LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Belize: Belize Barrier Reef
built 649 days ago
The Belize Barrier Reef was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Environmental Scientific Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1996. The Belize Barrier Reef is home to over 400 species of fish and 70 different types of coral. The reef forms a gigantic area of protected water, which has been a favorite of world-class divers, sports fishermen and snorkelers alike for years.
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The coastal area of Belize is an outstanding natural system consisting of the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere, offshore atolls, several hundred sand cays, mangrove forests, coastal lagoons and estuaries. The system’s seven sites illustrate the evolutionary history of reef development and are a significant habitat for threatened species, including marine turtles, manatees and the American marine crocodile.
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Belize has over 200 islands that dot the turquoise Caribbean waters just off the shore and boasts the worlds second largest barrier reef. Diving, snorkeling, fishing and other water sports are just some of the adventures that await you. You can ... journey inland to visit nature reserves, butterfly farms, Mayan temples, cave systems, rivers and cascading waterfalls, breathtaking mountains and rare and exotic animals and plant life.
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The north of Belize consists mostly of flat, swampy coastal plains, in places heavily forested. The flora is highly diverse considering the small geographical area. The south contains the low mountain range of the Maya Mountains. The highest point in Belize is Doyle's Delight at 3,688 ft. (1,124 m.).[5] The Caribbean coast is lined with a coral reef and some 450 islets and islands known locally as cayes (pronounced "keys"), forming the approximately 200 mile (322 km) long Belize Barrier Reef, the longest in the Western Hemisphere and the second longest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef. Three of the four coral atolls in the Western Hemisphere are ... located off the coast of Belize. Belize is also the only Central American country without a coast on the Pacific Ocean.
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The small country of Belize and nearby Tikal offer adventurous travelers a remarkable variety of experiences. Nowhere else in the world can you find such a dazzling blend of natural history — vast rainforests, pristine barrier reef, magnificent Maya ruins and fantastic tropical wildlife. This tiny Caribbean nation is packed with natural wonders to explore and activities for travelers. As a special treat for International Expeditions’ guests, we’ll explore Belize and Tikal while staying in some of the mostenvironmentally friendly accommodations the world has to offer — Francis Ford Coppola’s La Lancha, Blancaneaux and Turtle Inn
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The geography of Belize varies greatly from the north to the south. In the northern parts the land is very wet and swampy. Yet the south of Belize contains many dry mountains and savannah plains. At its highest elevations, Belize rises to 3000 feet above sea level. Belize is a country of jungle-clad mountains, rivers, forests, savannah plains, swamp lands, lagoons, off shore cayes, and a barrier reef-the largest in the northern hemisphere (185 miles long)! Only the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia is larger.
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Belize Barrier Reef