Belize Posters, Prints, Charts, Maps & Books
curriculum enrichment resources for classrooms.

Belize Map (17º4'0"N 88º42'0"W)

Belize Flag Central America Map Poster, 1986, History

Belize, formerly known as British Honduras, is a small nation noted for its high biodiversity on the east coast of Central America on the Caribbean Sea. The country of Honduras is across the Gulf of Honduras to the east, Mexico is on Belize's northern border and Guatemala to the south and west. The border between Belize and Guatemala is in contineous dispute.

Belize is slightly smaller than the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and has a flat coastal plain with low mountains in the south. The climate is tropical with the rainy season May to November; the dry season December to May. Belize has the longest barrier reef in the western hemisphere (2nd longest after the Great Barrier Reef, Australia). The islands just off the Belize coast are called “cayes” (pron. keys) which attract scuba diving tourists, an important factor in Belize's economics.

Belize City, Belize, Central America, Photographic Print (17º30'17"N 88º11'12"W)

As early as 1638 shipwrecked English seaman and British privateers made settlement on the coast of this Mesoamerican area which was home to the Mayas, a Pre-Columbian agrarian culture that extended throughout northern Central America and the Yucatan peninsula. The Mayan ruins are a tourist destination and becoming an important part of Belize's economics that previously relied on banana, citrus and sugar crops.

Belize became independent of Britain 1981. As a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy, Belize recognizes Queen Elizabeth II head of state.

The capital of Belize was moved to the centrally located Belmopan after Hurricane Hattie caused significant damage to the country, and Belize City, in 1961. Belize citizens over 18 are granted universal sufferage.