by Brooke Lorren

Created on: September 09, 2009

Belize is a small country in Central America, bordered to the North by Mexico and to the south and west by Guatemala. At 8,866 square miles, Belize is only 136 square miles larger than New Jersey, but their population densities are widely different. While New Jersey has a population density of 1,134 people per square mile, Belize only has 15 people in the same area. Belize is the only country in Central America that doesn't border the Pacific Ocean.

Belize is home to the Belize Barrier Reef, which is the longest in the Western Hemisphere, and is second only to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. It has a tropical climate, and its temperature is fairly stable year-round, ranging from an average high of 81 F in July to a winter chill of 75 F in January. The rainy season occurs between January and April, although in the south, it usually begins in February.

It is easy for English speakers to visit Belize, as it is the only country in Central or South America where it is the official language. Visitors from the US, Canada, Britain, or the European Economic Community can visit without a visa, although they will need a passport, enough money to survive on while they are in the country, and a ticket out of the country at the end of their stay.

The Mayan civilization dominated the land of Belize for over 2000 years, from 1500 BC to 800 AD. Around five percent of the population still speaks a dialect of the Mayan language. Several centuries after the Mayan civilization declined, Spain landed and claimed the land. They never established a colony there because the land didn't have enough gold to make it worth their while. English and Scottish pirates arrived in Belize in 1638. Piracy eventually gave way to the timber industry, and the country eventually became a British colony.

The 1930s were not a very good decade for the people of Belize. The Great Depression hurt the economy, as the British demand for timber declined drastically. In 1931, the country was further devastated when a hurricane blew through the country, killing more than 1,000 people, and wiping out more than two-thirds of the buildings in its largest city, Belize City. Riots and demonstrations broke out in 1934. This eventually led to Constitutional reforms that were enacted in the 1950s.

The people of Belize enjoy soccer (which they call football), basketball, cycling, and volleyball. Their most important sporting event is the Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic, which dates back to 1928. Monrad Metzgen, a local hero who conceived of the idea, noticed how many villagers used to ride their bicycles to cricket games. He created the race to test the ability of cyclists to handle the Western Highway, which was at the time in poor condition.

The economy of Belize includes tourism, light industry, and tropical crops such as citrus fruits, sugar, and bananas. The oranges in Belize are so sweet, that some are shipped to the United States. They are mixed in with the oranges of California and Florida to create juice. The currency of Belize is tied to the US dollar; a Belize dollar equals half of a US dollar.

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