Belize
Belize is the most sparsely populated nation in Central America. It
is larger than El Salvador and compares in size to the State of
Massachusetts. Slightly more than half of the population lives in
rural areas. About one-fourth live in Belize City, the principal
port, commercial center, and former capital. More than one-third of
the population is comprised of persons younger than 14 years of age.
Most Belizeans are of multiracial descent. About 43.7% of the
population is of mixed Mayan and European descent (Mestizo); 29.8%
are of African and Afro-European (Creole) ancestry; about 11.0% are
Mayan; and about 6.6% are Afro-Amerindian (Garifuna). The remainder,
about 8.9%, includes European, East Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern,
and North American groups.
English, the official language, is spoken by virtually all except
the refugees who arrived during the past decade. Spanish is the
native tongue of about 50% of the people and is spoken as a second
language by another 20%. The various Mayan groups still speak their
indigenous languages, and an English Creole dialect similar to the
Creole dialects of the English-speaking Caribbean Islands is spoken
by most. The rate of functional literacy is 76%. About 50% of the
population is Roman Catholic; the Anglican Church and other
Protestant Christian groups account for most of the remaining 50%.
Mennonite settlers number about 8,500. |
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The Mayan civilization spread into the area of Belize between 1500
BC and AD 300 and flourished until about AD 1200. Several major
archeological sites--notably Caracol, Lamanai, Lubaantun, Altun Ha,
and Xunantunich--reflect the advanced civilization and much denser
population of that period. European contact began in 1502 when
Christopher Columbus sailed along the coast. The first recorded
European settlement was established by shipwrecked English seamen in
1638. Over the next 150 years, more English settlements were
established. This period also was marked by piracy, indiscriminate
logging, and sporadic attacks by Indians and neighboring Spanish
settlements.
Great Britain first sent an official representative to the area in
the late 18th century, but Belize was not formally termed the
"Colony of British Honduras" until 1840. It became a crown colony in
1862. Subsequently, several constitutional changes were enacted to
expand representative government. Full internal self-government
under a ministerial system was granted in January 1964. The official
name of the territory was changed from British Honduras to Belize in
June 1973, and full independence was granted on September 21, 1981. |
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