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72-630: The Petén department is bordered on the east by Belize and by Mexico (with the Mexican states of Chiapas to the west, Tabasco to the northwest and Campeche to the north). To the south it borders the Guatemalan departments of Alta Verapaz and Izabal . Much of the western border with Mexico is formed by the Usumacinta River and its tributary the Salinas River . Portions of the southern border of

144-486: 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 . Belize's abundance of terrestrial and marine plants and animals and its diversity of ecosystems, including extensive coral reefs , give it

216-511: 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

288-413: A compact red clay soil that is too poor to support heavy cultivation. This resulted in a relatively low level of pre-Columbian occupation. The savannah has an average altitude of 150 metres (490 ft) above mean sea level with karstic ridges reaching an average altitude of 300 metres (980 ft). The savannah is surrounded by hills with unusually steep southern slopes and gentler northern approaches;

360-450: A key place in the globally significant Mesoamerican Biological Corridor . It is considered a Central American and Caribbean nation with strong ties to both 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

432-403: A lengthy wet season stretching from May to January, and a relatively brief dry season from February to April. As is typical with most monsoon climates, there is also some rainfall in the dry season, albeit significantly lighter. Daytime highs generally hover in the 30 to 33 °C (86 to 91 °F) range for most of the year, falling slightly to between 27 and 30 °C (81 and 86 °F) during

504-646: 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

576-531: 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,

648-697: 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

720-520: 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 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

792-518: A year. The Petén department was created by decree of the Guatemalan government on 8 May 1866. Starting in the 1960s the Guatemalan government offered land in Petén to any citizen willing to settle on it and pay a fee of $ 25. A road was opened up to Flores, although it was unpaved, and the notorious bus trip to Flores was known to take up to 24 hours to travel the 500 kilometres (300 mi). Small airports were built at Flores and Tikal, bringing tourists to

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864-541: 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

936-601: 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 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

1008-768: 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,

1080-410: 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

1152-563: 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

1224-406: Is the coldest month. All Petén experiences a hot dry period in late August. Annual precipitation is high, varying from a mean of 1,198 mm (47.2 in) in the northeast to 2,007 mm (79.0 in) in central Petén around Flores . The extreme southeast of Petén experiences the largest variations in temperature and rainfall, with precipitation reaching as much as 3,000 mm (120 in) in

1296-457: Is the official language, while Belizean Creole is the most widely spoken dialect. Spanish is the second-most-commonly-spoken language, followed by 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

1368-464: Is the only Central American country with no Pacific coastline. Flores, El Pet%C3%A9n Flores is the capital of the Petén Department , Guatemala 's landlocked, northernmost department . The population is 13,700 (2003). Flores is the seat of the municipality of Flores (population 22,600). Its Catedral Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios y San Pablo Itzá is the cathedral episcopal seat of

1440-411: 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

1512-528: The Apostolic Vicariate of El Petén (formerly a territorial prelature ). The old part of the city is located on an island on Lake Petén Itzá , connected to the mainland by a short causeway. On the mainland is the suburb Santa Elena and, to the West, the contiguous municipality of San Benito . The municipality of Flores also includes a wide swathe of rural territory stretching north from Lake Petén Itzá to

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1584-569: The Itza language ). The Spanish called it Tayasal, possibly derived from ta Itza , or "Place of the Itza". It was here, on the island of Flores on the shore of Lake Petén Itzá, that the last independent Maya state held out against the Spanish conquerors. In 1541, Hernán Cortés came to the island, en route to Honduras , but needed to move on and did not try to conquer it. The Spanish did not manage to conquer

1656-455: 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 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

1728-740: 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

1800-505: 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,

1872-428: The central drainage basin of the Petén; during the rainy season some of these lakes become interconnected. This drainage area measures approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi) east-west by 30 kilometres (19 mi) north-south. The largest lake is Lake Petén Itza , near the centre of the drainage basin; it measures 32 by 5 km (20 by 3 mi). A broad savannah extends south of the central lakes; it features

1944-461: The 18th century, the Spanish attacked Belize every time war broke out with Britain. The Battle of St. George's Caye 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

2016-540: 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

2088-540: The Baymen repelled the Spanish fleet in a short engagement with no known casualties on either side. The anniversary of 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

2160-590: 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

2232-454: 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

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2304-452: The Maya core culture. Between about 2500 BC and 250 AD, the basic institutions of Maya civilization emerged. The Maya civilization spread across 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

2376-512: 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

2448-640: The Mexican border. In Pre-Columbian times, Flores was the Maya city of Nojpetén . Earliest archaeological traces on the island date back to 900–600 BC, with a major expansion of the settlement occurring around 250–400 AD, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the Americas. The Itza left the Yucatán region in the 13th century and founded the city later known as Tayasal as their capital. They called it Nojpetén, ( noj peten , literally "Great Island" in

2520-610: 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

2592-493: 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

2664-533: 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

2736-511: 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). It became a British colony in 1840, and

2808-523: 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 ;

2880-492: The colony's reliance on 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

2952-513: 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,

Petén Department - Misplaced Pages Continue

3024-467: 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

3096-454: The department are formed by the rivers Gracias a Dios and Santa Isabel. The Petén lowlands are formed by a densely forested low-lying limestone plain featuring karstic topography. The area is crossed by low east–west oriented ridges of Cenozoic limestone and is characterised by a variety of forest and soil types; water sources include generally small rivers and low-lying seasonal swamps known as bajos . A chain of fourteen lakes runs across

3168-405: The department are the lakes Petén Itzá , Peténchel , Quexil , Salpetén and Macanche in the centre of the department; Yaxhá and Sacnab in the east, Petexbatún in the southwest, and Perdida , Larga , La Gloria , San Diego , Mendoza , El Repasto and Lacandón in the west. The climate of Petén is divided into wet and dry seasons , although these seasons are not clearly defined in

3240-569: 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

3312-527: The government's instructions to eliminate slavery outright. After a generation of wrangling, slavery 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

3384-413: 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

3456-446: 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 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

3528-554: The hills are covered with dense tropical forest. To the north of the lakes region bajos become more frequent, interspersed with forest. In the far north of the Petén the Mirador Basin forms another interior drainage region. To the south Petén reaches an altitude of approximately 500 metres (1,600 ft) as it rises towards the Guatemalan Highlands and meets Paleozoic metamorphic rocks. The main bodies of standing water in

3600-448: The island until 1697, when they marched in, attacked via boats, and destroyed it. Those who could flee did so, and many Itzá people hid in the jungle for years. From the ruins of Nojpetén arose the modern city of Flores. The modern city can thus be regarded as the second oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the Americas, after Cholula . Flores has a tropical monsoon climate ( Köppen Am ) with year-round high temperatures. It has

3672-560: 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 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

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3744-563: 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 . The country has a diverse society composed of many cultures and languages. It is the only Central American country where English

3816-491: The limitations) of people of African descent in the colony. Because a small elite controlled 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,

3888-493: 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

3960-553: 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 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"

4032-479: 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

4104-555: 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

4176-569: The region. In the early 1970s a road was opened from Tikal to Belize . The first paved road in Petén was built in 1982. Since the 1990s many new settlers have come to Petén. The area is also experiencing severe deforestation in its southern half. Deforestation has been particularly rapid near Laguna del Tigre National Park in western Petén. To combat deforestation, Guatemalan president Álvaro Colom proposed dramatically expanding ecotourism around Maya archaeological sites, especially El Mirador , and trying to further develop an agricultural system in

4248-527: The richest inhabitants elected an assembly of notables by censal vote, which 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

4320-460: 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

4392-442: 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

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4464-439: The settlement as a colony for fear of provoking a Spanish attack. This delay in government oversight enabled 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

4536-442: The south; the climate varies from tropical in the south to semitropical in the north. Temperature varies between 12 and 40 °C (54 and 104 °F), although it does not usually drop beneath 18 °C (64 °F). Mean temperature varies from 24.3 °C (75.7 °F) in the southeast around Poptún to 26.9 °C (80.4 °F) around Uaxactún in the northeast. Highest temperatures are reached from April to June; January

4608-572: The southern portion of the Maya Biosphere Reserve that would prevent further northward migration. He called his plan " Cuatro Balam ". The Mundo Maya International Airport , in Santa Elena , is the second largest in Guatemala. Petén consists of the following 14 municipalities, listed below with their populations in 2002 and 2018. Las Cruces was separated from La Libertad in 2011, and El Chal

4680-505: 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

4752-428: 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

4824-540: The winter months. The hottest temperatures are observed just prior to the onset of the wet season, often rising above 35 °C (95 °F). Flores is served by Mundo Maya International Airport . Several international flights land here but most stop first at Guatemala City 's La Aurora International Airport . The Island is also very well connected by bus, with many companies running overnight buses to Guatemala City . The first photographs ever made from Flores were those taken by engineer Claudio Urrutia in 1897, when he

4896-487: 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 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

4968-546: 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 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

5040-429: Was not given to the enslaved Africans at the time, nor since. The end of slavery did little to change 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

5112-1149: Was separated from Dolores in 2014. Notes: The Petén department includes a large number of archaeological sites belonging to the ancient Maya civilization , many of which have only received minimal attention by archaeologists. The sites with some level of restoration include Tikal , Uaxactún , Aguateca , Seibal , Yaxha , Nakum , Topoxte , San Clemente and La Blanca . Other archaeological sites include: Altar de Sacrificios , La Amelia , Arroyo de Piedra , Bejucal , Cancuén , El Caribe , El Chal , Cival , La Corona , Dos Pilas , Holmul , Holtun , Itzan , Ixkun , Ixlu , Ixtonton , Ixtutz , La Joyanca , Kinal , Machaquila , El Mirador , Motul de San José , La Muerta , Muralla de León , Naachtun , Nakbe , Naranjo , El Peru , Piedras Negras , Polol , El Porvenir , Punta de Chimino , Río Azul , Sacul , San Bartolo , La Sufricaya , Tamarindito , Tayasal , El Tintal , Tres Islas , Ucanal , Xultun , Zacpeten , Zapote Bobal and El Zotz . Belize Belize ( / b ɪ ˈ l iː z , b ɛ -/ , bih- LEEZ , beh- ; Belize Kriol English : Bileez )

5184-479: 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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