Belize Guide
Introduction to Belize
Wedged into the northeastern corner of Central America, Belize offers some of the most breathtaking coastal scenery – both above and below water – in the Caribbean. Throw in magnificent landscapes, vast archeological sites and wildlife to rival that of any destination in the region, and it's easy to see why the number of visitors to this tiny country increases every year.
Belizean territory comprises marginally more sea than land, and for most visitors the sea is the main attraction. Lying just offshore is one of the country's, and the continent's, most astonishing natural wonders – the dazzling turquoise shallows and cobalt depths of the longest barrier reef in the Americas. Beneath the surface, a brilliant technicolour world of fish and corals awaits divers and snorkellers, while a chain of islands known as cayes, scattered along the entire reef, protects the mainland from the ocean swell and holds more than a hint of tropical paradise.
Belizeans' recognition of the importance of their natural heritage means that the country has the greatest proportion of protected land (over 40 percent) in the hemisphere. As a result, the densely forested interior remains relatively untouched. The rich tropical forests support a tremendous range of wildlife, including howler and spider monkeys, tapirs and pumas, jabiru storks and scarlet macaws.
In addition to these natural attractions, Belize boasts a wealth of archeological remains. Rising mysteriously out of the forests are the ruins of the ancient cities of the Maya, the civilization that dominated the area from around 2000 BC until the arrival of the Spanish.
Culturally, Belize is as much a Caribbean nation as a Latin one, but with plenty of distinctively Central American features – above all, a blend of races and cultures that includes Maya, mestizo, African and European. English is the official language – Belize only gained full independence from Britain in 1981 – and Spanish is equally common, but it's the rich, lilting Creole, based on English but essentially Caribbean, that's spoken and understood by almost every Belizean.