Belmopan
Belmopan, looking from the National Assembly Building
Nickname: The Garden City
Motto: City of Promise
Belmopan Map of Belmopan metropolitan area
Coordinates: 17°15′5″N 88°46′1″W / 17.25139, -88.76694
Country	Belize
District	Cayo
Foundation	1970
Government
- Mayor	Simeon López
Elevation	76 m (250 ft)
Population (2004)
- Total	12,300
Time zone	Central (UTC-6)

Belmopan (pronounced /ˌbɛlmoʊˈpæn/), estimated population 12,300, is the capital of Belize. A nickname is a Name of an entity or thing that is not its Proper name. 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 Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically Belize (bəˈliːz formerly British Honduras, is a country in Central America. Belize is divided into 6 districts The districts are listed below with the capital city in parentheses Belize's Largest Cities & Towns by Population Cayo District is a district in the west of the nation of Belize. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government Simeon López is the mayor of Belmopan, the capital of Belize. The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The Central Time Zone observes Standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC during standard time ( UTC−6) and five hours during Daylight saving Areas using UTC−6 Single zone countries Belize Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Belize (bəˈliːz formerly British Honduras, is a country in Central America.

Belmopan is located in Belize, Central America at 17°15′N, 88°45′W,^[1] at an altitude of 76 meters (250 ft) above sea level. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit ^[2] Belmopan was constructed just to the east of Belize River, 80 km (50 miles) inland from the former capital, the port of Belize City, after that city's near destruction by a hurricane in 1961. 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 A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States Belize City is the largest city of the Central American nation Belize. Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[3][2][4] The government was moved to Belmopan in 1970,^[4] and its National Assembly Building is designed to resemble a Pre-Columbian Maya temple. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences The Maya civilization is a Mesoamerican Civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the Pre-Columbian Americas ^[5]

Contents 1 History 2 Geographic setting 3 Educational institutions 4 Culture 4.1 Ethnic composition 4.2 Local and regional events 4.3 Social and community activities 5 Economy 5.1 Commercial 5.2 Industrial 6 Government 7 References 8 External links

History

After Hurricane Hattie, with winds of up to 300 kilometres per hour (190 mph), and following the destruction of approximately 75% of the houses and business places in Belize City, the government of the day proposed to encourage and promote the building of a new capital city. Hurricane Hattie was a powerful Category 5 hurricane that hit Central America on Halloween during the 1961 Atlantic hurricane season ^[4] This new capital would be situated on better terrain, would entail no costly reclamation of land, and would also provide for an industrial area, and in 1962, a committee chose the site now known as Belmopan, located 82 kilometres (51 miles) west of the old capital of Belize City. Land reclamation is either of two distinct practices One involves creating new land from sea- or riverbeds the other refers to restoring an area to a more natural state (such as after Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[4] In 1964, since Belize was still a colony (known as British Honduras), Premier George Cadle Price led a delegation to London in the United Kingdom to seek funds to finance the new capital. Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. 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 Other persons have been called George Price George Cadle Price (born January 15, 1919) was the first Prime Minister London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located ^[6] Although they were not ready to commit to funding such a large project, the British government showed interest due to the logic of locating the capital on high ground safe from tidal waves. In order to encourage financial commitment from the British Government, Premier Price and the PUP government invited Mr. Anthony Greenwood, Secretary of State for the Commonwealth and Colonies to visit Belize. Arthur William James Anthony Greenwood Baron Greenwood, known as Anthony Greenwood, (14 September 1911 &ndash 12 April 1982 was a prominent British Labour The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet official in charge of managing the various British Colonies.

One of the highlights of this visit was the unveiling of a monument at mile 49 on the Western Highway. The monument records that Lord Greenwood dedicated the site for the new capital on October 9, 1965. Arthur William James Anthony Greenwood Baron Greenwood, known as Anthony Greenwood, (14 September 1911 &ndash 12 April 1982 was a prominent British Labour Events 768 - Carloman I and Charlemagne are crowned Kings of The Franks. Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. Thus in a fashion there was a commitment. The name chosen for the new capital -- Belmopan -- is derived from union of two words: "Belize," the name of the longest river in the country, and "Mopan,"^[7] one of the rivers in this area, which empties into the Belize River. 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 Mopan River is a river in Cayo district in western Belize near the border with Guatemala. 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 The initial estimated cost for building this new city was forty million Belize dollars (twenty million U. The dollar ( Currency code BZD) has been the Currency of Belize since 1885 S. dollars), however, only twenty million Belize dollars (ten million U. S. dollars) were available, but the momentum was not to be lost. ^[8] In 1967, work began; the first phase of the new city was completed in 1970 at a cost of 24,000,000 Belize dollars (12,000,000 U. Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. S. dollars). From 1970 to 2000 the administration of Belmopan was managed by the Reconstruction and Development Corporation, known as "Recondev. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. "^[9] Recondev was vested with the power and authority to provide, or cause to be provided, the municipal functions necessary for the smooth running of the city's business and infrastructure.

There was a reluctance initially amongst foreign governments to relocate their embassies to Belmopan,^[10] as there was some doubt as to whether this inland area would really become the functioning capital of Belize. In February 2005, the United States government broke ground and started building a new United States Embassy in Belmopan, 43 years after Belmopan was chosen as the new capital city. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[11] The Embassy was officially opened on Monday, December 11, 2006. ^[12]

Geographic setting

Belmopan is 50 miles (80 km) inland from the Caribbean Sea and 76 metres (250 ft) above sea level, located near the Belize River Valley with a view of the Mountain Pine Ridge foothills. For the region see Caribbean. The Caribbean Sea (kəˈrɪbiən or /ˌkærɨˈbiːən/ is a tropical Sea in the Western Hemisphere The climate at night is cool. The city is located off of the Hummingbird Highway. The Hummingbird Highway is one of the four major Highways in Belize. Two and a half hours south of Belmopan, by road, is the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is a Nature reserve in south-central Belize established to protect the Forests Fauna and watersheds ^[13]

Educational institutions

The City of Belmopan boasts 3 Pre-Schools, 3 Primary Schools and 2 Secondary Schools^[14] as well as a modern Regional Language Centre (RLC), located on the central campus of the University of Belize,^[15] where students from neighboring Spanish speaking countries come to study English. The University of Belize is an English-speaking multi-location institution of higher education and the national university of the Central American country of Belize University of Belize's campus in Belmopan comprises the following faculties: Education and Arts, Management and Social Sciences, Science and Technology, and Nursing and Allied Health. The University of Belize is an English-speaking multi-location institution of higher education and the national university of the Central American country of Belize Education encompasses both the Teaching and Learning of Knowledge, proper conduct, and technical competency The arts is a broad subdivision of Culture, composed of many expressive disciplines. Management (covering theory practice and scope of management and Manager' (covering the people who manage might help clarify and systematise The social sciences comprise academic disciplines concerned with the study of the social life of human groups and individuals including Anthropology, Communication studies Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding Technology is a broad concept that deals with a Species ' usage and knowledge of Tools and Crafts and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt Nursing is a Profession focused on assisting individuals families, and communities in attaining maintaining and recovering optimal Health ^[16] The Church/State system prevails in Belizean education^[17] especially where Pre-School, Primary and Secondary School education is concerned,^[18] and nearly all schools in Belmopan are sustained by churches. ^[4]

Local missionaries and non-profit organizations also provide practical educational opportunities for Belizeans.

Culture

Ethnic composition

Belmopan proper is a mix of ethnicities including Kriols, Garifuna, Mestizo, Maya and more historically recent immigrants from Asian countries such as the People's Republic of China and Republic of China. The Belizean Creoles or Kriols are Creole descendants of English, and Scottish (the Baymen) log cutters and Black African The Garinagu (singular Garifuna) are an ethnic group of mixed ancestry who live primarily in Central America. 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 Maya peoples constitute a diverse range of the Native American peoples of southern Mexico and northern Central America. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES ^[19]

There are five (5) zones around Belmopan proper^[20]:

• Salvapan - population, 3,000 - mostly of Central American origin. ^[21]
• San Martin - population 1,694 - mixed origins (Kriol & Central American Mayan). The Belizean Creoles or Kriols are Creole descendants of English, and Scottish (the Baymen) log cutters and Black African
• Las Flores - population 453 - mostly Central American origin.
• Maya Mopan - population 241 - mostly Ketchi/Mopan Maya.
• Riviera - population unknown - mix of Central American immigrants and locals.

Local and regional events

Some of Belmopan's noteworthy events include presentations by the Belmopan Choral Society, the Festival of Arts for school children, and National Day Activities.

The University of Belize's Black Jaguars squad has won two national championships playing out of Belmopan. Nearby communities including Roaring Creek, Camalote, Esperanza, and Georgeville play a softball tournament in the early part of the year.

Social and community activities

The City Council promotes Belmopan as "The Garden City. " A Crime Prevention Initiative has recently been introduced by the Council in conjunction with the Belize Police Department, which introduced a Special Constable/Community Policing Programme. In the sociological field, crime is the breach of a rule or Law for which some governing authority or force may ultimately prescribe a Punishment Police are agents or agencies usually of the executive, empowered to enforce the law and to effect public and social order through the legitimatized use of force The Council cooperates with social organizations like the Lions Club, the Belize Scout Association, Rotary International, and other NGOs. Lions Clubs International (LCI is the world's largest Secular service organization with over 44500 clubs and more than 1 Rotary International is an organization of Service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world

Economy

Commercial

Belmopan currently has approximately 589 business establishments (the 1997 census revealed the presence of 373). Five international banks are located in the city, as are several local financial institutions. A modern bus terminal and market complex was constructed in 2003.

Industrial

Within the zoning regulations, Belmopan has set aside approximately 200 acres (81 ha) of land made up mostly of one acre (4,000 m²) parcels within city limits. The acre is a unit of Area in a number of different systems including the imperial and U Explanation The hectare is commonly used in most countries around the world especially in domains concerned with land planning and management such as Agriculture, While there is very little industrial activity at the present time, the council has embarked on a scheme to attract local and foreign investment to the city. Plans are underway to create a 100 acre (40 ha) industrial park close to the municipal airstrip, a paved strip with no control tower or hangars. An industrial estate is an area of land set aside for industrial development.

Government

From its inception, Belmopan was governed by a corporation answering to the government, called RECONDEV (Reconstruction and Development Corporation). ^[9]

Residents of Belmopan voted in a referendum held in 1999 to switch to direct election of a city council. In 2000, Belmopan was incorporated as a city and held its first City Council election. ^[4] Anthony Chanona of the People's United Party was elected mayor with a six-man slate, and reelected in 2003. Anthony Chanona is a Belizean politician for the People's United Party. Leaders John Smith (1950-1952 Leigh Richardson (Acting (1953-1956 George Cadle Price (1956-1996 Said Musa ^[22] Following the UDP's municipal victory of 2006, the Mayor of Belmopan is Simeon López. Past leaders Phillip Goldson (with NIP (1961-1974 Dean Lindo (1974-1979 Dr Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government Simeon López is the mayor of Belmopan, the capital of Belize. ^[23]

References

External links

• Photos of Belmopan
• Map of Belmopan

• Belmopan is at coordinates 17°15′00″N 88°46′00″W / 17.25, -88.766667 (Belmopan)Coordinates: 17°15′00″N 88°46′00″W / 17.25, -88.766667 (Belmopan)

A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system.

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