Belize: landmarks, animals & facts for kids

Belize is a small country on the Caribbean coast of Central America, bordered by Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the west and south. Its capital is Belmopan, and about 400,000 people live in the country. Belize is famous for its long barrier reef, hundreds of small islands called cayes, rainforests full of wildlife, and ancient Maya cities hidden in the jungle.

On My Earth Toy you can see the Great Blue Hole, a huge, almost perfectly round sinkhole in the sea off the coast. Its deep blue circle, about 300 metres across, stands out sharply against the pale turquoise reef around it.

Geography and nature

The Belize Barrier Reef runs along the whole coast and is the largest barrier reef in the Northern Hemisphere; together with its atolls and islands, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Inland, low coastal plains rise to the Maya Mountains in the south. Rainforests and rivers are home to jaguars, howler monkeys, tapirs and toucans. The Cockscomb Basin was set up as the world's first reserve especially for jaguars.

People, languages and culture

English is the official language, which makes Belize unique in Central America, but many people speak Spanish and Belizean Kriol too. Belize is a mix of cultures, including Mestizo, Creole, Maya, Garifuna and Mennonite communities. Garifuna music, dance and language are recognised by UNESCO. A favourite meal is rice and beans cooked in coconut milk, served with stewed chicken and fried plantain.

History in a nutshell

The Maya built great cities here, such as Caracol, Xunantunich and Altun Ha, which flourished more than a thousand years ago. In the 1600s British loggers settled the coast to cut valuable wood. The area later became the colony of British Honduras. After Hurricane Hattie badly damaged Belize City in 1961, a new capital, Belmopan, was built inland. Belize became independent on 21 September 1981.