The waters
of the Caribbean Sea along the Placencia Peninsula
in southern Belize, Central America.
The
Central American country of Belize in located in the Western
Caribbean. Belize shares it's borders with Mexico to the
north, Guatemala to the south and west, and 174 miles of
coastline with the Caribbean Sea to the east. Belize land
mass encompasses over 22,800 square kilometers/8,803 square
with approximately 266 square miles of islands.
Belize, formerly referred to as
British Honduras while a member of the British commonwealth,
was granted its independence on September 21, 1981. Today
Belize is a melting pot of cultures. Within her borders
there are several ethnic groups that speak a variety of
languages. With a population of over 256,000 people, during
your visit to Belize you will find that Belizeans are
comprised of many ethnicities: from Creole to Mennonite
to Lebanese to Chinese to Garifuna to Belize Maya to Mestizo
to Taiwanese to East Indians to expats from Canada, the
United States, Italy, Holland, Great Britain and other
points from around the globe.
Maya
woman selling baskets in southern Belize.
Language:
Although English is the official language of Belize, while
visiting you are likely to hear Creole, Spanish, as well
Yucatec, Ketchi and Mopan dialects of the Belize Maya. You
are also likely to encounter the Germanic based language
spoken by the Mennonite as well as the Garifuna language
of the coastal populations, the Garinagu.
Currency:
The official currency is the Belize dollar, it has a fixed
exchange rate to the US dollar. One US dollar is equivalent
to two Belize dollars. Most restaurants, gift shops and
tour operators will accept U.S. currency, traveller checks,
or mayor credit cards. Please note that when using your
credit cards in Belize, most businesses will add a 5%
service charge to your bill. Be sure to ask when making
purchases whether the price quoted is in US or Belize
dollars.
Weather: The weather in Belize is subtropical.
The annual mean temperature is 30 degrees Celcius/80 degrees
Fahrenheit. Annual rainfall ranges from 50 inches per year
in the far northern Orange Walk District to as much as 165
inches in the far southern Toledo District. The rainy season
usually runs from mid June through late August, with the
dry season primarily from January until late May. During
the rainy season it generally rains during the night, though
at any time of the year an occasional refreshing rain can
pop up at a moments notice.
Holidays and Popular events in
Belize:
New Years Day
January 1
Placencia Sidewalk Art Festival
February
Baron Bliss Day
around March 9
Good Friday
Holy Saturday
Easter Monday
changing
changing
changing
Labour Day
May 1
Commonwealth Day
May 24
Placencia Lobster Fest
June
Deer Dance Week (Toledo)
August
St. George's Caye Day
September 10
Independence Day
September 21
Columbus Day
October 12
Garifuna Settlement Day
November 19
Christmas Day
December 25
Boxing Day
December 26
Students
carry the Belizean flag through the streets to celebrate
Belize's Independence Day.
