Paradise in Belize...It's Closer Than You Think
Belize is a country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is the only country in the area that has English as its official language; Belizean Creole (Kriol) and Spanish are also commonly spoken. Belize is bordered on the north by Mexico, to the south and west by Guatemala, and to the east by the Caribbean Sea. Its mainland is about 290 km (180 mi) long and 110 km (68 mi) wide.
Belize Tiny Homes has provided comprehensive and useful information regarding; The Wonders of Belize, Traveling to Belize, Vacationing in Belize, Sites To Visit in Belize, Things To Do in Belize, Living in Belize, Retiring in Belize and Investing in Belize.
Environment Preservation and Biodiversity
Belize is a country with a rich variety of wildlife, because of its unique position between both North and South America, and a wide range of climates and habitats for plant and animal life. Belize's low human population, and approximately 22,970 square kilometres (8,867 sq mi) of undistributed land, provides an ideal home for more than 5000 species of plants, and hundreds of species of animals – including armadillos, snakes, and monkeys.
The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is a nature reserve in south-central Belize established to protect the forests, fauna and watersheds of an approximately 400 square kilometre area of the eastern slopes of the Maya Mountains. The reserve was founded in 1990 as the first wilderness sanctuary for the jaguar and is regarded by one author as the premier site for jaguar preservation in the world.
Belize is also a leader in protecting biodiversity and natural resources. Recent (July 2010) information from the Association of Protected Areas Management Organizations of Belize (APAMO) indicates that some 36% of Belize's land territory falls under some form of official protected status, giving Belize one of the most extensive systems of terrestrial protected areas in the Americas.
Belize has a diverse society, with many cultures and languages. Originally part of the British Empire, it shares a common colonial history with other Anglophone Caribbean countries. From 1862 to 1973, its name was British Honduras. It became an independent Commonwealth realm in 1981, retaining Queen Elizabeth II as head of state.
With 22,800 square kilometres (8,800 sq mi) of land and a population of only 338,597 (2013 est.), Belize has the lowest population density in Central America. The country's population growth rate of 1.97% per year (2013) is the second highest in the region and one of the highest in the Western Hemisphere.
Belize's abundance of terrestrial and marine species and its diversity of ecosystems give it a key place in the globally significant Mesoamerican Biological Corridor.
In general, Belize is considered a Central American and Caribbean nation with strong ties to the entire Latin American and Caribbean region. Belize is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and the Central American Integration System (SICA), the only country to hold full membership in all three regional organizations.
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Discover Your Own Personal Paradise in the Wonderful Country of Belize
Belize Barrier Reef and Great Blue Hole - A World Heritage Site
The Belize Barrier Reef is home to a large diversity of plants and animals and is one of the most diverse ecosystems of the world. It is comprised of 70 hard coral species, 36 soft coral species, 500 species of fish, and hundreds of invertebrate species.
With 90% of the reef still needing to be researched, it is estimated that only 10% of all species have been discovered.
Charles Darwin described it as "the most remarkable barrier reef in the West Indies" in 1842.
Belize's Barrier Reef is a series of coral reefs straddling the coast of Belize, roughly 300 meters offshore in the north and 40 kilometers in the south within the country limits. The Belize Barrier Reef is a 300 kilometers long section of the 900 kilometers long Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. It is the second largest coral reef system in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, and is popular for scuba diving and snorkeling. The Barrier reef is also Belize’s top tourist destination, attracting almost half of its 260,000 visitors, and vital to its fishing industry.
A large portion of the reef is protected by the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, which includes seven marine reserves, 450 cayes, and three atolls. It totals 960 km² in area, including: Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve, Great Blue Hole, Half Moon Caye Natural Monument and Hol Chan Marine Reserve.
Cayes include: Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, Caye Chapel, St. George’s Caye, English Caye, Rendezvous Caye, Gladden Caye, Ranguana Caye, Long Caye, Maho Caye, Blackbird Caye, and Three Coner Caye.
The Reserve System has been designated as a World Heritage Site since 1996 because of its exceptional natural beauty, and essential on-going ecological and biological processes. It contains the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity.
Top Ten Maya Sites To Visit In Belize (Visit Website)
Known as the epicenter of the ancient Maya world, Belize once was home to more than 2 million Mayas. Sacred temples, pyramids, advanced science, agriculture, mathematics, palaces, and awesome structures are their legacy. Without the use of iron or the wheel, the civilization reached its zenith at the time when Europe was in the Dark Ages.
This advanced civilization – supported by vast agricultural farmlands and trading centers, held sway for well over 2,000 years. The Maya Empire evolved around 350 B.C. in the tropical lowlands of Belize and northern Guatemala and reached its apogee from 250 A.D. to 900 A.D. The arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century spelled the beginning of the end of the Maya civilization that had already began a decline with many of its great cities and monuments abandoned perhaps due to war, famine or break down of government structure. The Maya civilization has permanently marked the landscape, as these top ten Belize Maya Sites show.
Click on the categories below and Discover Why Belize is called Mother Nature's Best Kept Secret.
AMBERGRIS CAYE, BELIZE: VOTED #1 BEST ISLAND IN THE WORLD in 2013 and 2014 BY TRIPADVISOR
TripAdvisor®, the world’s largest travel site*, today announced the winners of its Travelers’ Choice Islands. In its second year, the annual awards recognize more than 100 islands globally, including top 10 lists for Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, South America, the South Pacific, and the U.S. There is something transporting about an island vacation, and these Travelers’ Choice Islands winners will help travelers find their next escape,” said Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor. “From the coral reefs of Ambergris Caye to the beaches of Ko Tao, these winning islands have been highly rated from travelers around the globe.”
Ambergris Caye takes top honors in 2013 and 2014
The beautiful Belize island of Ambergris Caye offers the perfect blend of modern development and laid-back tranquility. A mangrove swamp is the eye of this white beach island, the largest in Belize, and golf carts are the main form of transportation along the sandy roads. Reef divers drool over the Belize Barrier Reef and the Blue Hole, a 400-feet deep circle of limestone that teems with angelfish, elkhorn coral, cleaner shrimp and stalactites.
Travelers’ Choice Island winners are determined based on the quality and quantity of the most highly-rated hotels, restaurants, and attractions listed for each island on TripAdvisor gathered during a 12-month period.
