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Physical Features:
 Belize
(formerly British Honduras until the name of the country was
changed in 1973) lies on the eastern or Caribbean coast of
Central America, bounded on the north and part of the west
by Mexico, and on the south and the remainder of the west
by Guatemala. The inner coastal waters are shallow and are
sheltered by a line of coral reefs, dotted with islets called
'cayes', extending almost the entire length of the country.
There is a low coastal plain,
much of it covered with mangrove swamp, but the land rises
gradually towards the interior. The Maya Mountains and the
Cockscomb Range form the backbone of the southern half of
the country, the highest point being Doyle's Delight (1124
meters above sea level) in the Cockscomb Range. The Cayo District
in the west includes the Mountain Pine Ridge, ranging from
305 to around 914 metres above sea level. The northern districts
contain considerable areas of tableland. There are many rivers,
some of them navigable for short distances by shallow-draught
vessels. A large part of the mainland is forest.
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Today Belize's population is estimated to be at approximately
273,700. The country is a melting pot of many races and over
the years the muliti-racial make-up has risen through the
influx of many people of Central America, Asia, Europe and
the Caribbean. Males outnumber the female population only
by 1%.
The population census shows that
the main ethnic groups: Mestizo, Creole, Ketchi, Yucatec and
Mopan Mayas, Garifuna and East Indian maintains a large percent
of Belize's population. Other ethnic groups: German and Dutch
Mennonites, Chinese, Arabs and Africans accounts for a small
percentage of the population. The ethnic groups, however,
are heavily intermixed.
Languages:
English is the official language of Belize. However, English
Creole is widely spoken and remains a distinctive part of
everyday conversations for most Belizeans. Spanish is also
common and is taught in primary and secondary schools in order
to further develop bi-lingualism.
Spanish is spoken as a mother
tongue by the majority of the people in the Orange Walk and
Corozal Districts, north of Belize and the Cayo District in
the west, In the southern Districts: Stann Creek and Toledo,
there are people whose first language is Garifuna or Maya.
Capital:
Belmopan is the capital of the country. Built in 1970, it
is the seat of Government and has been classified as the Garden
City of the country. It was created following extensive damage
to the former capital Belize City, caused by Hurricane Hattie
in 1961. Belmopan is geographically located at the centre
of the country, some 80 kilometers to the south-west of Belize
City on higher ground. It serves as a hurricane refuge for
Belizeans and has the largest number of hurricane shelters
in the country. Its population today is estimated at 11,100
and is increasing as more people relocate to the Capital.
However, Belize City still remains the hub of commercial activity
and one of the most urbanized centers of Belize with a population
of 58,000 people.
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