LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Belize: Countries
built 662 days ago
Belize became independent on Sept. 21, 1981. But Guatemala, which had made claims on the territory since the 1800s, refused to recognize it. British troops remained in the country to defend it. Although the dispute between Guatemala and Great Britain remained unresolved, Guatemala recognized Belize's sovereignty in Sept. 1991. Guatemala... still claims more than half of Belize’s territory.
Source:
Colonisation, slavery, and immigration have played major roles in affecting the ethnic composition of the population and as a result, Belize is a country of various cultures, languages, and ethnic groups. Belize consists of Creole, Garifuna, Mestizo, Spanish, Maya, English, Mennonite, Lebanese, Chinese, and East Indian. Because of racial harmony and the religious tolerance of its various peoples, all of these different elements have mixed and blended successfully, and Belize has gained a widespread reputation for its friendly peoples.[7][8][9]
Source:
Belize is one of the regional leaders in environmental protection. With planning they have been able to preserve much of the natural beauty of the country. The people of Belize demonstrate a pride about their unique natural resources and work to preserve them. A significant portion of Belize has been set aside for national parks, sanctuaries and reserves in order to protect the diverse plants and animals found there.
Source:
Belize is a relatively healthy country. Bottled water is a must in most areas (The ubiquitous Belizean brand, Crystal, is fantastic.). And, unless you eat only at ultra-touristic restaurants, dysentery will probably strike at some point; be prepared with over-the-counter medication and prescription antibiotics. Enjoying the local food is worth it, though.
Source:
The best months to visit Belize are the drier ones (December to May), but this is ... the busy winter tourist season when prices rise and hotels fill up. The tourist hordes are out during the couple of weeks either side of Christmas and Easter; some accommodation will be priced even higher during this period. The rainy summer season (June to November) is cheaper and isn't so wet that you can't do anything (except at times in the south, which has two to three times as much rain as the rest of the country).
Source:
Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize (formerly British Honduras) until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1991. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy as the old agricultural products -- sugar, banana, and oranges -- have lost ground. The country remains plagued by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, and increased urban crime. In 2006 commerical quantity oil was discovered in the Spanish Lookout area.
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Countries