Belize, which has long been regarded as a nation in the Caribbean, is surely in Central America. It is true that the sounds of Jamaican reggae and Creole english West Indies talks makes us hesitate while the faces of the descendants of the Mayans remind us that the site of Caracol held victory to its neighbor Tikal in Guatemala and that we are enveloped in a lush jungle. Finally happy combination in a country which is a fine example of a melting pot of cultures. Among the Maya, Belize meant “the road to the sea,” visionary certainly with these 200 islands along its coast offering to Belize the second barrier reef in the world. Other generous natural elements allow incredible rafting, observation of flora and fauna rich and colorful, dives in fishy safe water and under Ceiba giants trees the preservation of Mayan sites long forgotten by archaeologists. Here, the slow days in the tropical heat made creeds arise such as: no shoes, no stress, no problem … a lifestyle to adopt? certainly during your holiday!
Belize program suggestions
Belize at a glance
- Area: 22,966 km²
- Population (approximately): 324,000 inhabitants – It is the most sparsely throughout Latin America with 13 inhabitants / km ². So a large space to explore just for you !
- Capital Belmopan: 13 400 inhabitants
The largest city in the country: Belize City, with more than 60,000 inhabitants. - Economy: The economy of Belize depends mainly on services, which account for 60% of its GDP, 16% for tourism. The port of Belize City is the country’s first in importance, mainly for cruise ships, and the city is also the industrial and financial center of the country. Sugarcane accounts for half of exports, while the banana plantations are the largest employer in the country
- Have read, seen and heard: (read) Miskito Coast by Peter Ford, (seen) The Mosquito Coast movie filmed in Belize, (seen) documentaries of Suzette Zayden, director of the Belize International Film Festival, (heard) the sound cocktail spicy, pungent and savior of Garifuna music – La Punta – in the album Wátina of the artist Andy Palacio in which Paul Nabor plays too, or the “king” of Brukdown Wilfred Peters.
- To read, see and hear these days: (read) Belize by Alain Dugrand, (see) the wonderful movie Planète Ocean directed by Yann Arthus Bertrand and Michael Pitiot with aerial and underwater shots just amazing in Belize Rio, Gulf of Mexico and Panama (among others), (see) the next edition in March of The Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge, (see) 2012: Kurse a di Xtabai a supernatural thriller for the first film wholly produced in Belize, (hear) the album The Garifuna Women’s Project under the label Cumbancha, songs that narrate the struggles and triumphs of garifunas women who sing.