Belize
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Sub Umbra Floreo  (Latin) ""Under the Shade I Flourish""
Anthem: "Land of the Free" Royal anthem: "God Save the Queen"
Capital		Belmopan 17°15′N 88°46′W / 17.25, -88.767
Largest city		Belize City
Official languages		English (official)
Recognised regional languages		Kriol, Spanish
Demonym		Belizean
Government		Parliamentary democracy and Constitutional monarchy
-	Monarch	Elizabeth II
-	Governor-General	Sir Colville Young
-	Prime Minister	Dean Barrow
Independence		from the United Kingdom
-	Date	September 21, 1981
Area
-	Total	22,966 km² (150th) 8,867 sq mi
-	Water (%)	0. September 21, 1981 upon independence from the United Kingdom. The Coat of Arms of Belize was adopted upon independence and is only slightly different from the coat of arms used when Belize was a British Colony. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's Land of the Free is the National anthem of Belize. The words were written by Samuel Alfred Haynes and the music by Selwyn Walford Young in A royal anthem is a patriotic song much like a National anthem but specifically praising or praying for a Monarch or royal dynasty "God Save the Queen", or "God Save the King", is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms It is the National Belmopan (ˌbɛlmoʊˈpæn estimated population 16400 is the Capital of Belize. Belize is the most sparsely populated nation in Central America. Belize City is the largest city of the Central American nation Belize. An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States A regional language is a Language spoken in an area of a Nation state, whether it be a small area a federal State or Province, or Belizean Creole, known as Kriol by its speakers is a Creole language closely related to Miskito Coastal Creole, Limón Coastal Creole, A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is TalkCommonewalth realm.--> The monarchy For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II This page contains a list of Governors-General of Belize. For viceroys in Belize before independence see List of Governors of British Honduras. Sir Colville Norbert Young, GCMG, MBE (born 20 November 1932) is the Governor General of Belize, and also patron of the The government of Belize is directed by the Prime Minister, who is also the leader of the governing party the post is currently held by Dean Barrow of the United Democratic Dean Oliver Barrow (born March 2 1951 is a Belizean politician and the Prime Minister of Belize. Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 1217 - The Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic Knights. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions  Areas between 10000 km² and 100000 km² are listed here This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 7
Population
-	(July 2008 est. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology ) estimate	301,270 (173rd²)
-	Density	13/km² (202nd²) 34/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2006 estimate
-	Total	$2. List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 098 billion (163rd)
-	Per capita	$8,400 (76th)
HDI (2007)		▲0. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 777 (medium) (80th)
Currency		Dollar (BZD)
Time zone		central time (UTC-6)
Internet TLD		.bz
Calling code		+501
1	These ranks are based on the 2007 figures. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The dollar ( Currency code BZD) has been the Currency of Belize since 1885 ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E

Belize (pronounced /bəˈliːz/) is a country in Central America and is the only Central American country where English is an official language. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Belize has a diverse society, composed of many languages and cultures. The Belizean territory was once part of the Mayan and Spanish empires before becoming a British colony and for more than a century until 1973, the colonial territory was known as British Honduras. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located See Colony and Colonization for examples of colonialism which do not refer to Western colonialism British Honduras was the former name of what is now the independent nation of Belize and was a British colony on the east coast of Central The country became an independent nation in 1981. Belize is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Sistema de Integración Centroamericana (SICA), and the Commonwealth of Nations. The Caribbean Community ( CARICOM) is an organization of Caribbean nations and dependencies With 8,867 square miles (22,960 km²) of territory and 297,651 people (Belize CSO, 2007 mid-year estimate), the population density is the lowest in the Central American region and one of the lowest in the world. List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The country's growth rate is 3. 5% (2006 estimate). It is bordered to the south and west by Guatemala, to the north and northwest by Mexico, and to the east by the Caribbean Sea. Guatemala (República de Guatemala) is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west the Pacific Ocean to the southwest The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. For the region see Caribbean. The Caribbean Sea (kəˈrɪbiən or /ˌkærɨˈbiːən/ is a tropical Sea in the Western Hemisphere

Contents 1 History 2 Politics 3 Districts and constituencies 4 Demographics 4.1 Languages 4.2 Religion 4.3 Birth and death rates and life expectancy 5 National symbols 5.1 Black Orchid 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External links

History

Main article: History of Belize

The origin of the name Belize is unclear, but one idea is that the name is from the Maya word belix, meaning "muddy water," applied to the Belize River. The history of Belize dates back thousands of years The Maya civilization spread into the area of Belize between 1500 BC and AD 300 and flourished until about AD Belize River is a 180-mile (290 km River in Belize that drains more than one-quarter of the country as it winds along the northern edge of the Maya Mountains Before the arrival of Europeans, Belize was part of the territory of the Maya. The Mopan Maya were the original inhabitants of Belize. Mopan are one of the Maya peoples in Belize and Guatemala. Their indigenous language is also called Mopan and is one of the Yucatec Maya The Maya civilization spread itself over Belize beginning around 1500 BC and flourished until about AD 900. The Maya civilization is a Mesoamerican Civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the Pre-Columbian Americas In the late classic period of Maya civilization (before ad 1000), as many as 400,000 people may have lived in the area that is now Belize. Some lowland Maya still occupied the area when Europeans arrived in the 1500s. Spanish colonists tried to settle the inland areas of Belize, but they abandoned these efforts following Maya rebellion against Spanish authority.

English buccaneers first settled on the coast of Belize in 1638, seeking a sheltered region from which they could attack Spanish ships. The settlers turned to cutting logwood during the 1700s. The wood yielded a fixing agent for clothing dyes that was vital to the European woolen industry. The Spanish granted the British settlers the right to occupy the area and cut logwood in exchange for an end to piracy. Historical accounts from the early 1700s note that Africans were brought to the settlement from Jamaica to work as slaves and cut timber. As early as 1800 Africans outnumbered Europeans by about four to one. By then the settlement’s primary export had shifted from logwood to mahogany.

For fear of provoking Spanish attack, the British government did not initially recognize the settlement in Belize as a colony. It allowed the settlers to establish their own laws and forms of government. During this time a few wealthy settlers gained control of the local legislature, known as the Public Meeting, as well as of most of the settlement’s land and timber. The British first appointed a superintendent over the area in 1786.

The Spanish, who claimed sovereignty over the whole of Central America, tried often to gain control by force over Belize, but they were not successful. Spain’s last attack ended on September 10, 1798, when the people of Belize decisively defeated a Spanish fleet at the Battle of St. George’s Cay. The anniversary of the battle is now a national holiday in Belize.

In the early 1800s the British sought greater control over the settlers, threatening to suspend the Public Meeting unless it observed the government’s instructions to abolish slavery. Slavery was abolished in the British Empire in 1838, but this did little to change working conditions for laborers in the Belize settlement. Because a small elite controlled the settlement’s land and commerce, former slaves had no choice but to continue to work in timber cutting.

In 1836, after the emancipation of Central America from Spanish rule, the British claimed the right to administer the region. In 1862 Great Britain formally declared it a British colony, subordinate to Jamaica, and named it British Honduras. As a colony Belize began to attract British investors. Among the British firms that dominated the colony in the late 1800s was the Belize Estate and Produce Company, which eventually acquired half of all the privately held land in the colony. Belize Estate’s influence accounts in part for the colony’s reliance on the mahogany trade throughout the rest of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century.

The Great Depression of the 1930s caused a near-collapse of the colonial economy as British demand for timber plummeted. The effects of widespread unemployment were worsened by a devastating hurricane that struck the colony in 1931. Perceptions of the government’s relief effort as inadequate were aggravated by its refusal to legalize labor unions or introduce a minimum wage. Demonstrations and riots in 1934 marked the beginning of an independence movement. In response, the government repealed criminal penalties for workers who broke their labor contracts and granted workers the right to join unions.

Economic conditions improved during World War II (1939-1945), when many Belizean men entered the armed forces or otherwise contributed labor to the war effort. Following the war the colony’s economy again stagnated. Britain’s decision to devalue the British Honduras dollar in 1949 worsened economic conditions and led to the creation of the People’s Committee, which demanded independence. The People’s Committee’s successor, the People’s United Party (PUP), sought constitutional reforms that would expand voting rights to all adults.

Constitutional reforms were initiated in 1954 and resulted in a new constitution ten years later. Britain granted British Honduras self-government in 1964, and the head of the PUP—independence leader George Price—became the colony’s prime minister. British Honduras was officially renamed Belize in 1973. Progress toward independence, however, was hampered by an old Guatemalan claim to sovereignty over the territory of Belize. When Belize finally attained full independence on September 21, 1981, Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation. About 1,500 British troops remained to protect Belize from the Guatemalan threat.

With Price at the helm, the PUP won all elections until 1984. In that election, first national election after independence, the PUP was defeated by the United Democratic Party (UDP), and UDP leader Manuel Esquivel replaced Price as prime minister. Price returned to power after elections in 1989. Guatemala’s president formally recognized Belize’s independence in 1992. The following year the United Kingdom announced that it would end its military involvement in Belize. All British soldiers were withdrawn in 1994, apart from a small contingent of troops who remained to train Belizean troops.

The UDP regained power in the 1993 national election, and Esquivel became prime minister for a second time. Soon afterward Esquivel announced the suspension of a pact reached with Guatemala during Price’s tenure, claiming Price had made too many concessions in order to gain Guatemalan recognition. The pact would have resolved a 130-year-old border dispute between the two countries. Border tensions continued into the early 2000s, although the two countries cooperated in other areas.

The PUP won a landslide victory in the 1998 national elections, and PUP leader Said Musa was sworn in as prime minister. In the 2003 elections the PUP maintained its majority, and Musa continued as prime minister. He pledged to improve conditions in the underdeveloped and largely inaccessible southern part of Belize.

Throughout Belize's history, Guatemala has claimed ownership of all or part of the territory. Guatemala (República de Guatemala) is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west the Pacific Ocean to the southwest This claim is occasionally reflected in maps showing Belize as Guatemala's twenty-third province. A map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, Regions, and Themes A province is a territorial unit almost always an Administrative division. As of March 2007, the border dispute with Guatemala remains unresolved and quite contentious;^[1][2] at various times the issue has required mediation by the United Kingdom, Caribbean Community heads of Government, the Organisation of American States, and the United States. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Caribbean Community ( CARICOM) is an organization of Caribbean nations and dependencies The Organization of American States ( OAS, or as it is known in the three other official languages OEA) is an International organization, headquartered The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Since independence, a British garrison has been retained in Belize at the request of the Belizean government. Notably, both Guatemala and Belize are participating in the confidence-building measures approved by the OAS, including the Guatemala-Belize Language Exchange Project. ^[3]

In 2005, Belize was the site of unrest caused by discontent with the People's United Party government, including tax increases in the national budget. The 2005 protests in Belize are two separate but related incidents of Civil unrest in the Central American nation occurring in January and April Leaders John Smith (1950-1952 Leigh Richardson (Acting (1953-1956 George Cadle Price (1956-1996 Said Musa On February 8, 2008, Dean Barrow was sworn in as Belize's first black prime minister. Dean Oliver Barrow (born March 2 1951 is a Belizean politician and the Prime Minister of Belize.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Belize

Belize is a parliamentary democracy, or a constitutional monarchy and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Politics of Belize takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic Monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister is the Head A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system

The structure of government is based on the British parliamentary system, and the legal system is modeled on the common law of England. The current head of state is the Queen of Belize, Elizabeth II, who is represented in the country by the Governor-General. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II However, the cabinet, led by a prime minister, who is head of government, acting as advisors to the Governor-General, in practice exercise executive authority. A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch. The government of Belize is directed by the Prime Minister, who is also the leader of the governing party the post is currently held by Dean Barrow of the United Democratic This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State The term governor general or governor-general refers to a vice-regal representative of a Monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription Cabinet ministers are members of the majority political party in parliament and usually hold elected seats within it concurrent with their cabinet positions.

The bicameral National Assembly of Belize is composed of a House of Representatives and a Senate. The National Assembly of is the bicameral Legislature of Belize. The House of Representatives of Belize is one of two chambers of the National Assembly, the other being the Senate. The Senate is one of the chambers of the National Assembly. It has 12 members appointed for a five year term by the Governor General The twenty-nine members of the House are popularly elected to a maximum five-year term and introduce legislation affecting the development of Belize. The Governor-General appoints the twelve members of the Senate, with a Senate president selected by the members. The Senate is responsible for debating and approving bills passed by the House.

Belize is a full participating member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The Caribbean Community ( CARICOM) is an organization of Caribbean nations and dependencies

Districts and constituencies

Main articles: Districts of Belize and Constituencies of Belize

Belize is divided into 6 districts:

1. Belize District
2. Cayo District
3. Corozal District
4. Orange Walk District
5. Stann Creek District
6. Toledo District

These districts are further divided into 31 constituencies. Belize is divided into 6 districts The districts are listed below with the capital city in parentheses Belize's Largest Cities & Towns by Population |||} Belize 's 6 Districts are politically divided into 31 constituencies. Districts are a type of Administrative division, in some countries managed by a Local government. The Belize District is a district of the nation of Belize, with its district capital being the nation's largest city Belize City. Cayo District is a district in the west of the nation of Belize. Corozal District is the northernmost district of the nation of Belize. Orange Walk District is a district in the northwest of the nation of Belize, with its district capital in Orange Walk Town. Stann Creek District is a district in the south east region of Belize. Toledo District is the southernmost district in the nation of Belize, with the district capital in the town of Punta Gorda Belize.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Belize

Colonisation, slavery, and immigration have played major roles in affecting the ethnic composition of the population and as a result, Belize is a country with numerous cultures, languages, and ethnic groups. Belize is the most sparsely populated nation in Central America. Colonisation (also known as Colonization) occurs whenever any one or more species populates a new area As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another Immigration refers to the movement of people among countries While the movement of people has existed throughout human history at various levels modern immigration implies long-term ^[4][5][6] According to the latest census, the country's population is a little over 300,000. A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population

The Mayan are thought to have been in Belize and the Yucatán region since the 500s AD; however, much of Belize's original Maya population was wiped out by disease and conflicts between tribes and with Europeans. The Maya peoples constitute a diverse range of the Native American peoples of southern Mexico and northern Central America. Yucatán is one of the 31 states of Mexico, located on the north of the Yucatán Peninsula. A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally consists of a Social group existing before the development of or outside of States Many anthropologists use Three Maya groups now inhabit the country: Yucatecs (who came from Yucatán, Mexico to escape the Caste War), Mopans (indigenous to Belize but were forced out by the British; they returned from Guatemala to evade slavery), and Kekchi (also fled from slavery in Guatemala). Mopan are one of the Maya peoples in Belize and Guatemala. Their indigenous language is also called Mopan and is one of the Yucatec Maya ^[7]

White, initially Spanish and later English and Scottish, settlers entered the area in the 15th and 16th century respectively. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. The first African slaves began arriving from elsewhere in the Caribbean and began intermarrying with many of the other ethnic groups in the country. Slavery is a social-economic system under which certain persons — known as slaves — are deprived of personal freedom and compelled to perform labour or services The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting Intermingling with whites was not common; however, this mixture created the Belizean Kriol people ethnic group. The Belizean Creoles or Kriols are Creole descendants of English, and Scottish (the Baymen) log cutters and Black African After 1800, Mestizo settlers from Mexico and Guatemala began to settle in the north; the Garifuna, a mix of African, Arawak, and Carib ancestry, settled in the south by way of Honduras not long after that. Mestizo is a Spanish term that was coined during the Spanish Empire to refer to people of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry in Latin The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Guatemala (República de Guatemala) is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west the Pacific Ocean to the southwest The Garinagu (singular Garifuna) are an ethnic group of mixed ancestry who live primarily in Central America. The term Arawak (from aru, the Lokono word for Cassava flour was used to designate the Amerindians encountered by the Spanish in Cariban languages Carib, Island Carib or Kalinago people after whom the Caribbean Sea was named live in the Lesser Antilles islands Honduras in Spanish, República de Honduras) is a democratic republic in Central America. During the 1860s, a large influx of Indians and American Civil War veterans from Louisiana and other Southern states established Confederate settlements in British Honduras and introduced commercial sugar cane production to the colony, establishing eleven settlements in the interior. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Confederate Settlements in British Honduras are a cultural and ethnic sub-group in Belize, formerly known as the colony of British Honduras.

The 1900s saw the arrival of Asian settlers from mainland China, India, Taiwan, Korea, Syria, and Lebanon. Asian or Asiatic is a Demonym for people from Asia. However the use of the term varies by country and person often referring to people from a particular China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Central American immigrants and expatriate Americans and Africans also began to settle in the country. Meanwhile, Kriols and other ethnic groups immigrated to the United States and elsewhere for better opportunities. Estimates have generally placed the number of the Belizean diaspora, consisting mainly of Kriols and Garinagu, at a number roughly equal to the current residents of Belize.

Self-identified Mestizos comprise 49% of the population, Kriols 25%, indigenous Mayan 11%, and Garinagu 6%. Mestizo is a Spanish term that was coined during the Spanish Empire to refer to people of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry in Latin The Belizean Creoles or Kriols are Creole descendants of English, and Scottish (the Baymen) log cutters and Black African The term Indigenous Peoples or autochthonous peoples can be used to describe any Ethnic group who inhabit a geographic region with which they have the earliest historical The Maya peoples constitute a diverse range of the Native American peoples of southern Mexico and northern Central America. The Garinagu (singular Garifuna) are an ethnic group of mixed ancestry who live primarily in Central America. The rest is a mix of Mennonite German farmers, East Indians, Chinese, other Central Americans, whites from the United States, and many other foreign groups brought to assist the country's development. The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after Menno Simons (1496&ndash1561 though his teachings were a relatively East Indians are a Marathi -speaking Roman Catholic ethnic group based in and around the city of Mumbai ( Marathi: मुंबई Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. Racial tension is rare because of constant admixture among the various ethnic groups.

Languages

English is the only official language of Belize due to being a former British colony; however, it is only spoken as a first or only language by a small percent of the population. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Most Belizeans use the more familiar Belize Kriol, an English-based creole. Belizean Creole, known as Kriol by its speakers is a Creole language closely related to Miskito Coastal Creole, Limón Coastal Creole, A creole language, or simply a creole, is a stable Language that originates seemingly as a nativized Pidgin. Spanish is the mother tongue of Mestizo and Central American settlers and is a second language for much of the multilingual country. Less well known are the ancient Maya dialects, Garifuna (which is Arawakan based, with elements of the Carib language, French, and Spanish) and the Plautdietsch dialect of the Mennonites. The Garinagu (singular Garifuna) are an ethnic group of mixed ancestry who live primarily in Central America. The Arawakan languages (also Arahuacan, Arawakanas, Arahuacano, Maipurean, Maipuran, Maipureano, Maipúrean Cariban languages Carib, Island Carib or Kalinago people after whom the Caribbean Sea was named live in the Lesser Antilles islands Plautdietsch, or Mennonite Low German, was originally a Low Prussian variety of East Low German, with Dutch influence that developed in Literacy currently stands at nearly 80%. In 2001, UNESCO declared the Garifuna language, dance, and music a "Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 The Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity is a list maintained by UNESCO with pieces of Intangible culture considered relevant by that "

Languages in Belize according to 2000 census

Language	Mother tongue speakers	Percentage	Current users	Percentage
Chinese	1,607	(0. 8%)	1,529	(0. 7%)
Creole	67,527	(32. 9%)	75,822	(37. 0%)
English	7,946	(3. 9%)	11,551	(5. 6%)
Garifuna	6,929	(3. 4%)	4,071	(2. 0%)
German	6,783	(3. 3%)	6,624	(3. 2%)
Hindi	280	(0. 1%)	193	(0. 1%)
Maya Ketchi	10,142	(4. 9%)	9,314	(4. 5%)
Maya Mopan	6,909	(3. 4%)	6,093	(3. 0%)
Maya Yucateco	1,176	(0. 6%)	613	(0. 3%)
Spanish	94,422	(46. 0%)	88,121	(43. 0%)
Others / no answer	1,402	(0. 7%)	1,192	(0. 6%)

Religion

Religious freedom is guaranteed in Belize. It is a predominantly Christian society with 49. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth 6% of Belizeans Roman Catholic, and 27% Protestant. ^[8] Much of the remaining population is comprised of Taoists, Buddhists and more recently introduced religions such as Jainism, Islam, Bahá'í, and the Rastafari movement. Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions A number of noted individuals have been Buddhists. Historical Buddhist thinkers and founders of schools Individuals are grouped by nationality except in cases where the Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind The Rastafari movement (also known as Rastafari, Rastafarianism or simply Rasta) is a monotheistic, Abrahamic, New Testament Hinduism is followed by most Indian immigrants, while Islam is common among Middle Eastern immigrants and has gained a following among Kriols and Garifuna. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Catholics frequently visit the country for special gospel revivals. The Greek Orthodox Church has a presence in Santa Elena. The Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία Hellēnorthódoxē Ekklēsía) is formed by several autocephalous churches San Ignacio is a Town in western Belize that serves as the capital of Cayo District. ^[9] Jehovah's Witnesses have experienced a significant increase in membership in recent years. Jehovah's Witnesses is a restorationist, millenialist Christian denomination According to the Witnesses, around 3% of the population attended at least one religious meeting in 2007. ^[10]

Birth and death rates and life expectancy

Belize's birth rate currently stands at nearly 25 per 1,000. Nearly 6 people die per year out of 1,000 members of the population; this figure includes murders, accidents, and death from natural causes. Infant mortality, now at 24 deaths per 1,000 people, has been decreasing over the last century. Male babies are more likely to die than females. The life expectancy of a typical male is 66 years, while for a female it is 70. HIV/AIDS, while not a serious threat to national stability, does affect enough of the population to give Belize a high infection rating among Caribbean and Central American nations.

Belize has a relatively young and growing population. Its birth rate is among the highest in the world, and there are indications that this trend will continue for the foreseeable future. Crude birth rate is the natality or Childbirths per 1000 people per year

National symbols

Black Orchid

Further information: Black orchid

The national flower of Belize is the black orchid (Prosthechea cochleata, also known as Encyclia cochleata). Black Orchid is the name of three Fictional Superheroines published by DC Comics. Prosthechea cochleata, formerly known as Encyclia cochleata, Anacheilium cochleatum, and Epidendrum cochleatum ^[11]

See also

Belizean diplomatic missions Constituencies of Belize Communications in Belize Foreign relations of Belize Languages of Belize Confederate settlements in British Honduras Maya ruins of Belize Military of Belize

Flora and vegetation of Belize Plants and animals of Belize List of endemic species of Belize Ports of Belize The Scout Association of Belize University of Belize States headed by Elizabeth II

Culture of Belize Music of Belize Sport in Belize Tourism in Belize Category:Belizean people Protected areas and conservation in Belize Geography of Belize Great Blue Hole

References

Further reading

• Belize In Focus: A Guide to the People, Politics and Culture Ian Peedle
• Belize: A Concise History P. A. B. Thomson
• Belize: Land of the Free By The Carib Sea Thor Janson
• Belize: Reefs, Rain Forests, and Mayan Ruins Dick Lutz
• Confederate Settlements in British Honduras Donald C. Simmons, Jr.
• Education and Multi-cultural Cohesion in Belize, 1931-1981 Peter Ronald Hitchen Unpublished PhD Thesis. University of Central Lancashire, England. April 2002.
• Escaping the Rat Race - Freedom in Paradise: Real-life Stories About Living, Working, Investing, and Retiring in Belize by Dr. Helga Peham, 2007.
• Fodor's Guide: Belize and Guatemala
• Formerly British Honduras: A Profile of a New Nation of Belize William David Stetzekorn
• Insight Guide: Belize Huw Hennessy
• Lonely Planet World Guide: Belize Carolyn Miller Caelstrom and Debra Miller
• The Making of Belize Anne Sutherland
• Moon Handbooks: Belize Chicki Mallan and Joshua Berman
• Our Man in Belize: A Memoir Richard Timothy Conroy
• The Guatemalan Claim to Belize: A Handbook on the Negotiations James S. Murphy
• The Rough Guide: Belize Peter Eltringham
• Time Among the Maya: Travels in Belize, Guatemala and Mexico Ronald Wright
• Thirteen Chapters of A History of Belize Assad Shoman
• Traveller's Wildlife Guide: Belize and Northern Guatemala Les Beletsky
• Handbook of British Honduras: Henry Edney Conrad Cain and Monrad Sigfried Metzgen
• Monrad Sigfried Metzgen: Notes on British Honduras.
• Monrad Sigfried Metzgen: Shoulder to Shoulder or the Battle of St George's Caye, 1798.

External links

• Government of Belize - Official governmental site
• Garifuna.org - News, History and Culture of the Garifuna People of Belize
• Belize National Emergency Management Organization - Official governmental site
• Belize Tourism Board - Official Tourism site
• belizesearch.com - A search engine for Belize related materials
• Encyclopaedia Britannica Belize's Country Page
• Belize information on globalEDGE
• Amandala Online Newspaper - Belize Online Newspaper
• Belize entry at The World Factbook

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