Belize Map

Description: This map shows governmental boundaries of countries; islands, districts, district capital cities, and major cities and towns in Belize.

Belize is a country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It borders Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras across the Gulf of Honduras. Belize covers about 22,966 square kilometres and had a population of about 430,000 at the 2026 estimate. It has the lowest population density in Central America. The capital is Belmopan, and the largest city is Belize City.

The Maya civilization lived in the area for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. Major Maya archaeological sites in the country include Caracol, Xunantunich, Lamanai and Altun Ha. British settlers arrived in the 17th century, and the territory became the Crown colony of British Honduras in 1862. It was renamed Belize in 1973 and became independent on 21 September 1981. Guatemala has long claimed part or all of Belize's territory. After referendums in Guatemala in 2018 and in Belize in 2019, both countries agreed to have the dispute settled by the International Court of Justice.

Belize is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy and a Commonwealth realm. The British monarch is head of state and is represented by a Governor-General.

English is the official language, and Belize is the only country in Central America where this is the case. Belizean Kriol and Spanish are also widely spoken. The population is ethnically diverse. Mestizos are the largest group, followed by Creoles, Maya, Garifuna, Mennonites and East Indians. The capital moved from Belize City to Belmopan in 1970, after Hurricane Hattie badly damaged the coastal city in 1961.

Off the coast lies the Belize Barrier Reef, which is part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the second-largest barrier reef system in the world. The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. The reef also contains the Great Blue Hole, a large marine sinkhole. Inland, the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary was set up as the world's first protected area for jaguars. Belize's highest point is Doyle's Delight in the Maya Mountains, at about 1,124 metres.

The economy depends mainly on tourism and agriculture, especially sugar, bananas and citrus. The currency is the Belize dollar, which is pegged at two Belize dollars to one US dollar. Belize is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Central American Integration System (SICA).