Belize

Where the name comes from

Belize’s origin is uncertain; ideas include Maya beliz, “muddy water”, for the Belize River, and Wallace, the name of a supposed early settler.

First people

Maya societies flourished here, building cities such as Caracol.^1,2

Known for

Belize is known for its barrier reef, part of the largest reef system in the Americas, and for the Great Blue Hole, a vast underwater sinkhole.³

Outside contact

English logging camps began in 1638, and Britain later ruled it as British Honduras, which is why English is the official language.⁴

The modern country

Renamed Belize in 1973, it became independent in 1981. Everyday life is multilingual: Kriol, Spanish, Garífuna and Maya languages link communities with different histories.¹