Belize is a fairly small Central American country measuring 22,966 sq km in area. Its bordering cousins are Mexico in the north and Guatemala in the west and south. The whole of the east faces the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Honduras. The total area of coastline in Belize measures 386km. Much of the country is made up of low lying tropical vegetation and a swampy coastal plain. A great deal of Belize is covered in dense tropical forest, providing a home for species such as tapir, jaguars and toucans. In the west, the land rises to elevations of 1000m in an area known as the Maya Mountains. The highest point is Victoria Peak at 1160m. Approximately 20 miles off the coast of Belize lies an archipelago of islands that represent a barrier reef 2nd in the world only to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The reef runs parallel to Belize from north to south. This complex marine habitat system is home to a huge variety of tropical fish and other marine forms. The largest islands within the archipelago are San Pedro and Turneffe. Belize is the only country in Central America not to share a coastline facing the Pacific Ocean.

Belize was only recently formed in 1981 after gaining independence from the British. The area of current day Belize was formerly known as British Honduras. Belize is also proud to boast the remains of the ancient Mayan civilization. The official language, despite independence is still English and the national monetary unit is the Belizean Dollar.

The economy of Belize has been steadily developing since independence. The workforce is divided thus: 27% agriculture, 18% industry and 55% services. Agricultural products include bananas, citrus, sugarcane and fish. The industrial sector is largely represented by garment production, food processing, tourism and construction. Belize’s natural resources are timber, fish and hydropower.

The climate of Belize is hot and tropical year-round. The country experiences a rainy season from May to November and a period of dry weather from February to May. Frequent flooding and destructive hurricanes are well documented in Belize.