Portal:Belize

Belize
Belize
	Flag Coat of arms
	Motto: "Sub Umbra Floreo" (Latin); "Under the shade I flourish"
	Anthem: "Land of the Free";
ISO 3166 code	BZ

The Belize Portal

Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. Despite being in central America, Belize identifies with the Caribbean region, and is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Commonwealth Caribbean, the historical British West Indies.

The Maya civilization spread into the area of Belize between 1500 BCE and 300 CE and flourished until about 1200. European contact began in 1502–04 when Christopher Columbus sailed along the Gulf of Honduras. European exploration was begun by English settlers in 1638. Spain and Britain both laid claim to the land until Britain defeated the Spanish in the Battle of St. George's Caye (1798). It became a British colony in 1840, and a Crown colony in 1862. Belize achieved its independence from the United Kingdom on 21 September 1981. It is the only mainland Central American country which is a Commonwealth realm, with King Charles III as its monarch and head of state, represented by a governor-general. (Full article...)

Selected article -

The Great Blue Hole is a prime ecotourism destination. A World Heritage Site, ranked among the top 10 nominees for the world's New 7 Wonders of Nature.

Tourism in Belize is a major industry in the country. The sector has grown in the 2020s, with international arrivals reportedly increasing 30% in 2024, the highest rate in the Caribbean. Former Prime Minister Dean Barrow stated his intention to use tourism to combat poverty throughout the country. (Full article...)

List of selected articles

Selected image -

Image 1A view at Laughing Bird Caye
Image 2San Pedro Beach in Ambergris Caye, Belize, 2007
Image 3A view of New River, Belize
Image 4A satellite image of Belize, March 2002
Image 5Caye Caulker is located in the beautiful world heritage Belize Barrier Reef
Image 6The New River near its estuary into the Caribbean Sea (Corozal District, Belize)
Image 7An aerial view of Belize City
Image 8A view of Orange Walk Town
Image 9A collage of San Pedro, Belize
Image 10An aerial view of Caye Caulker
Image 11Aerial view of Corozal Town

General images -

The following are images from various Belize-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Zip-lining in the jungles of Belize (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 2St. Herman's Cave in St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 3San Antonio Falls (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 4The flag of Belize, originally adopted in 1922. (from History of Belize)
Image 5The Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, Belize. (from Geography of Belize)
Image 6St. Herman's Cave in St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 7Overlooking the Caracol ruins, the most extensive archaeological site in the country. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 8Map of Belize's exclusive economic zone (from Geography of Belize)
Image 9Big Rock Falls in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 10Coral patch in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 11Half Moon Caye (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 12Topography of Belize (from Geography of Belize)
Image 13The Great Blue Hole is a prime ecotourism destination. A World Heritage Site, ranked among the top 10 nominees for the world's New 7 Wonders of Nature. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 14Barton Creek Cave (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 15Belize electricity supply by source (from Economy of Belize)
Image 16Sarstoon Kekchi Mayan village (from History of Belize)
Image 17Biodiversity is an asset for ecotourism. A red-lored amazon (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 18Köppen climate classification zones of Belize. (from Geography of Belize)
Image 19High Temple at Lamanai (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 20Little Guana Caye plays host to the largest colony of reddish egrets in the Caribbean. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 211790 map of territory conceded by Spain to British settlers for cutting timber. (from History of Belize)
Image 22Maya Beach, Placencia (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 23Men working in the mahogany industry, around 1930. (from History of Belize)
Image 24Beachront of Ramon's Village, San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 25Coral patch in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 26Overlooking the Caracol ruins, the most extensive archaeological site in the country. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 27Wilderness scene in the Bladen Nature Reserve. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 28Big Rock Falls in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 29Che Chem Ha Cave (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 30Sapodilla Cayes (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 31Maya fisherwomen in British Honduras, beginning of the 20th century. (from History of Belize)
Image 32High Temple at Altun Ha (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 33Thousand Foot Falls actually stand at about 1,600 feet high. It is the highest waterfall in Central America. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 34The Great Blue Hole is one of the most recognisable natural features in Belize. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 35The "Split" at Caye Caulker, Caused by Hurricane Hattie in 1961 (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 36The flag of British Honduras. (from History of Belize)
Image 37Riot police and protesters during the unrest in 2005. (from History of Belize)
Image 38Wilderness scene in the Bladen Nature Reserve. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 39St. John's Cathedral (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 40Almond Beach, Hopkins (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 411831 map of Belize by Daniel Lizars (from History of Belize)
Image 42Rio Frio Cave (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 43Sarteneja (from Tourism in Belize)

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Belize news

15 August 2025 –

The leaders of Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico announce the establishment of a tri-national nature reserve to preserve the Maya Forest. It will be the second-largest nature reserve in Latin America behind the Amazon rainforest. (AP)

Belize news from Wikinews...