Belize shares a border with Guatemala and Mexico. It is mostly flat, swampy coastal plains with low mountains in the south.
People who live in Belize are called Belizeans, which is also an adjective used to describe something from this country. It is estimated that by July 2012 there will be 327,719 people in Belize. The ethnic groups that reside in Belize are mostly mestizo and Creole, with some Maya. Though the official language is English, several languages are spoken there, such as Spanish, Creole, and Mayan dialects. Roman Catholics make up approximately 49.6% of the population, while Protestants make up an additional 25.5%.
The country's official name is Belize, but is was once known as British Honduras. The capital is Belmopan, and the country is made up of 6 districts. Belize gained independence from the UK on September 21, 1981. This is also when their constitution was written. The constitution can be found here through Constitution Finder. The current Governor General is Sir Colville Young, and the current Prime Minister is Dean Oliver Barrow.. Information about the leaders of Belize's government can be found here. The currency is the Belizean dollar (abbreviated BZD), which stands at 2 BZD per USD as of 2011.
All of this information was gathered from the CIA World Factbook. For more information, check out these resources...
Belize Government Site
Belize, CIA World Factbook
Background Notes: Belize, U.S. Department of State
2010 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Belize, U.S. Department of State.
You can also check out the Country Studies tab on our Fed Docs libguide here.
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