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Belize
Belize
Belize A small tropical country lying at the south of the Yucatán Peninsula in Central America. It is bounded by Guatemala to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east.
Physical
Belize is mainly low-lying and covered with rainforest; only in the south does it rise to pine forest and savannah. It is near an earthquake belt and is occasionally subject to hurricanes.
Economy
Belize has a predominantly agricultural economy. Industry is limited mainly to food-processing, and the chief exports are processed sugar, clothing, and citrus products. Tourism is another important source of revenue.
History
The British settled Belize in the 17th century, proclaiming the area (as British Honduras) a crown colony in 1862. Subject to the jurisdiction of the governor of Jamaica, the colony sustained itself with little direct support from the British government. Grudging acceptance by its Latin American neighbours in the 19th century led to treaties recognizing its permanent boundaries. In 1964 the colony gained complete internal self-government. It adopted the name Belize in 1973, and in 1981 became an independent state within the
COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS. However, Guatemala continued its long-standing claim to the territory on the basis of old Spanish treaties. In 1991 Guatemala recognized Belize's independence, the two countries having reached a provisional agreement on mutual fishing rights. In 1993 Britain decided to withdraw almost all its troops from Belize as a Guatemalan invasion was no longer thought likely. In 1998 the country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch.
Capital: | Belmopan |
Area: | 22,965 sq km (8,867 sq miles) |
Population: | 235,000 (1998 est) |
Currency: | 1 Belize dollar = 100 cents |
Religions: | Roman Catholic 62.0%; Anglican 12.0%; Methodist 6.0% |
Ethnic Groups: | Creole (predominantly Black) 40.0%; Mestizo (Mayo-Spanish) 33.0%; Garifuna 8.0%; Maya 7.0%; European 4.0%; Ketchi 3.0%; East Indian 2.0% |
Languages: | English (official); English creole; Spanish; Mayan; Garifuna |
International Organizations: | UN; Commonwealth; CARICOM |
Cite this article
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Belize Officials Miffed at Miss Universe Pageant for Misinforming its Viewers.
PR Newswire; 5/30/2007; 697 words
; BELIZE CITY, Belize, May 30 /PRNewswire/ -- On Monday evening, May 28th, 1 billion...largest barrier reef in the world. As Mother Nature would have it, the Belize Barrier Reef is the second largest barrier reef in the world and the...
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Belize Gets 10th-Anniversary Gift; Guatemala Prepares to Open Relations, Renounce Claims to Neighbor
Newspaper article from: The Washington Post; 9/22/1991; ; 700+ words
; As Belize celebrated the 10th anniversary of its...s President Jorge Serrano to recognize Belize and start diplomatic relations signaled...guarantee against any Guatemalan attack on Belize, formerly British Honduras. But Belizean...
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Belize: Bargains, beaches and jungle journeys
Newspaper article from: Chicago Sun-Times; 9/20/1987; ; 700+ words
; ...based economy. I'm talking about Belize, the former British Honduras, and still...Massachusetts with a scant 150,000 residents, Belize lies on the Caribbean, just below the...of no great tourist interest. This is Belize City, population 40,000, site of an...
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IN BELIZE, THE RAIN FOREST IS A 'TEACHING GROUND'
Newspaper article from: The Boston Globe; 7/31/1988; ; 700+ words
; ...in the tiny Latin American country of Belize. An international coalition led by the...Audubon Society formed the Programme for Belize earlier this year to create the Rio Bravo...Conservation Area in the northwest corner of Belize, nestled between the Mexican and Guatemalan...
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BELIZE HOLDINGS REPORTS RECORD RESULTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1993; NET INCOME UP 58 PERCENT; DIVIDEND INCREASED
PR Newswire; 6/17/1993; 700+ words
; NEW YORK, June 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Belize Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: BZHKF) a holding...banking and financial service operations in Belize, as well as investments in telecommunications...focused on banking and financial services in Belize primarily through the operations of The...
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Belize - an adventure and cultural experience
Newspaper article from: Redlands Daily Facts; 7/18/2009; ; 700+ words
; ...of Central America lies the country of Belize, one of the few remaining unspoiled places...national pride and willingness to share. In Belize you will enjoy delicious local dishes...through warm Belizean hospitality. Although Belize's Maya occupation began as early as...
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Belize - on the rim of the cauldron.
Magazine article from: Monthly Review; 2/1/1984; ; 700+ words
; ...Central America neglect to even mention Belize. However, policy-makers in Washington...strategic importance of this small country. Belize (formerly British Honduras) is the newest...central America, the key question about Belize is whether it can be turned into a U...
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BELIZE HOLDINGS REPORTS ANOTHER YEAR OF RECORD ACHIEVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
PR Newswire; 7/16/1992; 700+ words
; BELIZE HOLDINGS REPORTS ANOTHER YEAR OF RECORD...DEVELOPMENT NEW YORK, July 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Belize Holdings Inc. (BHI) (NASDAQ: BZHKF...banking and financial service operations in Belize, as well as investments in telecommunications...
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Belize.(Country Profile)(Country overview)
Magazine article from: New Internationalist; 8/1/2006; ; 700+ words
; Belize City, the commercial capital, is said...Spanish ships from behind the shelter of Belize's 300-kilometre-long coral reef...help bring in the foreign dollars to pay Belize's ever-increasing import bill, but...
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 "The Record (Bergen County, NJ)")
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Belize no longer under the radar
Newspaper article from: The Record (Bergen County, NJ); 4/20/2008; ; 700+ words
; ...Bergen County, NJ) 04-20-2008 Belize no longer under the radar By SHANNON ROXBOROUGH...Charles Frederick Pascoe wrote in 1893 that Belize — then known as British Honduras...place." More than 100 years later, Belize may still feel far-flung, but it...
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Belize
Encyclopedia entry from: Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Physical Geography
Belize Official name: Belize Area: 22,806 square kilometers (8,803 square miles) Highest...limits: 22 kilometers (12 nautical miles) 1 LOCATION AND SIZE Belize is in Central America. Belize is located on the coast of the Caribbean...
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Belize, Relations with
Dictionary entry from: Dictionary of American History
BELIZE, RELATIONS WITH BELIZE, RELATIONS WITH. Never colonized by the Spanish, Belize (formerly British Honduras) remains a Central American anomaly. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, English pirates and loggers settled the Caribbean...
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Belize City
Book article from: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
Belize City capital (1993 est. pop. 47,724) of Belize dist., Belize, at the mouth of the Belize River, on the Caribbean Sea. The river flows c.180 mi (290 km) generally west and is navigable almost to Guatemala. It is the country...
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BELIZE
Book article from: Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language
BELIZE [Pronounced ‘Be-LEEZ’]. A country of the Central...The colony of British Honduras was established in 1862, changed its name to Belize in 1973, and became independent in 1981. See CARIBBEAN ENGLISH .
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BB Holdings Limited
Book article from: International Directory of Company Histories
BB Holdings Limited 60 Market Square PO Box 1764 Belize City, 2272660 Belize Telephone: (501) 227-2660 Fax: (501) 227...bbholdingslimited.com Public Company Incorporated: 1984 as Belize Holdings Limited Employees: 30,700 Sales: $1...
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