's Country Page
• Belize information on globalEDGE
• http://countrystudies.us/belize