According to cheeroutdoor, Belize is a country in Central America on the Caribbean Sea bordering Mexico to the northwest and Guatemala to the west and south. To the east across the Gulf of Honduras, Honduras lies at a distance of 75 km, with the countries closest to each other.
Belize is divided into 6 districts consisting of 31 smaller units, constituencies ( constituencies ): Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek and Toledo.
Belize is the only English-speaking country in Central America, and the country was formerly known as British Honduras . Its current name comes from Belize City and the Belize River. Belize City is the country’s only major city, and also has the country’s most important port and is its former capital. The current capital is called Belmopan.
In the Caribbean Sea off Belize lies the world’s second largest coral reef. Another attraction is the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave.
Belize is home to one of the few jaguar reserves in the world and countless Mayan ruins, the most famous of which is Altun Ha. Many of the ruins have not yet been excavated.
TIMELINE:
1500 FVT-800 EVT – The Mayan civilization dominated Belize.
1123 – Yucatec Mayans overthrow the Tza Mayans.
1487 – Aztecs send spies to Belize to report on trade and political information.
1508 – The first Spanish excursions take place – the Mayans resist their attempts to gain control of the country.
1511 – A Spanish ship under the command of an officer named Valdivia sails from Panama to Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). The boat sank on the road, but Valdivia and 18 of his men managed to escape in a small boat. They stranded on the east coast of Yucatan and were captured. Valdivia and four of his men were sacrificed. Franciscan monk Geronimo de Aguilar and Gonzalo Guerrero were the last to survive. When Hernan Cortez reached the Yucatan in 1519, Aguilar still served a Mayan lord, while Guerrero had married the daughter of Nachan Can, the ruler of Chetumal. (Santa Rica, Corozal).
1544 – Spanish takeover of northern Belize.
1546 – A massive uprising forces the Spaniards to leave Belize.
1547 – The Spanish Pechero cousins and their friends are granted permission to Belize, where they tortured and killed villagers and burned their homes.
1567 – The Spanish of the Yucatan organize a conquest, destroying everything related to the Mayan culture.
1568 – Juan de Garzon’s forces destroy the Mayan communities of Belize as far south as Lake Isobel.
1569 – Dutch arrival, they plunder everything along the coast.
1627-1630 – Famine, locust plague destroyed crops, tens of thousands of Mayans starved to death, cities were abandoned as people had to find somewhere else to eat in the bush.
1636 – Great war between the Mayans and the Spaniards takes place. The following year, the people of Belize were virtually exterminated.
1638 – Mayan political leaders establish new independence movements; piracy along the coast became common.
1639 – Three leaders of the independence movement, Gaspar Puc, Alcalde of Lamani and Dom Luis Kinil, are captured and tortured to death by the Spanish.
1642 – The War of Belize ends, and the country gains independence.
1660 (?) – The British pirate, Bartholomew Sharpe, began harvesting tree trunks; British pirates settled near the coast and sold the tree to England.
1677 – A failed Spanish conquest attempt in the south.
1707 – The Spaniards force Tipu Maya to help fight Itza-Maya, then sell them as slaves.
1821 – Central American territory declares independence from Spain.
1823 – The United States of America is formed as a federal republic with the United States as a model. consisted of the states of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. In the 1830s, another state was added, Los Altos, with the capital of Quetzaltenango and covering parts of what is today the western highlands of Guatemala and the Mexican state of Chiapas.
1840 – Legislation in England is declared to have come into force in Belize.
1862 – Belize is declared a British Crown Colony, and renamed British Honduras.
1929-1930 – The Depression caused declines in imports, reduced export prices, and public finances collapsed.
1931 – A hurricane hits Belize City, killing 2,500 people and ravaging the northern coast.
1950-1960 – Mennonites from Canada immigrated to Belize in search of religious freedom.
1961 – Hurricane Hattie destroys most of Belize City, killing 307.
1964 – New constitution gives Belize full independence; local government management went to Belize ; Britain retained control of defense, foreign policy, internal security, terms and conditions of public service; Governor-General appointed George Price as Prime Minister.
Guatemala threatened war with Britain and mobilized troops at the border. Britain sent a fleet and several thousand soldiers to Belize.
1970 – The capital moves from Belize City to Belmopan.
1973 – The name is changed from British Honduras to Belize.
1975 – Britain sends squadron of Harrior jets to Belize due to tensions with Guatemala.
1979 – El Salvador and Guatemala refugees arrive in Belize.
1981 – Belize becomes independent from Britain. Guatemala protested, refusing to recognize new status; British troops remained to defend the country.
1991 – Guatemala recognizes Belize independence.
1993 – British government announces withdrawal of troops.
1999 – Belize troops kill two Guatemalan civilians in disputed border area.
2000 – Hurricane Keith causes extensive damage, estimated at $ 280 million, with 19 killed.
2001 – US Navy and Coast Guard stop fishing boat with Belize flag, with ten men and 8.8 tons of cocaine 402 km west of Acapulco; Hurricane Iris caused $ 66.2 million in compensation, 22 deaths.
2002 – Belize and Guatemala propose a settlement between the two countries.
2006 – Belize begins commercial exploitation of oil reserves.
2007 – The Organization of American States recommends that the border dispute between Belize and Guatemala be referred to the International Court of Justice.
2009 – Earthquake kills six, injures 40, 20 houses collapse.
