A small part of Central America is occupied by the state of Belize. Previously, it was called British Honduras. The eastern shores of the country are washed by the Caribbean Sea. The islands of Belize are striking in their natural beauty.
a brief description of
Almost all of the islands have the prefix "caye" or "cay" in their names. Administratively, Belize is divided into six counties: Toledo, Belize, Corozal, Cayo, Orange Walk and Stan Creek. The main city of the country is Belmopan, which is considered the youngest capital in the world.
Among the islands of Belize, Ambergris Caye can be distinguished, which is 55 km away from the central part. It is the country's largest and most northerly land area in the Caribbean. You can get to it in 1 hour, leaving Belize City by water taxi. The width of the island is 1.6 km and the length is 40 km. The largest city on Ambergris Caye is San Pedro with a population of about 14 thousand people. The airport is located on this island. Divers from all over the world come here, as the Belize Barrier Reef is located near the island. It is second only to the Australian reef in length.
In past centuries, the territory of this state was occupied by the Maya Indians. At the end of the first millennium AD, their number exceeded 400 thousand people. But in the X century, almost all Indians moved to the Yucatan Peninsula, where Mexico is located today. Europeans landed here in the 16th century, when the Mayan tribes still remained here. British Honduras became a British colony in 1862. In those years, the vice-governor was the head of the administration. Today Belize is a monarchy, the executive branch is represented by the government, and the Queen of Great Britain is considered the head. The inhabitants of British Honduras were previously mainly Creoles. Today the population is represented by mestizos, Creoles, Mayans and Garifuna (people of African-Indian descent).
Natural features
The islands of Belize are covered with tropical rainforests. Most of the country is occupied by lowlands, which are interspersed with swampy plains, lagoons and lakes. In the south of Belize, the Mayan mountains are located, reaching 1122 m in height. There is practically no population in this part of the country.
Climatic conditions
The weather conditions in the Belize Islands are influenced by the trade winds. The climate can be described as tropical trade wind. Seasonal temperature changes are insignificant. The average air temperature is +26 degrees. The country is exposed to the negative impact of hurricanes that form over the Caribbean Sea.
