The Mayan Culture
Believed to be the first people in the area, the Maya civilization, descendants of those who crossed the Bering Sea some 12,000 years ago, was born in the Pre-Classic (2500 B.C.-200 A.D.), matured in the Classic (200 A.D.-950 A.D.) and disintegrated in the Post-Classic (950 A.D.-1500 A.D.),(1) seeing 5 million during its most prosperous times.(2)

The Mayans lived a hunter/gatherer lifestyle. Over time Mayans mastered the cultivation of crops such as cotton, beans, squash and most importantly, corn.(3)

The Mayans were very successful farmers, but they needed to know when to plant and harvest. Thus, Mayans looked toward the predictability of the solar cycles. They built entire cities based on specific astronomical and mathematical guidelines. Once built, almost every structure in a city was adorned with Mayan hieroglyphics in an effort to record their history. Astronomy, agriculture, written communication, engineering and an attachment to nature all led the Mayans to one end a religion that is hardly known in the modern world. Some practices included in their religion were prayer, dancing, festivals, human sacrifice, bloodletting, and beliefs in heaven, an afterlife and hell.(4) Mayan religion was dictated by numerous calendars that, when combined, were off one day every 6,000 years.(5)

The Maya enjoyed prosperity through the Classic period, but began to decline around 900 A.D. Reason for their demise is largely speculated. A previous understanding of the Mayans as peaceful worshipers living close to nature is wrong. The Mayans are now known to be warriors who fought each other, even conquered one another. (6) Disease and malnutrition could have been reason enough for peasants to revolt against their leaders.(7) There also is speculation that the Mayan population outgrew the resources that sustained it. Pressure on the land, erosion and soil depletion could have negatively effected the Maya.(8)

At the height of their existence in Belize, approximately 1 million Mayans flourished along the coast and throughout inland rain forest.(9)

History and social climate (10)
In the early 1520s, Cortes sailed from Cuba in search of slaves along the coast of Mexico. (10) Cortes and his soldiers began to conquer the Aztec empires in Mexico, and invaded several Maya villages. Belize became the first refuge crossroads of Central America. Thousands of Maya fled the Spanish rule in Mexico and Guatemala. (11)

The timber industry began to explore along the Yucatan during the second half of the 17th Century. (12) In the 1650s British buccaneers began to settle on the Belizean coast. Logwood quickly became an important commodity. The logwood was used for its valuable black, purple and dark red dye to color woolen cloth used for clothing.(13)

There were frequent conflicts between the Spanish and the British over the landrights on Belizean soil. On four occasions, in 1717,1730,1754 and 1779, the Spanish attacked the settlers and forced loggers to leave the land, but they always returned. (14) The conclusion of the Seven Years War the Treaty of Paris in 1763 gave the British rights to cut and export the logwood. But Spain still continued to claim the surrounding land. (15)

Territorial skirmishes continue on the land until British soldiers defeated the Spanish in the battle on St. Gorges Caye. Putting an end to the Spanish claim on Belizean territory by placing it under the British Royal Crown. (16)

In 1720 the first African slaves arrive in Belize. These slaves, unlike other Caribbean islands, did not work on plantations, instead they were used to cut the logwood and lived in huts scattered throughout the forests. (17) The slaves revolted against British rule three times because abuse and food shortages. They took drastic measures like abortion, suicide, murder and running to escape. (18)

Slave trade was abolished in 1807.1 The Abolition Act however did not produce drastic changes to slavery. The act required slaves to continue to work without wages in a "system of apprenticeship" requiring slaves to work for five years to compensate slave owners for their losses. (19)

Belizean History and Social climate from 1808-1963
The history of Belize from 1808-1963 is largely the history of British colonization of the country. For over 200 years, British settlers controlled Belize in every domain regarding the country's trade, government and religion. A number of circumstances sustained this control. Slavery, however, was the basis for this domination.

The British successfully governed their slaves by practicing the principle of "divide and rule." The colonial administration and British settlers succeeded in dividing slaves from each other; African-born from Creole, blacks from brown, skilled from unskilled, Christians from heathen, and so on.

Largely due to the growth of industrialization and the need for a free market economy slavery was abolished in 1831, in the aftermath of slave revolts and humanitarians campaigns.

By 1832 there were about 1,800 free colored and black people in Belize. This is roughly half of the entire population.(20)

However, this act of legislation was not to be widely practiced in Belize for some time. The apprenticeship system was born and lasted from 1834 to 1838 in Belize. Under this system all slaves older than 6 became apprenticed laborers and continued to work without pay.

By the 1850s, Great Britain signed treaties with the United States and countries in Central America, forcing them to define the British role in the area. In fear of losing control of Belize, the British declared the country a colony, calling it British Honduras in 1862. Belizeans earned the right to vote in 1954.

Present day politics (4)
Belize itself did not exist until 1973; it was originally called British Honduras. Belize took its first recognized step toward independence in 1950 when Belizeans formed the People's United Party (PUP), under the leadership of George Price. The party was formed as a direct median to end colonial rule. (21) The PUP won eight of nine seats in the country's first election on April 28, 1954. Price then began a subtle campaign over the next 10 years in Belize. Price and the PUP named the United States as their natural trading partner not the United Kingdom. (22) In 1965, Price was elected Premier and the PUP began to prepare for self-government. In 1980, the United Nations and the Organization of American States passed a resolution that declared Belize should gain independence before the end of 1981.

The first constitution established Belize as a constitutional monarchy, meaning the Queen of England, currently Elizabeth II, is recognized as the nominal head of state and represented by a governor-general who must be a Belizean.

The prime minister is the active leader of Belize and also whoever is the leader of the party that wins a majority in the House of Representatives. The House is made up of 28 seats, elected from Belize's six districts and divided into constituencies based on population. The prime minister appoints five of the eight senators, two are appointed by the opposing party leader, and one by the Belize Advisory Council (a committee of at least six members appointed by the governor-general). The prime minister then appoints the cabinet, House or Senate members who act as ministers.(23)

The PUP's major political opponent is the United Democratic Party (UDP). The UPD was formed in 1973 as a combination of three other political parties: National Independence Party, People's Development Movement, and the Liberal Party. UDP party leader Manuel Esquivel replaced Price (PUP) in 1984 as prime minister. The UPD is considered to be more conservative with close ties to the United States. (24)

News/Current Events

The major news events in Belize during the past year involve predominately immigration struggles, cultural preservation issues, and crimes that are linked indirectly to the country's perceived moderate taxation laws.

A century-old border dispute between Guatemala and Belize is believed to be the reason behind much of the immigration conflicts the countries are experiencing. The border was defined conditionally in 1859, and has yet to be defined with precision. This results in villages that could be essentially half Guatemalan and half Belizean.

A specific problem related to these immigration issues is the slash-and-burn farming methods used by Guatemalan peasants who cross the border into Belize. Many Belizeans are infuriated by this technique, claiming it is destroying their country's land.

Another immigration conflict includes that of immigrant smuggling into Mexico. About 800 Central Americans were arrested this year for smuggling immigrants into Mexico, including an undisclosed number of Belizeans. Because of location, Mexico is examining closely its border with Belize.(25)

Under its Economic Citizenship Program, Belize is offering honorary citizenship to anyone who is willing to pay $50,000 for a certificate of citizenship.

The World Drug report, released in February 2001, recognizes Belize as the fastest-growing transshipment point for South American drug traffickers.

The planned construction of a 350-foot-long dam across the Macal River Valley has created a controversy. Fortis Inc. says the dam's construction will provide power, employment and attention from foreign investors to the area. If constructed, the dam will completely submerge two ancient Mayan civilizations.

Another recent problem is the looting of Mayan ruins in Belize.

Media
Newspapers, magazines, television, radio and the Internet are all accessible media outlets to Belize.

The major newspapers of Belize are The Belize Times, Gazette, Reporter, Amandala and The Guardian. The Belize Times is a weekly newspaper published by the People's United Party.(26)

There are five major magazines in Belize: Belize First, Belize Report, Belize Today, The Belize Review and Belize Magazine. Belize First and Belize Report are online magazines featuring travel, lifestyle and news.

Television was made available to Belize in 1981. Since then, many Belizeans have built receivers to pirate television signals from Mexico and the United States.(27) Channels 5 and 7 are the two television stations in Belize. Channel 5 is the more popular station, featuring news, documentaries, cultural events and factual programming.(28) Channel 7 features American shows and local news.

The two main radio stations in Belize are Love FM and Radio Belize. Adult contemporary entertainment and news are featured on Love FM. It is estimated that 95 percent of Belizeans listen to talk-based Radio Belize, a station that reaches every part of the country 24 hours a day.(29)

Electronic mail and Internet access became available to Belizeans in 1995. Today, Belize is considered one of the top online countries outside of the Western world. A few of the sites include www.belizenews.com, www.travelbelize.org and www.belize.com.

Music, Arts, Crafts and Literature
The country of Belize is made up of Mayan, garifuna, creole, mestizo, East Indian, North American and European cultures that create several different influences among the people. As a result, there are numerous types of music that filter throughout the country. Like many Central American countries, the music of Belize also has been heavily influenced by the rhythmic sounds of Africa. Music ranges from the African-born beat of Punta and Cungo to the melodic harps of the indigenous Mayans. The music varies upon location in Belize. Some regions are more influenced than others by different sounds.

Near Dangriga, where garifuna live in the villages, there is Punta and Punta Rock. This form of music reflects the struggles of the minority garifuna. Musicians in the 1970s paid homage to their ancestors and traditional culture by introducing this music. Punta did not take long to catch on as it spread from Belize's capital Belmopan and then to Belize City in the 1980s, where the Turtle Shell Band played in night clubs and at football games. The Turtle Shell Band uses a variety of garifuna drums, a conch shell, maracas and turtle shells.

In much earlier forms of music produced by the Mayan culture, the use of string instruments was commonly found. Florencio Mess is one of the few remaining harpists to play the centuries-old Maya-k-ekchi harp music and craft instruments.(30)

Many present-day artists paint and draw Belize in its present state. Some show the festivals and celebrations of the Caribbean culture. Carol'e Bowman, owner of Carol'e Art Gallery in Belize City paints scenes of tropics, garifuna and Caribbean lifestyle.(31) Other artists, such as Carolyn Carr, paint Belize's more ancient culture dating back to Mayan rule. Carr's paintings tell a story of how the Mayan culture lived and performed daily activities.

Belizean folklore continues to take on new shapes. Tata Duende, Buracat and Raw Head and Bloody Bone are a few folk tales.

Religion, Society and Ethnic Minorities
Ancestors of Belize migrated from Africa, Mexico, India, Europe and Central America. The major ethnic groups in Belize are the Creoles, Mestizos, Mayans, Garifunas, Mennonites and East Indians.(32)

Creoles make up 40 percent of the population.(33) They are geographically concentrated in the Belize District, which includes Belize City. They are descendents of slaves brought over from Africa and the West Indies.

Mestizos are approximately 33 percent of the population. They are mostly concentrated in the north due to the influx of Central American refugees. They are of mixed Hispanic-Amerindian origin.(34) The mestizos initiated the cultivation of sugar cane in Belize.

There are three groups of Mayans in Belize, which are about 10 percent of the population -- the Yucatec, Ketchi and Mopan Mayans. (35)

The garifuna are approximately 7 percent of the population. (36) The garifuna are the result of intermingling between African slaves and Carbib Indians and some Europeans in the 17th Century. They are also known as the black carbibs.

East Indians are approximately 3 percent of the population.(37) They were brought over to the British Colonies in the Caribbean as indentured workers.

Mennonites also are approximately 3 percent of the population.(38) They are the descendants of the Dutch and came to Belize in 1958 from Manitoba, Canada, Chihuahua and Mexico. They reside in the Orange Walk and Cayo districts.

Although Belize is ethnically diverse, it is not as religiously diverse. Roman Catholics are 62 percent of the population followed by a significant Protestant population.

Belize Economy and Commerce
Because Belize's Gross Domestic Product amounts to a mere $700 million, and because the country depends so heavily on a few cash crops, namely sugar and molasses, fluctuations in the world market affect the economy more drastically than most. Which is why, in 1980, rising oil prices and plummeting sugar prices pushed Belize to the edge of bankruptcy. In addition, the government was unable to offer much assistance as they were struggling with their newly gained independence from Great Britain.

This recession placed the People's United Party on shaky ground so that during election time, the United Democratic Party, promising economic growth with private enterprise, free markets and increased exports, was able to beat out the reigning PUP. The economy did improve during the later 1980s, but it is speculated that the economic growth had little to do with politics and a lot to do with foreign investments and a burgeoning tourism industry. (39)

The average Belizean makes $3,000 a year, but 13 percent of Belizeans are unemployed. Belizeans are considered poor, with Belizeans from Toledo being the most disadvantaged at 41 percent.

Beginning in the 1980s, Belize was the United States' fourth largest supplier of marijuana. After pressure from the U.S. government, Belize tightened instituted aerial sprayings that killed not only the marijuana crops, but a lot of other farmland too.

Geography and Climate
Belize is a Central American country, which is slightly smaller than Massachusetts, wedged next to Guatemala and Mexico. It is the only Central American country that does not touch the north Pacific Ocean. Instead, its shores belong to the Caribbean Sea.

The country itself is shaped roughly like a vertical rectangle with the length of it measuring 180 miles and the widest point at 68 miles across.(40) It also is the smallest country in Central America. The terrain consists of flat, swampy coastal plains and low mountains. Because of the poor soil in the north, agriculture is limited, except for the country's most important crop, sugar. Rising in the southern region, about 30 miles south of Belize City, are the Maya Mountains, which occupy a third of Belize with the highest point (Victoria Peak) at 3,688 feet. The country's capital, Belmopan, lies at the foothills of the mountains, where it relocated after Hurricane Hattie destroyed Belize City in 1961.(41) Nineteen miles offshore lays the second longest barrier reef in the world; the longest reef, in terms of length, is Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Belize's barrier reef stretches 185 miles and acts as a natural barrier to protect the coastline.

The climate of Belize is sub-tropical with two main seasons – wet and dry. The average temperature is 79 degrees with the hottest temperature reaching 96 degrees in the summer and 50 degrees in the winter. But even in the winter, the daytime temperature stays around 75 degrees with the easterly trade winds offering some relief on the coast.(42) The dry season runs roughly from December to May. Five hurricanes have struck Belize in the past 30 years, the last of which was Hurricane Iris in October 2001.

There are 249,183 people who live in Belize, and 54 percent of them are under age 19, according to the 2000 U.S. Census. (43) In 1999, Belize City was home to one-third of the population.

Environment and Ecology of Belize
The natural environment of Belize is arguably the country's greatest asset. Although small in size, Belize is home to an impressive array of ecosystems with high levels of habitat and biological diversity. Descending from the Maya Mountains in the west to the Caribbean Sea in the east, there is a mosaic of natural habitats including moist tropical forests, drier pine forests and savannahs, grasslands, low forests, caves, rivers, lagoons, mangrove forests, marine habitat, and coral reefs.(44)

The Mesoamerican Reef off the Caribbean coast is the second largest barrier reef in the world. The variety of environments yields a diverse assemblage of flora and fauna, including 220 species of trees and 350 species of birds.(45) Belize is refuge to threatened species such as jaguars that stalk through the inland forests and whale sharks and sea turtles that cruise the coastal waters.

Unlike the neighboring counties of Guatemala and Mexico, 93 percent of Belize still is covered by forest. (46) This status is partially because of a unique history of using a small, select range of timber resources instead of clearing entire forests for farming.

Threats to the environment range from population growth to over-fishing. Increases in population and plantation agriculture and growth of tourism are putting more pressure on Belize's natural resources. There are also areas of aggressive logging and clearing for farming which lead to soil erosion. Loss of soil causes problems locally as well as along the coast where eroded sediments smother reefs. Other coastal threats include illegal manatee hunting, shrimp farmers clearing and cutting mangrove forests, and over-fishing. Of the seven known fishing sites, three have been wiped out by unsustainable fishing practices in the past two decades.(47)

There has been a push for conservation and a proliferation of organizations working for that cause. Belize has become a popular site for scientific research by institutions including the Smithsonian Institution, the British Museum of Natural History, the state of Florida, the Miami Sea Aquarium, and Texas A&M University.

Ecotourism and the environmental situation in Belize are generally portrayed positively. But the challenges with its development and negative effects on the environment are largely overlooked.

Education and Healthcare in Belize
School is mandatory for all children up to the age of 14. Religious institutions run more than 75 percent of the schools.(48) This increase in the number of schools has led to a literacy rate of 90 percent.(49)

Even though the literacy rate is high, many Belizeans stop their education after primary school. In 1997 the enrollment rate dropped from 53,118 students enrolled in primary school to only 11,260 students enrolled in secondary school.(50) There are many reasons for this drop in enrollment. A main reason is secondary schools often are not free, and families cannot afford to send their children on to higher learning. Females most often drop out in the preparatory year of secondary school because of pregnancies or even school policies limiting continued formal education for girls. For many males the opportunity cost is too high for them to go to school. It is better for them to start to work for themselves and their families.(51)

Another problem for the Belizean education system is the lack of trained teachers. In 1992 only 48 percent of the country's teachers were trained.(52)

Belize City is also one of the few places in Belize with adequate health care. This is the only place where surgery is performed, so most of the doctors are concentrated here.

One of the largest health concerns of late in Belize has been malaria. This disease has been mainly concentrated in the Cayo and Toledo districts. Since AIDS was first diagnosed in Belize, the number of cases has increased. The age group mostly affect by both HIV and AIDS is 15 to 44 year olds. The group represents a large part of the working population. Medical care for HIV and AIDS is limited. The Ministry of Health focuses on case finding and reporting, prenatal transmission, and treating symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases. (53)

Belize Tourism and Wildlife
Unlike many other Central and South American countries, Belize's natural environments have not suffered as much from development. More than half of the country remains forested, and Belize has not experienced the high degree of physical exploitation that many of its neighbors have.(54) Preservation efforts by private organizations and the government currently focus on ecotourism, which seeks to use the natural world as a source of income through tourism and research while at the same time preserving it.

The number of tourists who visit Belize annually is greater than the number of people who live there.(55) Revenues from tourism are expected to exceed those from agriculture. Peak tourist season is November through March.(56)

The government helps promote tourism by passing laws favorable to the industry, training people to work in the field, establishing a national tourism policy and providing tax and import incentives.(57) It also has enacted laws to protect vulnerable species.

The downside of tourism is that much of the tourism dollars generated in Belize do not stay in the country to benefit local economies, though local governments foot the bill for infrastructure improvements.

Belizean wildlife is another attraction for tourists. There are 150 species of mammals in Belize. Reptiles roam the land and water, including the endangered American saltwater crocodile and Morelet's crocodile. Other celebrated and/or protected species include the tapir, howler monkey, jaguar, coatimundi and the manatee. The flora of Belize is just as varied, with 4,000 species of plants, including 250 varieties of orchid.(58)

Sports and Recreation in Belize
Possessing the 200-mile second longest barrier reef in the world, water visibility commonly reaching 100-plus feet, water temperature around 80 degrees and calm water most of the year, Belize is ideal for snorkeling and diving.(59) The most famous dive site is the Great Blue Hole in the center of Lighthouse Reef Atoll, which is about 50 miles east of Belize City.(60)

Mayan for "little channel", Hol Chan Marine Reserve is within the barrier reef 4 miles southeast of Ambergris Caye. This is a coveted spot for snorkeling as well as diving.

With the plentiful abundance of fish off the coast of Belize, a daily catch is almost guaranteed. The flats provide good fishing for tarpon, bonefish, permit and barracuda. In the mangroves fishermen are likely to catch a snook, tarpon, mangrove snapper or mutton snapper. Deep-sea fishing provides red snapper, marlin, sailfish, giant grouper, and tuna.

About 66 percent of the land is undisturbed and still forested.(61) This makes for great backpacking and hiking. Recording over 500 species of birds within its borders, Belize is spectacular for bird-watching. It is not uncommon to view 50 birds in a single outing.

Other recreation in Belize includes nature walks, nature study, caving, cycling and horseback riding.