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 Where In The World?
Where In The World Is Belize?
Its time to get out your globe! You need to know about the imaginary lines on globes and maps. These lines are called lines of latitude and longitude, and they tell a pilot or ships captain exactly where in the world a certain place is located. Basically, latitude lines (also called parallels) are the horizontal lines on your map. Lines of longitude (also called meridians) are the vertical lines that run from the North Pole to the South Pole. This mapping system is written in degrees and uses the symbol . Get ready to travel the world!
On your globe, find longitude of 88W and latitude of 17N, and you'll find the tiny country of Belize. This country is located in Central America, between Guatemala and Mexico. It is bordered on the east by the Caribbean Sea. The second-largest barrier reef in the world (185 miles long) and three of the four coral atolls in the Western Hemisphere fall within Belizes territory. It is known for its beautiful beaches, scuba diving and snorkeling. The entire country of Belize is smaller than the U.S. state of Massachusetts!
The climate of Belize is tropical. It is very hot and humid. It has a rainy season from May to November and a dry season from February to May. The terrain of Belize is flat in the swampy coastal plain. It also has some mountains in the south. It has many natural attractions, including the Belize Barrier Reef, ancient Mayan civilization ruins, tropical forests, exotic birds and wildlife and mysterious caves and caverns.
Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until the end of the first millennium A.D. Archaeologists estimate that one to two million Mayans lived within the borders of present-day Belize at the peak of their society. No one knows for certain what caused the disappearance of the Maya, possibly war, famine or natural disasters. The first European settlers in Belize were English Puritans who set up trading posts on the coast. Pirates and shipwrecked sailors also called Belize home. The British and Spanish had disputes over the Belize area in the 17th and 18th centuries. Belize formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Disputes between the United Kingdom and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize until 1981, and even then Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. They celebrate their Independence Day on September 21.
Belize has many different cultures, languages, and ethnic groups. Approximately 270,000 people live in Belize. They are Creole, Garifuna, Mestizo, Spanish, Maya, English, Mennonite, Lebanese, Chinese and East Indian. English is the official language, but Creole, Spanish, Mayan, and Garifuna (Carib) are also spoken. Tourism is a big industry in Belize. They also export sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses and wood.
Source: Belize Tourism Board; The World Factbook prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency.
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