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77-683: Belize City is the largest city in Belize . It was once the capital of the former British Honduras . According to the 2022 census, Belize City has a population of 63,999 people. It is at the mouth of the Haulover Creek , which is a distributary of the Belize River . The Belize River empties into the Caribbean Sea eight kilometres (five miles) from Belize City on the Philip Goldson Highway on

154-511: A House of Representatives and a Senate . The 31 members of the House are popularly elected to a maximum five-year term and introduce legislation affecting the development of Belize. The governor-general appoints the 12 members of the Senate, with a Senate president selected by the members. The Senate is responsible for debating and approving bills passed by the House. Legislative power is vested in both

231-475: A tropical monsoon climate , with very warm to hot and humid conditions throughout the course of the year. The city has a lengthy wet season that runs from May through February and a short dry season covering the remaining two months. However, as is the characteristic of several cities with tropical monsoon climates, Belize City sees some precipitation during its dry season. March is Belize City's driest month with only 48 millimetres or 1.9 inches of rainfall observed,

308-646: A measure declaring that the region should work towards replacing the UK's Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as final court of appeal with the Caribbean Court of Justice. It is still in the process of acceding to CARICOM treaties including the trade and single market treaties. Belize is an original member (1995) of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and participates actively in its work. The pact involves

385-531: A minimum wage. Economic conditions improved during World War II , as many Belizean men entered the armed forces or otherwise contributed to the war effort. Following the war, the colony's economy stagnated. Britain's decision to devalue the British Honduras dollar in 1949 worsened economic conditions and led to the creation of the People's Committee, which demanded independence. The People's Committee's successor,

462-697: A post he would hold under various titles until 1984. Progress toward independence was hampered by a Guatemalan claim to sovereignty over Belizean territory . In 1964 Britain granted British Honduras self-government under a new constitution. On 1 June 1973, British Honduras was officially renamed Belize. Belize was granted independence on 21 September 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation because of its longstanding territorial dispute, claiming that Belize belonged to Guatemala. After independence about 1,500 British troops remained in Belize to deter any possible Guatemalan incursions. With George Cadle Price at

539-680: A small suburb north and west of Freetown Road, West Landivar, home to two of the University of Belize 's three city campuses, and residential University Heights. Pickstock inhabits the banks of the Haulover Creek extending to Barrack Road. St. John's Cathedral stands on the southern end of Albert Street. St. John's is the oldest Anglican Church in Central America, and one of the oldest buildings in Belize. The orange bricks came to Belize aboard British ships as ballast. Construction began in 1812, and

616-598: A somewhat unusual month for a city with this climate type. Typically the driest month for a city with a tropical monsoon climate is the month after the winter solstice, which in Belize City would be January. Average monthly temperatures remain relatively constant throughout the course of the year, ranging from 24 to 28 °C (75.2 to 82.4 °F). Belize City has more educational institutions at every level than any other city in Belize. Most city children in Belize attend high school. The only three schools that are not coed are on

693-662: A tropical monsoon climate tends to either have more rainfall than a tropical savanna climate or have less pronounced dry seasons. A tropical monsoon climate tends to vary less in temperature during a year than does a tropical savanna climate. This climate has the driest month, which nearly always occurs at or soon after the winter solstice. There are generally two versions of a tropical monsoon climate: Tropical monsoon are most commonly found in Africa ( West and Central Africa ), Asia ( South and Southeast Asia ), South America and Central America . This climate also occurs in sections of

770-476: A valuable fixing agent for clothing dyes, and was one of the first ways to achieve a fast black before the advent of artificial dyes. The Spanish granted the British settlers the right to occupy the area and cut logwood in exchange for their help suppressing piracy. The British government did not recognize the settlement as a colony for fear of provoking a Spanish attack. This delay in government oversight enabled

847-598: Is Charles III , who is the King of Belize . He lives in the United Kingdom, and is represented in Belize by the governor-general . Executive authority is exercised by the cabinet, which advises the governor-general and is led by the prime minister , who is head of government. Cabinet ministers are members of the majority political party in parliament and usually hold elected seats within it concurrent with their cabinet positions. The bicameral National Assembly of Belize comprises

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924-431: Is a Commonwealth realm , with King Charles III as its monarch and head of state , represented by a governor-general . 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 . It is considered a Central American and Caribbean nation with strong ties to both

1001-768: Is a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court . The Belize Defence Force (BDF) serves as the country's military. The BDF, with the Belize National Coast Guard and the Immigration Department, is a department of the Ministry of Defence and Immigration. In 1997 the regular army numbered more than 900, the reserve army 381, the air wing 45 and the maritime wing 36, amounting to an overall strength of approximately 1,400. In 2005,

1078-481: Is considered a myth. Writers and historians have suggested several other possible etymologies, including postulated French and African origins. The Maya civilization emerged at least three millennia ago in the lowland area of the Yucatán Peninsula and the highlands to the south, in the area of present-day southeastern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala , and western Honduras . Many aspects of this culture persist in

1155-410: Is divided into six districts . These districts are further divided into 31 constituencies . Local government in Belize comprises four types of local authorities: city councils , town councils , village councils and community councils . The two city councils ( Belize City and Belmopan ) and seven town councils cover the urban population of the country, while village and community councils cover

1232-504: Is in direct contrast to a tropical savanna climate , whose driest month has less than 60 mm of precipitation and also less than 100 − ( T o t a l   A n n u a l   P r e c i p i t a t i o n   ( m m ) 25 ) {\textstyle 100-\left({\frac {Total\ Annual\ Precipitation\ (mm)}{25}}\right)} of average monthly precipitation. In essence,

1309-614: Is prevalent. The change in direction is due to the difference in the way water and land heat. Changing pressure patterns that affect the seasonality of precipitation also occur in Africa, though it generally differs from the way it operates in Asia. During the high-sun season, the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) induces rain. During the low-sun season, the subtropical high creates dry conditions. The monsoon climates of Africa, and

1386-458: Is served by Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport , in Ladyville , northwest of Belize City, and by Belize City Municipal Airport , within the city itself. Belize Belize ( / b ɪ ˈ l iː z , b ɛ -/ , 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,

1463-563: Is the Caribbean Court of Justice 's (CCJ) 2015 order on the Belizean government, which stipulated that the country develop a land registry to classify and exercise traditional governance over Mayan lands. Despite these rulings, Belize has made little progress to support the land rights of indigenous communities; for instance, in the two years after the CCJ's decision, Belize's government failed to launch

1540-523: Is the only Central American country with no Pacific coastline. Tropical monsoon climate A tropical monsoon climate's driest month has on average less than 60 mm, but more than 100 − ( T o t a l   A n n u a l   P r e c i p i t a t i o n   ( m m ) 25 ) {\textstyle 100-\left({\frac {Total\ Annual\ Precipitation\ (mm)}{25}}\right)} . This

1617-464: The 1993 national election , and Esquivel became prime minister for a second time. Soon afterwards, Esquivel announced the suspension of a pact reached with Guatemala during Price's tenure, claiming Price had made too many concessions to gain Guatemalan recognition. The pact may have curtailed the 130-year-old border dispute between the two countries. Border tensions continued into the early 2000s, although

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1694-485: The Caribbean , North America , and northern Australia . The major controlling factor over a tropical monsoon climate is its relationship to the monsoon circulation. The monsoon is a seasonal change in wind direction. In Asia, during the summer (or high-sun season) there is an onshore flow of air (air moving from ocean toward land). In the “winter” (or low-sun season) an offshore air flow (air moving from land toward water)

1771-607: The Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. Belize is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and is considered part of the Caribbean region and the historical British West Indies . 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

1848-452: The Garifuna and Mestizos sprang up elsewhere in the country, people looked to Belize Town for guidance. Belize City has been directly struck by two hurricanes since 1900, the 1931 hurricane and the 1961 Hurricane Hattie , and at various times areas of the city have burnt down, the most recent being fires in the 1999 and 2004. The city was also hit hard by Hurricane Richard in 2010 and by

1925-562: 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). 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. It is the only mainland Central American country which

2002-553: 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 . The earliest known record of the name "Belize" appears in the journal of the Dominican priest Fray José Delgado, dating to 1677. Delgado recorded the names of three major rivers that he crossed while travelling north along

2079-740: The Organization of American States (OAS); the Central American Integration System (SICA); the Caribbean Community (CARICOM); the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME); the Association of Caribbean States (ACS); and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which currently serves as a final court of appeal for only Barbados, Belize, Guyana and Saint Lucia. In 2001, the Caribbean Community heads of government voted on

2156-505: The People's United Party (PUP), sought constitutional reforms that expanded voting rights to all adults. The first election under universal suffrage was held in 1954 and was decisively won by the PUP, beginning a three-decade period in which the PUP dominated the country's politics. Pro-independence activist George Cadle Price became PUP's leader in 1956 and the effective head of government in 1961,

2233-590: The most recent municipal elections in 2024, the mayor is Bernard Wagner of the People's United Party . The city is also home to the House of Culture , formerly the official residence of the Governor-General of Belize until 1984. The Supreme Court of Belize still sits in Belize City. Belize City will have railway lines southwestward to Spanish Lookout via Belmopan and northward to Orange Walk Town . Feasibility studies are being conducted by CRECG . The city

2310-490: The 1980s this included a battalion and No. 1417 Flight RAF of Harriers. The main British force left in 1994, three years after Guatemala recognized Belizean independence, but the United Kingdom maintained a training presence via the British Army Training and Support Unit Belize (BATSUB) and 25 Flight AAC until 2011 when the last British Forces left Ladyville Barracks, with the exception of seconded advisers. Belize

2387-671: The 2016 Hurricane Earl . Fires on the Northside and Southside have burnt out great stretches of housing, but the fire department was able to quench most of these. The city is also susceptible to flooding in the rainy season. Belize City spreads out Mile 6 on the Western Highway and Mile 5 on the Northern Highway, at the Haulover Bridge. The city proper is usually divided into two areas: Northside, bounded by Haulover Creek and ending in

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2464-451: The American and Caribbean regions. It has an area of 22,970 square kilometres (8,867 sq mi) and a population of 397,483 (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

2541-579: The British, beginning in 1707 ) to toil in the forestry industry. It was the coordination site for the 1798 Battle of St. George's Caye , won by the British against would-be invaders, and the home of the local courts and government officials up to the 1970s. For this reason, historians often say that "the capital was the colony", because the center of British control was here. This sentiment remains true today. Even though people like Antonio Soberanis Gómez , George Price and Evan X Hyde all lobbied to take their movements outside, and other ethnic groups such as

2618-590: The Caribbean Forum ( CARIFORUM ) subgroup of the Group of African, Caribbean, and Pacific states (ACP). CARIFORUM presently the only part of the wider ACP-bloc that has concluded the full regional trade-pact with the European Union . The British Army Garrison in Belize is used primarily for jungle warfare training, with access to more than 13,000 square kilometres (5,000 sq mi) of jungle terrain. Belize

2695-567: 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. It has been proposed that Delgado's "Balis" was actually the Mayan word belix (or beliz ), meaning "muddy water", although no such Mayan word actually exists. More recently, it has been proposed that

2772-454: The Court of Appeal hears appeals from convicted individuals seeking to have their sentences overturned. Defendants may, under certain circumstances, appeal their cases to the Caribbean Court of Justice . In 1935, elections were reinstated, but only 1.8 percent of the population was eligible to vote. In 1954, women won the right to vote. Since 1974, the party system in Belize has been dominated by

2849-497: The Hummingbird Elementary School. Belize City's culture is considered similar to that of Caribbean capital cities such as St. George's, Grenada , or Georgetown, Guyana . Always busy in the daytime, the city has the hustle and bustle one would associate with a city of 70,800. Notable cultural events include Garifuna Settlement Day (November 19), Belize City Carnival (September), Baron Bliss Day (March 9). Museums in

2926-464: The Mayan land registry, prompting the group to take action into its own hands. The exact ramifications of these cases need to be examined. As of 2017 , Belize still struggles to recognize indigenous populations and their respective rights. According to the 50-page voluntary national report Belize created on its progress toward the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Goals , indigenous groups are not factored into

3003-546: The Northside: Saint John's College (boys), Saint Catherine's Academy (girls) and Pallotti High School (girls). One Southside school that was previously all girls, Sadie Vernon Technical (Belize Continuation), became coed in 2005. There are three other private schools in Belize City: Belize Elementary School and its continuation Belize High School behind it, both on Princess Margret Drive, and

3080-610: The UDP to a third consecutive general election victory in November 2015, increasing the party's number of seats from 17 to 19. He said the election would be his last as party leader and preparations are under way for the party to elect his successor. On 11 November 2020, the People's United Party (PUP), led by Johnny Briceño , defeated the United Democratic Party (UDP) for the first time since 2003, having won 26 seats out of 31 to form

3157-493: The United Kingdom announced that it would end its military involvement in Belize, and the RAF Harrier detachment was withdrawn the same year, having remained stationed in the country continuously since its deployment had become permanent there in 1980. British soldiers were withdrawn in 1994, but the United Kingdom left behind a military training unit to assist with the newly created Belize Defence Force . The UDP regained power in

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3234-533: The United Kingdom, Caribbean Community heads of government, the Organization of American States (OAS), Mexico, and the United States. On 15 April 2018, Guatemala's government held a referendum to determine if the country should take its territorial claim on Belize to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to settle the long-standing issue. Guatemalans voted 95% yes on the matter. A similar referendum

3311-530: The area of present-day Belize. When Spanish explorers arrived in the 16th century, the area of present-day Belize included at least three distinct Maya territories: Spanish conquistadors explored the land and declared it part of the Spanish Empire , but they failed to settle the territory because of its lack of resources and the tribes of the Yucatán defending their land. English pirates sporadically visited

3388-483: The area, despite nearly 500 years of European domination. Prior to about 2500 BC, some hunting and foraging bands settled in small farming villages; they domesticated crops such as corn, beans, squash , and chili peppers. A profusion of languages and subcultures developed within the Maya core culture. Between about 2500 BC and 250 AD, the basic institutions of Maya civilization emerged. The Maya civilization spread across

3465-473: The battle has been declared a national holiday in Belize and is celebrated to commemorate the "first Belizeans" and the defence of their territory taken from the Spanish empire. In the early 19th century, the British sought to reform the settlers, threatening to suspend the Public Meeting unless it observed the government's instructions to eliminate slavery outright. After a generation of wrangling, slavery

3542-523: The centre-left People's United Party and the centre-right United Democratic Party , although other small parties took part in all levels of elections in the past. Though none of these small political parties has ever won any significant number of seats or offices, their challenge has been growing over the years. Belize is a full participating member of the United Nations ; the Commonwealth of Nations ;

3619-690: The church was completed in 1820. St. John's is the only Anglican cathedral in the world outside England where the crowning of kings took place. Fort George is perhaps the most colonial area in the city and contains Memorial Park, the Baron Bliss Grave and Baron Bliss Lighthouse and the Museum of Belize. On the Southside, Lake Independence, Collet and Port Loyola are home to some of the city's poorest residents. "London bridges", rickety wooden pallets linking dwellings, and low-strung poles are not uncommon here. On

3696-653: The city include the Bliss Institute , Image Factory Art Foundation and Gallery , the Maritime Museum and the Museum of Belize . There is an annual Street Art Festival . The majority of working Belizeans travel to work in downtown offices or else ply their trade on the street sides. Belize City is home to branches of all the major banks of Belize and the Central Bank, as well as nearly all insurance centers, marketplaces and

3773-482: The coast of the Caribbean . The city is the country's principal port and its financial and industrial hub. Cruise ships drop anchor outside the port and are tendered by local citizens. The city was almost entirely destroyed in October 1961 when Hurricane Hattie swept ashore. It was the capital of British Honduras (as Belize was then named) until the government was moved to the new capital of Belmopan in 1970. Belize City

3850-467: The coast of what is now Belize, seeking a sheltered region from which they could attack Spanish ships (see English settlement in Belize ) and cut logwood ( Haematoxylum campechianum ) trees. The first British permanent settlement was founded around 1716, in what became the Belize District , and during the 18th century, established a system using enslaved Africans to cut logwood trees. This yielded

3927-455: The country's indicators whatsoever. Belize's Maya population is only mentioned once in the entirety of the report. Belize is on the Caribbean coast of northern Central America. It shares a border on the north with the Mexican state of Quintana Roo , on the west with the Guatemalan department of Petén , and on the south with the Guatemalan department of Izabal . To the east in the Caribbean Sea,

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4004-467: The country's population (≈154,949 Belizeans) reside in this region. As of 2020 , the border dispute with Guatemala remains unresolved and contentious. Guatemala's claim to Belizean territory rests, in part, on Clause VII of the Anglo-Guatemalan Treaty of 1859 , which obligated the British to build a road between Belize City and Guatemala. At various times, the issue has required mediation by

4081-543: The east at the Fort George area, and Southside, extending to the outskirts of the city and the port area including downtown. Politically, it is divided into ten constituencies. Freetown, the westernmost constituency on Northside, is home to the Belama, Coral Grove, Buttonwood Bay and Vista Del Mar suburbs. Within the city proper it extends up to around the former Belize Technical College area. Caribbean Shores includes Kings' Park,

4158-745: The east side of Central American Boulevard are Mesopotamia, Queen's Square and Albert, which are slightly better. Albert contains the downtown streets of Albert and Regent Streets. The divisions of the city are linked by four bridges: the Swing Bridge, at Market Square and North Front Street; the Belchina Bascule Bridge at the Douglas Jones Street and Youth for the Future Drive junction; the Belcan Bridge linking Central American Boulevard and

4235-417: The formerly enslaved Africans' working conditions if they stayed at their trade. A series of institutions restricted the ability of emancipated African individuals to buy land, in a debt-peonage system. Former "extra special" mahogany or logwood cutters undergirded the early ascription of the capacities (and consequently the limitations) of people of African descent in the colony. Because a small elite controlled

4312-463: The government and the Parliament of Belize . Constitutional safeguards include freedom of speech, press, worship, movement, and association. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Members of the independent judiciary are appointed. The judicial system includes local magistrates grouped under the Magistrates' Court, which hears less serious cases. The Supreme Court (chief justice) hears murder and similarly serious cases, and

4389-413: The helm, the PUP won all national elections until 1984 . In that election, the first national election after independence, the PUP was defeated by the United Democratic Party (UDP). UDP leader Manuel Esquivel replaced Price as prime minister, with Price himself unexpectedly losing his own House seat to a UDP challenger. The PUP under Price returned to power after elections in 1989 . The following year

4466-440: The like. Belize City is the hub for both national and international air, sea and road travel. The city is home to the Port of Belize , the country's main port facility. Belize City is operated by a mayor-council form of government. The Belize City Council is composed of 10 councillors (generally reflecting the ten constituencies of Belize City ) and a mayor, all elected in municipal elections held every third year in March. After

4543-467: The mahogany trade throughout the rest of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. The Great Depression of the 1930s caused a near-collapse of the colony's economy as British demand for timber plummeted. The effects of widespread unemployment were worsened by a devastating hurricane that struck the colony in 1931. Perceptions of the government's relief effort as inadequate were aggravated by its refusal to legalize labour unions or introduce

4620-430: The maritime wing became part of the Belizean Coast Guard. In 2012, the Belizean government spent about $ 17 million on the military, constituting 1.08% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). After Belize achieved independence in 1981 the United Kingdom maintained a deterrent force (British Forces Belize) in the country to protect it from invasion by Guatemala (see Guatemalan claim to Belizean territory ). During

4697-421: The name comes from the Mayan phrase "bel Itza", meaning "the way to Itza ". 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. There is no proof that buccaneers settled in this area and the very existence of Wallace

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4774-434: The new government of Belize. Briceño took office as Prime Minister on 12 November. In 2023, Belize became the second Central American country to be awarded certification for the elimination of malaria by the WHO . Belize is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy . The structure of government is based on the British parliamentary system, and the legal system is modelled on the common law of England . The head of state

4851-451: The next step being oral arguments from each country's legal teams. Belize backed the United Nations (UN) Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2007, which established legal land rights to indigenous groups. Other court cases have affirmed these rights like the Supreme Court of Belize 's 2013 decision to uphold its ruling in 2010 that acknowledges customary land titles as communal land for indigenous peoples. Another such case

4928-432: 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

5005-432: The roundabout leading to the Northern Highway and Caribbean Shores, and a recently built fourth bridge linking Fabers' Road and the southern Lake Independence/Port Loyola area to the Belama and northwest suburbs of the city. Numerous smaller bridges link individual streets. The three main canals running in Belize City, are Haulover Creek, Burdon Canal and Collet Canal. All of them run through Southside. Belize City features

5082-460: The rural population. Throughout Belize's history, Guatemala has claimed sovereignty over all or part of Belizean territory. This claim is occasionally reflected in maps drawn by Guatemala's government, showing Belize as Guatemala's twenty-third department . The Guatemalan territorial claim involves approximately 53% of Belize's mainland, which includes significant portions of four districts: Belize, Cayo, Stann Creek, and Toledo. Roughly 43% of

5159-442: The second-longest barrier reef in the world flanks much of the 386 kilometres (240 mi) of predominantly marshy coastline. The area of the country totals 22,960 square kilometres (8,865 sq mi), an area slightly larger than El Salvador , Israel , New Jersey , or Wales . The many lagoons along the coasts and in the northern interior reduces the actual land area to 21,400 square kilometres (8,263 sq mi). It

5236-475: The settlement's land and commerce, formerly enslaved Africans had little choice but to continue to work in timber cutting. In 1836, after the emancipation of Central America from Spanish rule , the British claimed the right to administer the region. In 1862, the United Kingdom formally declared it a British Crown Colony , subordinate to Jamaica, and named it British Honduras. Since 1854, the richest inhabitants elected an assembly of notables by censal vote, which

5313-445: The settlers to establish their own laws and forms of government. During this period, a few settlers gained control of the local legislature, known as the Public Meeting, as well as of most of the settlement's land and timber. The British did not appoint their first superintendent over the Belize area until 1786. Throughout the 18th century, the Spanish attacked Belize every time war broke out with Britain. The Battle of St. George's Caye

5390-448: The territory of present-day Belize around 1500   BC, and flourished until around 900 AD. The recorded history of the middle and southern regions focuses on Caracol , an urban political centre that may have supported over 140,000 people. North of the Maya Mountains , the most important political centre was Lamanai . In the late Classic Era of Maya Civilization (600–1000   AD), an estimated 400,000 to 1,000,000 people inhabited

5467-444: The two countries cooperated in other areas. In 1996, the Belize Barrier Reef , one of the Western Hemisphere's most pristine ecosystems, was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The PUP won a landslide victory in the 1998 national elections, and PUP leader Said Musa was sworn in as prime minister. In the 2003 elections the PUP maintained its majority, and Musa continued as prime minister. He pledged to improve conditions in

5544-428: The underdeveloped and largely inaccessible southern part of Belize. In 2005, Belize was the site of unrest caused by discontent with the PUP government, including tax increases in the national budget. On 8 February 2008, Dean Barrow was sworn in as prime minister after his UDP won a landslide victory in general elections. Barrow and the UDP were re-elected in 2012 with a considerably smaller majority. Barrow led

5621-531: Was abolished in the British Empire in 1833. As a result of their enslaved Africans' abilities in the work of mahogany extraction, owners in British Honduras were compensated at £53.69 per enslaved African on average, the highest amount paid in any British territory. This was a form of reparation that was not given to the enslaved Africans at the time, nor since. The end of slavery did little to change

5698-463: Was founded as "Belize Town" in 1638 by English lumber harvesters . It had been a small Maya settlement called Holzuz . Belize Town was ideal for the English as a central post because it was on the sea and a natural outlet for local rivers and creeks down which the British shipped logwood and mahogany . Belize Town also became the home of the thousands of African slaves brought in by the English ( later

5775-474: Was replaced by a legislative council appointed by the British government. As a colony, Belize began to attract British investors. Among the British firms that dominated the colony in the late 19th century was the Belize Estate and Produce Company, which eventually acquired half of all privately held land and eventually eliminated peonage . Belize Estate's influence accounts in part for the colony's reliance on

5852-511: Was the last of such military engagements, in 1798, between a Spanish fleet and a force of Baymen and their slaves. From 3 to 5 September, the Spaniards tried to force their way through Montego Caye shoal, but were blocked by defenders. Spain's last attempt occurred on 10 September, when the Baymen repelled the Spanish fleet in a short engagement with no known casualties on either side. The anniversary of

5929-479: Was to be held in Belize on 10 April 2019, but a court ruling led to its postponement. The referendum was held on 8 May 2019, and 55.4% of voters opted to send the matter to the ICJ. Both countries submitted requests to the ICJ (in 2018 and 2019, respectively) and the ICJ ordered Guatemala's initial brief be submitted by December 2020 and Belize's response by 2022. On 7 June 2023, the stage of written submissions ended, with

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