Oldest Maya Calendar Unearthed
Archaeologists at the Xultun Maya site near the Belize border have unearthed stunning new finds including the oldest known Maya astronomical tables. The find at Xultun includes the first known find of Maya art painted on the walls of a dwelling. Xultun is an early Classic Maya archaeological site located 40 kilometers east of Tikal [...]
Summer Art In Belize
Hot and dry weather is the state of the clime in Belize often with not much happening on the art scene in June. But the Bowen and Bowen conglomerate celebrated 50 years as the country’s Coke bottler with an art competition. The theme revolves around its product and 25 schools and 25 professional artists participated. [...]
Possible Fallen Meteorite In Eastern Guatemala Investigated
Reports in the Guatemala press say that a meteorite may have fallen at Melchor De Mencos a Guatemalan town on the border with Belize. Prensa Libre in its edition of 1 May 2012 says that residents of Melchor De Mencos observed a brilliant comet trail in the night sky around 10:30 on Monday 30 April, [...]
Apocalypse Tourism
The government of Belize has been offering all-expenses covered junkets to a bevy of writers in an effort to place stories promoting the country’s tourism attractions. To date more than a dozen writers have taken the bait and written what some would describe as puff pieces in various print and online media and garnered dozens [...]
This Is Belize
With its western border in the Central American jungles and its eastern seashore hugging the Caribbean Sea, Belize offers a unique mix of mainland and beach attractions one must see to appreciate.
Belize is the northernmost country in Central America, with Mexico to its north, Guatemala to the West, and a long shoreline on the Caribbean coast. Its small capital Belmopan is located inland almost in the center of the country - coordinates 17°15'N 88°46'W. Belize is twice the size of Jamaica with a territory of 8,860 square miles (22,960 square kilometers) on the Yucatan Peninsula. The mainland is 180 miles (290 kilometers) long and 68 miles (110 kilometers) wide.
The population is 312,971 (2010 census), and with its land area of 8,860 square miles, enjoys the most comfortable population density in Central America. But its population growth rate at 2.3% is also the highest in the western hemisphere. Its extensive marine resources on the Caribbean Sea crowned by the Barrier Reef, tourism, abundant agricultural land, petroleum, gold and other mineral deposits make for great prospects for this developing country. This is the only country in Central America where English is the official language, and also the only country in the area with government modeled on the Westminster system, and a judiciary based on English common law.
The country is divided into six districts, Corozal and Orange Walk in the north, Belize and El Cayo in the center, and Stann Creek and Toledo in the south. The north of the country is known for sugar cane cultivation, the central area for commerce, while the west and south are where agriculture and petroleum make up the main economic activities.
The country's main export is petroleum, followed by tourism and agriculture. This is a poor country where one fourth of the labour force is unemployed and 40% of the population is considered poor. The area that is most economically deprived is the south.
The country enjoys magnificent natural resources for tourism with its vast Barrier Reef, the Great Blue Hole, numerous offshore islands, atolls, mountains, caves and extensive Maya ruins many still uncovered. It produces most of its own food and exports marine products, namely lobster for consumption in North America.
Map shows Belize's strategic geographical location in Central America and the English-speaking Caribbean. There is easy access to southern Mexico with its excellent highway system and well-developed cities such as Chetumal, Cancun and Merida in the Yucatan. The new highway to Guatemala makes for better access to the Peten and Guatemala City as well as Honduras and El Salvador. The southern U.S. border is a 72 hours away by road. Eastern Guatemala and Honduras are also accessible from southern Belize by water taxi. Cruise ships call here several times a week as part of their Western Caribbean itinerary.
Quick Facts
GDP per person BZ$15, 600, Average Belizean age 22, Native orchid species 305, Resident & migratory bird species 560, Overnight and in transit tourists per year 261,650, Cruise-ship tourists per annum 624,630, Population density 35 people per square mile, Unemployment rate 23%, Inflation 2.8%, Species of hard & soft coral 110, HIV prevalence rate 2.4%, Literacy 77%.
Belize is a little known but well-established offshore banking jurisdiction and many visitors combine a vacation with business seeking to explore their investment and finance options.
The visitor will find a breathtaking range of attractions. One of the more exotic is the ancient Maya civilization with numerous Maya pyramids and sites such as Xunantunich, Caracol, Altun Ha and Lamanai.
Here is the largest cave system in Central America and several underground rivers that have made cave tubing a national recreation and tourist attraction.
Dive, snorkel, fish, para sail or simply swim or cruise its magnificent azure waters along the coast and the Barrier Reef that runs the entire length of the country - 170 miles of spectacular fun - especially on Ambergris Caye. We have more than 500 islands, world-class fishing, three Atolls, and the Great Blue Hole.
Tourism is one of the country's top sources of employment and investment and Belizeans welcome all visitors with open arms. Living in Belize is now an attractive option for those seeking a frost-free area where they can retire in comfort. Many ex pats from the US, Canada and Europe now make our country their home.
Check out our Top Ten Maya Sites page for an example of our local attractions. Many of these sites are still unexplored and there are more awaiting to be discovered. This makes the country a top destination for archaeology students and for Maya archaeologists looking to make a name for themselves.
