Facts about Belize for Kids

Interesting Belize Facts

Here are some interesting Facts about Belize for Kids which were choosen and reseached by kids especially for kids.

Facts about Belize

Belize flag

• Population: 416,000 people (2024)
• Capital: Belmopan with 27,000 people
• Name: Belize
• Official Language: English
• Religion: Most Belizeans are Christians (87%)

Toucan - National Bird Belize

• Currency: 1 Belize dollar = 100 Belize cents
• National Colours: red, blue and white
• National Bird: toucan
• National Animal: tapir
• National Day: 21 September (Independence Day)
• Motto: "Sub Umbra Floreo" which is Latin and means "Under the shade I flourish"
• History: Indigenous Mayan settlements in the region and date back to 1,500 BCE. Caracol, Lamanai and Lubaantun were the first settlements. The first expeditions by Europeans in the area were in the 15th century. 1502 Christopher Columbus visited the shores of today's Belize. The British founded the first colonial settlements in the country in 1638. Belize was a British colony until 1964 and 1973, the name was changed from British Honduras to Belize. Belize gained full independence from Britain only on 21 September 1981. 
• President: Johnny Briceño

Belize Map 
Where is Belize?

Belize is the smallest country in Central America, which is part of the North American continent. With less than half a million people, Belize is the least populous country in Central America.

Belize lies on the Yucatan peninsula and has a coastline along the Caribbean Sea of the North Atlantic Ocean.

Belize borders two countries: Mexico in the north and Guatemala in the west and in the south. The longerborder Guatemala.

The countries has more than 400 islands, referred to as cayes, along the eastern coastline. These islands are located along the Belize Barrier Reef which is the second largest barrier reef in the world.

Belize Barrier Reef

The origins of the name 'Belize' are unclear, though the most current research suggests that the name Belize was first used by the Mayans meaning "on the way to Itza" (from "bel Itza" in the Mayan language. 

Belize is slightly smaller in area than New Hampshire/ USA or slightly larger in size than Israel.

Belize Facts | Belize Geography

The landscape of Belize is mainly flat and swampy in the North and with low mountains in the South. About 70% of the country is covered by tropical forests.

Rainforest in Belize

There two main rivers in Belize, the Hondo river along the border with Mexico and the Sarstoon river along the border with Guatemala.

Belize is the only Central American country without a coastline along the Pacific Ocean.

Belize Geo Superlatives

• Belize is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world and has vast protected areas.
• Belize houses the second longest barrier reef in the world along its coastline in the Caribbean Sea.
• The Great Blue Hole is a UNESCO heritage site and one of the most famous attractions of Belize. The blue hole is about 124 m/ 407 ft deep and 320 m/ 1050 ft wide. This hole is a natural sinkhole and home to hammerhead sharks and many other marine animals.

Blue Hole in Belize

• The highest mountain peak of Belize is the peak called Doyle's Delight with 1,124 m/ 3,688 ft. 
• Belize is the only country in Central America with English as official language. Belize was formerly known as British Honduras.
• The Lamanai ruins are the oldest continuously inhabited archeological Maya site in the world. The first Maya settlement was already established in 1,000 BCE.

Facts about Belize for Kids
Belize Attractions 

Belize has numerous attractions and landmarks for the whole family to explore. Here are some of most important landmarks of Belize apart from the Great Blue Hole:

Belize Blue Hole is a major landmark of Belize

Cay Caulker - image by Aleksandar Todorovic

Altun Ha - Temple of the Sun God - image by Paul Harding

Mask temple in Belize

Diving on the Belize Barrier Reef

Xunantunich - Mayan ruins

Belize Facts for Kids | People

More than half of the people in Belize live in rural areas. Belize City is the largest city of the country with about 60,000 inhabitants.

Belize City

Belize has the lowest population density of the countries in Central America. The population is rich in diverse cultures and languages. The Belizean population is made up of Maya, Mestizo, Kriol, Garifuna, East Indian, Mennonite, Arab and Chinese people amongst many more indigenous groups.

Belize School by OLya_L

Belize is amongst the countries with the youngest population in North America. The median age of the population is 26.8 years, compared to 38.5 years in the USA or 40.6 years in Canada.

Facts about Belize | Language

Although the official language in Belize is English, and this is the only country in Central America with English as official language, there is a variety of languages spoken.

Many Belizeans also speak Kriol or Spanish. There are 23 indigenous languages, among them are Garifuna, Maya-Kekchi and Mopan. Kriol or Belizean Creole words are a mix of English and many West African languages that were spoken by the slaves that were brought to the country from Africa.

Belize Carnival in September - image by JC Cuellar/ shutterstock.com

"Good morning" in Kriol is "Gud Mawnin". Belizean Creole is spoken by about half the population.

Facts about Belize for Kids
Belize Economy

The main agricultural products in Belize are sugarcane, bananas, rice, bean and citrus fruits. 

Marketstall in Belize - image by Ian Peter Morton

The natural resources of Belize are petroleum and agricultural products such as sugar and bananas or shellfish.

Important trading partners of Belize are the USA, the UK, China, Guatemala and Mexico.

Food in Belize

The Belizean cuisine is varied and traditional dishes of Central America contain rice and beans as well as squash. Tamales, wraps filled tomatoes, meat and olives as well and corn tortillas and are very popular too.

Meat does not get wasted as Belizeans dishes also include pigtail, gibnut (paca) or cow's and chicken feet such as in the unique cow foot soup.

Typical Belizean dishes include:

• Tamales: corn dough pockets filled with meat and tomatoes. These dough pockets are wrapped in plantain leaves and then steamed.
• Cow Foot Soup: slow cooked soup with cow's feet, vegetables such as cassava and okra is usually served with coconut rice
• Chimole: black soup made with the black seasoning of burnt tortillas is usually served with coconut rice or corn tortillas 
• Breadfruit: fried or steamed breadfruit slices taste a bit like potato fries

Fried Breadfruit

• Seaweed shake: made with evaporated milk, condensed milk, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg are very nutritious
  
• Mangos: Belize grows about 50 types of mango fruit and celebrated mango season with a special Mango festival every year in June.

Facts about Belize | Animals in Belize

Belize is one of the countries in the Americas with the most protected areas. There are more than 5,000 species of plants and there are about 150 mammal species and more than 540 bird species.

The Belize Barrier Reef houses one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world. This barrier reef is home to more than 500 fish species and 70 hard coral species and 36 soft coral species.

Green moray eel amidst corals

However, only a small amount of species has been discovered and research shows that about 90% of all species on the barrier reef still need to be recorded.

The colourful toucan is the national bird and the tapir is the national animal of Belize.

Tapir with calf

There are many fascinating animal species in Belize such as the jaguars and jaguarundis, cougars, racoons, giant ant eaters, coyotes and pacas (gibnut) which is a rodent or lowland rat. Among the marine animals are the killer whales, bottlenose dolphins and the hammerhead sharks.

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We hope you enjoyed reading our Facts about Belize for Kids. Make sure to bookmark this page, as we plan to add on more information. Feel free to contact us if your school would like to work on a school project about Belize (animals, food, people, traditions, games, sport etc.) with us.

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Belize Facts for Kids | Resources

• Central Intelligence Agency. "Belize." WorldFactBook. Last updated 22 May 2024. Last accessed 29 May 2024
• Belize Tourism Board. "Belize Barrier Reef". TravelBelize.org. Last accessed 29 May 2024
• UNESCO. "Belize Barrier Reef System." WHC.UNESCO. Last accessed 30 May 2024
• Steven Mellard. "Lamanai ruins" Themayanruninswebsite. Last accessed 30 May 2024.

Picture credits on Belize Facts for Kids: Shutterstock.com

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