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

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The Belize Portal

Belize (/bɪˈliːz, bɛ-/ ^ⓘ, bih-LEEZ, beh-; Belize Kriol English: Bileez) 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 water boundary with Honduras to the southeast.

The Maya civilization spread into the area of Belize between 1500 BC and AD 300 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...)

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The Barrier Reef is clearly visible along the eastern coast of Belize in the Caribbean Sea.

The Belize Barrier Reef is a series of coral reefs straddling the coast of Belize, roughly 300 metres (980 ft) offshore in the north and 40 kilometres (25 mi) in the south within the country limits. The Belize Barrier Reef is a 300-kilometre (190 mi) long section of the 900-kilometre (560 mi) Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, which is continuous from Cancún on the north-eastern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula through the Riviera Maya and down to Honduras, making it the second largest coral reef system in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. It is Belize's top tourist destination, popular for scuba diving and snorkeling and attracting almost half of its 260,000 visitors. It is also vital to the country's fishing industry. (Full article...)

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

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

Image 1Big Rock Falls in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 2Men working in the mahogany industry, around 1930. (from History of Belize)
Image 3The flag of British Honduras. (from History of Belize)
Image 4St. Herman's Cave in St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 5Sapodilla Cayes (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 6Coral patch in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 7Wilderness scene in the Bladen Nature Reserve. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 8St. John's Cathedral (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 9Belize electricity supply by source (from Economy of Belize)
Image 10Sarteneja (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 11High Temple at Altun Ha (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 121831 map of Belize by Daniel Lizars (from History of Belize)
Image 13The "Split" at Caye Caulker, Caused by Hurricane Hattie in 1961 (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 14Overlooking the Caracol ruins, the most extensive archaeological site in the country. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 15Zip-lining in the jungles of Belize (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 16High Temple at Lamanai (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 17Riot police and protesters during the unrest in 2005. (from History of Belize)
Image 18The Great Blue Hole is one of the most recognisable natural features in Belize. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 19Maya Beach, Placencia (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 20The flag of Belize, originally adopted in 1922. (from History of Belize)
Image 21St. Herman's Cave in St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 22Overlooking the Caracol ruins, the most extensive archaeological site in the country. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 23Map of Belize's exclusive economic zone (from Geography of Belize)
Image 24Thousand Foot Falls actually stand at about 1,600 feet high. It is the highest waterfall in Central America. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 25Wilderness scene in the Bladen Nature Reserve. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 26Biodiversity is an asset for ecotourism. A red-lored amazon (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 27Coral patch in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 28Beachront of Ramon's Village, San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 29Che Chem Ha Cave (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 30Little Guana Caye plays host to the largest colony of reddish egrets in the Caribbean. (from List of protected areas of Belize)
Image 31Rio Frio Cave (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 32Half Moon Caye (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 33Big Rock Falls in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 34The Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, Belize. (from Geography of Belize)
Image 35Almond Beach, Hopkins (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 36Köppen climate classification zones of Belize. (from Geography of Belize)
Image 37The 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 38Sarstoon Kekchi Mayan village (from History of Belize)
Image 39San Antonio Falls (from Tourism in Belize)
Image 401790 map of territory conceded by Spain to British settlers for cutting timber. (from History of Belize)
Image 41Maya fisherwomen in British Honduras, beginning of the 20th century. (from History of Belize)
Image 42Barton Creek Cave (from Tourism in Belize)