Belize

From Wikia Travel

Memorial Park, Belize City

Belize is a small country located on the eastern coast of Central America on the Caribbean Sea, and shares its borders with Mexico and Guatemala. It was a British colony and it was formerly known as British Honduras. Area-wise (only 22,966 km²) it is a very small nation, and its population is 287,730. It is the only English speaking country of Central America. Belize shares its name with the Belize River, the longest river of Belize, and Belize City, the former capital and largest city of Belize. The origin of the word Belize is shrouded in mystery. Some believe that it is derived from Spanish pronunciation of Wallace, the last name of the pirate who created first settlement in Belize in 1638. Another theory postulates that Belize is derived from the Maya word, belix, which means "muddy water" and is applied to the Belize River.

The place has a long history and there are definite indications that the Maya civilization spread over Belize between 1500 BC and 300 AD and continued to thrive until about 900 AD. Europeans started reaching the place by around early 17th century. During the 18th century, it grew as a British colony and acquired the name of British Honduras. British Honduras became a self-governing colony in 1964 and was renamed Belize in 1973. Belize gained full independence in 1981. It had a territorial dispute with its neighbouring country Guatemala which did not recognize the sovereignty of Belize for many years. Guatemala extended its formal recognition to Belize in 1991.

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