83-708: The Supreme Court of Judicature of Belize is one of three types of courts in Belize , the lower ones being the Magistrate's Courts and the Court of Appeal. It is a court of original jurisdiction in both civil and criminal cases as well as an appellate court . It is governed by the Supreme Court of Judicature Act (SCJA). The Supreme Court consists of three judges. Under Chapter 7 of the Constitution of Belize ,
166-493: A Crown colony in 1862. Belize achieved its independence from the United Kingdom on 21 September 1981. It is the only mainland Central American country which is a Commonwealth realm , with King Charles III as its monarch and head of state , represented by a governor-general . Belize's abundance of terrestrial and marine plants and animals and its diversity of ecosystems, including extensive coral reefs , give it
249-519: A House of Representatives and a Senate . The 31 members of the House are popularly elected to a maximum five-year term and introduce legislation affecting the development of Belize. The governor-general appoints the 12 members of the Senate, with a Senate president selected by the members. The Senate is responsible for debating and approving bills passed by the House. Legislative power is vested in both
332-455: A key place in the globally significant Mesoamerican Biological Corridor . It is considered a Central American and Caribbean nation with strong ties to both the American and Caribbean regions. It has an area of 22,970 square kilometres (8,867 sq mi) and a population of 397,483 (2022). Its mainland is about 290 km (180 mi) long and 110 km (68 mi) wide. It is
415-464: A means through which the middle-class Creoles sought to gain recognition in the society as "true patriots." Today, the event is celebrated as St. George's Caye Day on 10 September. It is considered a national and historic event to recognize the efforts of the Baymen and slaves, as ancestors of Belize. In 1998 Belize issued three coins to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the battle. These consisted of
498-673: A measure declaring that the region should work towards replacing the UK's Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as final court of appeal with the Caribbean Court of Justice. It is still in the process of acceding to CARICOM treaties including the trade and single market treaties. Belize is an original member (1995) of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and participates actively in its work. The pact involves
581-543: A minimum wage. Economic conditions improved during World War II , as many Belizean men entered the armed forces or otherwise contributed to the war effort. Following the war, the colony's economy stagnated. Britain's decision to devalue the British Honduras dollar in 1949 worsened economic conditions and led to the creation of the People's Committee, which demanded independence. The People's Committee's successor,
664-587: A national holiday. It was organized by a Centennial Committee as part of an ethnic and middle-class narrative by Creoles in Belize Town to assert their status as natives and equal partners to the whites in the colony of British Honduras, now Belize. The chief advocates in the committee were Henry Charles Usher, Wilfred A. Haylock, Benjamin Fairweather, and Absalom Hyde. They held that the Battle represented
747-701: A post he would hold under various titles until 1984. Progress toward independence was hampered by a Guatemalan claim to sovereignty over Belizean territory . In 1964 Britain granted British Honduras self-government under a new constitution. On 1 June 1973, British Honduras was officially renamed Belize. Belize was granted independence on 21 September 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation because of its longstanding territorial dispute, claiming that Belize belonged to Guatemala. After independence about 1,500 British troops remained in Belize to deter any possible Guatemalan incursions. With George Cadle Price at
830-534: A settlement at the mouth of the Belize River in 1638. There is no proof that buccaneers settled in this area and the very existence of Wallace is considered a myth. Writers and historians have suggested several other possible etymologies, including postulated French and African origins. The Maya civilization emerged at least three millennia ago in the lowland area of the Yucatán Peninsula and
913-545: Is Charles III , who is the King of Belize . He lives in the United Kingdom, and is represented in Belize by the governor-general . Executive authority is exercised by the cabinet, which advises the governor-general and is led by the prime minister , who is head of government. Cabinet ministers are members of the majority political party in parliament and usually hold elected seats within it concurrent with their cabinet positions. The bicameral National Assembly of Belize comprises
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#1732771903521996-622: Is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America . It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. Belize is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and is considered part of the Caribbean region and the historical British West Indies . The Maya civilization spread into
1079-812: Is a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court . The Belize Defence Force (BDF) serves as the country's military. The BDF, with the Belize National Coast Guard and the Immigration Department, is a department of the Ministry of Defence and Immigration. In 1997 the regular army numbered more than 900, the reserve army 381, the air wing 45 and the maritime wing 36, amounting to an overall strength of approximately 1,400. In 2005,
1162-410: Is divided into six districts . These districts are further divided into 31 constituencies . Local government in Belize comprises four types of local authorities: city councils , town councils , village councils and community councils . The two city councils ( Belize City and Belmopan ) and seven town councils cover the urban population of the country, while village and community councils cover
1245-578: Is the Caribbean Court of Justice 's (CCJ) 2015 order on the Belizean government, which stipulated that the country develop a land registry to classify and exercise traditional governance over Mayan lands. Despite these rulings, Belize has made little progress to support the land rights of indigenous communities; for instance, in the two years after the CCJ's decision, Belize's government failed to launch
1328-461: Is the official language, while Belizean Creole is the most widely spoken dialect. Spanish is the second-most-commonly-spoken language, followed by the Mayan languages , German dialects , and Garifuna . Over half the population is multilingual due to the diverse linguistic backgrounds of the population. It is known for its September Celebrations and punta music . The earliest known record of
1411-407: Is the only Central American country with no Pacific coastline. Battle of St. George%27s Caye The Battle of St. George's Caye was a military engagement that lasted from 3 to 10 September 1798, off the coast of British Honduras (present-day Belize ). However, the name is typically reserved for the final battle that occurred on 10 September. The Spaniards had previously attempted to expel
1494-470: The 1993 national election , and Esquivel became prime minister for a second time. Soon afterwards, Esquivel announced the suspension of a pact reached with Guatemala during Price's tenure, claiming Price had made too many concessions to gain Guatemalan recognition. The pact may have curtailed the 130-year-old border dispute between the two countries. Border tensions continued into the early 2000s, although
1577-603: The Chief Justice is appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister . The PM directly appoints the other two judges, known as Puisne Justices . The Supreme Court has had Chief Justices not only from Belize and other Caribbean countries, but from as far afield as Sierra Leone ( Abdulai Conteh ), Uganda ( Samuel Awich , acting) and Palestine ( Taufik Cotran ). Section 40 of
1660-462: The Maya Mountains , the most important political centre was Lamanai . In the late Classic Era of Maya Civilization (600–1000 AD), an estimated 400,000 to 1,000,000 people inhabited the area of present-day Belize. When Spanish explorers arrived in the 16th century, the area of present-day Belize included at least three distinct Maya territories: Spanish conquistadors explored
1743-784: The Organization of American States (OAS); the Central American Integration System (SICA); the Caribbean Community (CARICOM); the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME); the Association of Caribbean States (ACS); and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which currently serves as a final court of appeal for only Barbados, Belize, Guyana and Saint Lucia. In 2001, the Caribbean Community heads of government voted on
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#17327719035211826-512: The People's United Party (PUP), sought constitutional reforms that expanded voting rights to all adults. The first election under universal suffrage was held in 1954 and was decisively won by the PUP, beginning a three-decade period in which the PUP dominated the country's politics. Pro-independence activist George Cadle Price became PUP's leader in 1956 and the effective head of government in 1961,
1909-517: The Sibun River . Cutting rights were granted to the settlers on condition the settlement be recognized as belonging to Spain; Superintendent Col. Edward Marcus Despard was to administer the terms of the treaty – however, conflicts with inhabitants spurred Despard's resignation. The Treaty of Versailles in 1783 affirmed the boundaries set by the Treaty of Paris to cut logwood and later extended by
1992-564: The United Kingdom ; however, Belize adopted the Caribbean Court of Justice in Trinidad and Tobago as its court of final appeal in 2010. Belize's first courthouse was designed by Gustav Von Ohlafen and built in 1818. The first sitting of the Supreme Court was held therein. An entirely wooden structure, it was destroyed by fire on 17 August 1918; then Governor-General William Hart-Bennett , who had come to render aid in extinguishing
2075-521: The 18th century, the Spanish attacked Belize every time war broke out with Britain. The Battle of St. George's Caye was the last of such military engagements, in 1798, between a Spanish fleet and a force of Baymen and their slaves. From 3 to 5 September, the Spaniards tried to force their way through Montego Caye shoal, but were blocked by defenders. Spain's last attempt occurred on 10 September, when
2158-554: The 1980s this included a battalion and No. 1417 Flight RAF of Harriers. The main British force left in 1994, three years after Guatemala recognized Belizean independence, but the United Kingdom maintained a training presence via the British Army Training and Support Unit Belize (BATSUB) and 25 Flight AAC until 2011 when the last British Forces left Ladyville Barracks, with the exception of seconded advisers. Belize
2241-498: The Baymen repelled the Spanish fleet in a short engagement with no known casualties on either side. The anniversary of the battle has been declared a national holiday in Belize and is celebrated to commemorate the "first Belizeans" and the defence of their territory taken from the Spanish empire. In the early 19th century, the British sought to reform the settlers, threatening to suspend the Public Meeting unless it observed
2324-464: The British were to give up all its other settlements in the region, notably the Mosquito Shore and the island of Roatan. As a result, the inhabitants of these areas had to be evacuated. The British brought them to Belize. There was no longer war between Britain and Spain and they signed the peace Treaty of Versailles on 3 September 1783. The British ships that were sent from Jamaica to assist
2407-608: The Caribbean Forum ( CARIFORUM ) subgroup of the Group of African, Caribbean, and Pacific states (ACP). CARIFORUM presently the only part of the wider ACP-bloc that has concluded the full regional trade-pact with the European Union . The British Army Garrison in Belize is used primarily for jungle warfare training, with access to more than 13,000 square kilometres (5,000 sq mi) of jungle terrain. Belize
2490-518: The Convention of London in 1786. In this treaty, Spain gave permission to the British to cut mahogany and logwood from way down south to the Sibun River. It strongly forbade the British to settle any formal government during the agriculture work. Absolutely no economical activity more than cutting logwood. The Convention of London also specified that in return for the concessions Spain had made,
2573-406: The Court of Appeal hears appeals from convicted individuals seeking to have their sentences overturned. Defendants may, under certain circumstances, appeal their cases to the Caribbean Court of Justice . In 1935, elections were reinstated, but only 1.8 percent of the population was eligible to vote. In 1954, women won the right to vote. Since 1974, the party system in Belize has been dominated by
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2656-604: The Hondo. Upon his return to Spain, hostilities broke out between Great Britain and Spain as a result of the Napoleonic Wars . The Spanish viewed the situation seriously and determined to remove the British. Colonists appealed to Jamaican Lieutenant Governor Alexander Lindsay, 6th Earl of Balcarres , for assistance. Even though he was in the midst of the Maroon Wars , Balcarres nonetheless sent muskets and ammunition to
2739-456: The Maya core culture. Between about 2500 BC and 250 AD, the basic institutions of Maya civilization emerged. The Maya civilization spread across the territory of present-day Belize around 1500 BC, and flourished until around 900 AD. The recorded history of the middle and southern regions focuses on Caracol , an urban political centre that may have supported over 140,000 people. North of
2822-519: The Mayan land registry, prompting the group to take action into its own hands. The exact ramifications of these cases need to be examined. As of 2017 , Belize still struggles to recognize indigenous populations and their respective rights. According to the 50-page voluntary national report Belize created on its progress toward the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Goals , indigenous groups are not factored into
2905-532: The SCJA divides Belize into three districts for judicial purposes, each consisting of two political districts. Section 46 names the place where the Supreme Court shall sit in each district. The districts are: The Supreme Court holds four sessions per year in each of the three districts, for a total of twelve sessions. The court of last resort was formerly the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in
2988-628: The UDP to a third consecutive general election victory in November 2015, increasing the party's number of seats from 17 to 19. He said the election would be his last as party leader and preparations are under way for the party to elect his successor. On 11 November 2020, the People's United Party (PUP), led by Johnny Briceño , defeated the United Democratic Party (UDP) for the first time since 2003, having won 26 seats out of 31 to form
3071-499: The United Kingdom announced that it would end its military involvement in Belize, and the RAF Harrier detachment was withdrawn the same year, having remained stationed in the country continuously since its deployment had become permanent there in 1980. British soldiers were withdrawn in 1994, but the United Kingdom left behind a military training unit to assist with the newly created Belize Defence Force . The UDP regained power in
3154-549: The United Kingdom, Caribbean Community heads of government, the Organization of American States (OAS), Mexico, and the United States. On 15 April 2018, Guatemala's government held a referendum to determine if the country should take its territorial claim on Belize to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to settle the long-standing issue. Guatemalans voted 95% yes on the matter. A similar referendum
3237-457: The Yucatán coast that include Belize. In the mid-17th century some British sailors shipwrecked near the coast and they settled there. They were known as the Baymen and these buccaneer adventurers began to cut logwood in Belize and export them to Europe. The Spaniards never gave up claims on the Belize territory. They returned with 32 vessels, manned by 500 seamen and two thousand soldiers to effect
3320-519: The area of Belize between 1500 BC and AD 300 and flourished until about 1200. European contact began in 1502–04 when Christopher Columbus sailed along the Gulf of Honduras . European exploration was begun by English settlers in 1638. Spain and Britain both laid claim to the land until Britain defeated the Spanish in the Battle of St. George's Caye (1798). It became a British colony in 1840, and
3403-530: The baymen were Merlin , Teazer and Tickler . Dobson, N. (1979) On the morning of 10 September, fourteen of the largest Spaniard ships approached and anchored approximately one mile away from HMS Merlin , the leading vessel that was relocated from Jamaica to assist the Baymen, and the other British seacrafts. Captain John Moss, captain of the Merlin , believed that the Spaniards would wait to attack
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3486-536: The centre-left People's United Party and the centre-right United Democratic Party , although other small parties took part in all levels of elections in the past. Though none of these small political parties has ever won any significant number of seats or offices, their challenge has been growing over the years. Belize is a full participating member of the United Nations ; the Commonwealth of Nations ;
3569-474: The colonists on six occasions, most recently in 1779 . The events of 10 September 1798 marked the final Spanish attempt to take over the area. In Belize, the Battle of St. George's Caye is a national public and bank holiday. The battle took place between an invading force from Mexico, attempting to assert Spanish claims to present-day Belize, and a small force of resident woodcutters called Baymen , who fought for their livelihood assisted by black slaves. After
3652-492: The colony's reliance on the mahogany trade throughout the rest of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. The Great Depression of the 1930s caused a near-collapse of the colony's economy as British demand for timber plummeted. The effects of widespread unemployment were worsened by a devastating hurricane that struck the colony in 1931. Perceptions of the government's relief effort as inadequate were aggravated by its refusal to legalize labour unions or introduce
3735-421: The confused Spaniards. Moss reported no one killed and the Baymen in good spirits. Barrow was dispatched and arrived in time to see the end of the battle and prevent the slave men from boarding the enemy. The Spaniards were in full retreat by 13 September, and Barrow agreed to send vessels to further push the Spaniards back. On the 100th anniversary of the battle, the colonial government declared 9 and 10 September
3818-580: The country's indicators whatsoever. Belize's Maya population is only mentioned once in the entirety of the report. Belize is on the Caribbean coast of northern Central America. It shares a border on the north with the Mexican state of Quintana Roo , on the west with the Guatemalan department of Petén , and on the south with the Guatemalan department of Izabal . To the east in the Caribbean Sea,
3901-477: The country's population (≈154,949 Belizeans) reside in this region. As of 2020 , the border dispute with Guatemala remains unresolved and contentious. Guatemala's claim to Belizean territory rests, in part, on Clause VII of the Anglo-Guatemalan Treaty of 1859 , which obligated the British to build a road between Belize City and Guatemala. At various times, the issue has required mediation by
3984-403: The crews of Towser and Tickler , the rest of the crews consisted of 354 volunteers from the "Colonial Troops". In addition there were 700 troops ready to deter attack by land. From 3 to 5 September, the Spaniards tried to force their way through Montego Caye shoal, blocked by the defenders. The military commanders, Moss and Barrow, differed on where to put their resources for the next phase of
4067-482: The event. The battle started on 3 September 1798 and ended on 10 September. This is where the Baymen won the victory over the Spaniards. After this great defeat, the Spaniards never came back again to Belize. In 1783, hostilities were temporarily halted with signing of the Treaty of Versailles , which conveyed the Baymen rights between the Belize and Hondo rivers; this was extended with the 1786 Convention of London to
4150-536: The expedition, had secured: ...two very large frigates, an armed brig, and two sloops carrying two 100-pounders, and four gunboats carrying each a 24-pounder in bow; with several other armed vessels, arrived... at Campeachy , and taking aboard about 300 troops, then sailed and (made a rendezvous) at the island of Cozumel ;...the two frigates and the brig left the fleet there and as the deserters understood, returned to La Vera Cruz ... A schooner of 22 guns, to which they (the deserters) belonged, then became commodore...All
4233-404: The fight: Barrow thought they would go to the land phase, while Moss decided on defending St. George's Caye. Moss arrived in time to stop the Spaniards, setting the stage for 10 September. At 1:00 p.m. that afternoon, the Spaniards and British lined up off St. George's Caye. The Spaniards stormed through the channel, and at 1:30 engaged the British in a two-hour fight which ended in defeat for
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#17327719035214316-424: The final two and a half-hour battle, ravaged by sickness, the Spaniards withdrew. The control of a territory including portions of what is now known as Belize was contested by Britain and Spain from as early as the mid-1750s. Although never occupying the territory, Spain considered it part of its Central American territories, which then included portions of present-day Mexico and Guatemala . The British had entered
4399-814: The fire, was hit by a flagpole and died of his injuries a few days later. A new reinforced concrete court house was built in 1926 in Belize City . The court also has buildings in other locations outside of Belize City namely, in the Southern Districts Dangriga Town and Punta Gorda Town , The Northern Districts Orange Walk Town and Corozal Town and in Belmopan City in the Cayo District . Belize Belize ( / b ɪ ˈ l iː z , b ɛ -/ , bih- LEEZ , beh- ; Belize Kriol English : Bileez )
4482-494: The following day, however, the attack ensued at 2:30 pm. The conflict launched approximately two hours and a half of action until the Spaniards abruptly cut their cables and departed towards Caye Chapel. The Merlin was unable to chase after them due to the shallow waters. Humphreys relates that in a 1796 visit to the area, Visitador Juan O'Sullivan claimed the British were encroaching on Spanish territory in Mexico by cutting near
4565-505: The following: Merlin , two sloops, Towzer and Tickler , with one 18-pounder gun and 25 men each, and under the command of two merchant captains, Mr. Gelston and Mr. Hosmer, who brought with them some of their crew; Mermaid , with one short 9-pounder and 25 men; the schooners, Swinger and Teazer , with six guns and 25 men each, Swinger having four 6-pounder guns and two 4-pounders, and Teazer six 4-pounders; and eight gun-flats, each with one 9-pounder and 16 men. Except for
4648-581: The government and the Parliament of Belize . Constitutional safeguards include freedom of speech, press, worship, movement, and association. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Members of the independent judiciary are appointed. The judicial system includes local magistrates grouped under the Magistrates' Court, which hears less serious cases. The Supreme Court (chief justice) hears murder and similarly serious cases, and
4731-542: The government's instructions to eliminate slavery outright. After a generation of wrangling, slavery was abolished in the British Empire in 1833. As a result of their enslaved Africans' abilities in the work of mahogany extraction, owners in British Honduras were compensated at £53.69 per enslaved African on average, the highest amount paid in any British territory. This was a form of reparation that
4814-413: The helm, the PUP won all national elections until 1984 . In that election, the first national election after independence, the PUP was defeated by the United Democratic Party (UDP). UDP leader Manuel Esquivel replaced Price as prime minister, with Price himself unexpectedly losing his own House seat to a UDP challenger. The PUP under Price returned to power after elections in 1989 . The following year
4897-463: The heroic contribution of the Baymen and slaves to the colony. In their speeches, they said that had it not been for the Baymen and slaves fighting "shoulder to shoulder" British Honduras would have ended up being a settlement like Cuba or the Philippines. They argued that while the slaves could have escaped, they stayed and defended the settlement. The Centennial celebrations has been interpreted
4980-446: The highlands to the south, in the area of present-day southeastern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala , and western Honduras . Many aspects of this culture persist in the area, despite nearly 500 years of European domination. Prior to about 2500 BC, some hunting and foraging bands settled in small farming villages; they domesticated crops such as corn, beans, squash , and chili peppers. A profusion of languages and subcultures developed within
5063-517: The land and declared it part of the Spanish Empire , but they failed to settle the territory because of its lack of resources and the tribes of the Yucatán defending their land. English pirates sporadically visited the coast of what is now Belize, seeking a sheltered region from which they could attack Spanish ships (see English settlement in Belize ) and cut logwood ( Haematoxylum campechianum ) trees. The first British permanent settlement
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#17327719035215146-578: The least populated and least densely populated country in Central America. Its population growth rate of 1.87% per year (2018 estimate) is the second-highest in the region and one of the highest in the Western Hemisphere . Its capital is Belmopan , and its largest city is the namesake city of Belize City . The country has a diverse society composed of many cultures and languages. It is the only Central American country where English
5229-491: The limitations) of people of African descent in the colony. Because a small elite controlled the settlement's land and commerce, formerly enslaved Africans had little choice but to continue to work in timber cutting. In 1836, after the emancipation of Central America from Spanish rule , the British claimed the right to administer the region. In 1862, the United Kingdom formally declared it a British Crown Colony , subordinate to Jamaica, and named it British Honduras. Since 1854,
5312-430: The maritime wing became part of the Belizean Coast Guard. In 2012, the Belizean government spent about $ 17 million on the military, constituting 1.08% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). After Belize achieved independence in 1981 the United Kingdom maintained a deterrent force (British Forces Belize) in the country to protect it from invasion by Guatemala (see Guatemalan claim to Belizean territory ). During
5395-448: The name "Belize" appears in the journal of the Dominican priest Fray José Delgado, dating to 1677. Delgado recorded the names of three major rivers that he crossed while travelling north along the Caribbean coast: Rio Soyte, Rio Kibum, and Rio Balis. The names of these waterways, which correspond to the Sittee River , Sibun River , and Belize River , were provided to Delgado by his translator. It has been proposed that Delgado's "Balis"
5478-434: The new government of Belize. Briceño took office as Prime Minister on 12 November. In 2023, Belize became the second Central American country to be awarded certification for the elimination of malaria by the WHO . Belize is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy . The structure of government is based on the British parliamentary system, and the legal system is modelled on the common law of England . The head of state
5561-451: The next step being oral arguments from each country's legal teams. Belize backed the United Nations (UN) Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2007, which established legal land rights to indigenous groups. Other court cases have affirmed these rights like the Supreme Court of Belize 's 2013 decision to uphold its ruling in 2010 that acknowledges customary land titles as communal land for indigenous peoples. Another such case
5644-471: The richest inhabitants elected an assembly of notables by censal vote, which was replaced by a legislative council appointed by the British government. As a colony, Belize began to attract British investors. Among the British firms that dominated the colony in the late 19th century was the Belize Estate and Produce Company, which eventually acquired half of all privately held land and eventually eliminated peonage . Belize Estate's influence accounts in part for
5727-460: The rural population. Throughout Belize's history, Guatemala has claimed sovereignty over all or part of Belizean territory. This claim is occasionally reflected in maps drawn by Guatemala's government, showing Belize as Guatemala's twenty-third department . The Guatemalan territorial claim involves approximately 53% of Belize's mainland, which includes significant portions of four districts: Belize, Cayo, Stann Creek, and Toledo. Roughly 43% of
5810-442: The second-longest barrier reef in the world flanks much of the 386 kilometres (240 mi) of predominantly marshy coastline. The area of the country totals 22,960 square kilometres (8,865 sq mi), an area slightly larger than El Salvador , Israel , New Jersey , or Wales . The many lagoons along the coasts and in the northern interior reduces the actual land area to 21,400 square kilometres (8,263 sq mi). It
5893-475: The settlement and a further shipment arrived on Commander Thomas Dundas ' ship HMS Merlin in December 1796. But upon his arrival, Dundas noted panic in the settlement and the subsequent dispatching of slaves to cut logwood instead of preparing to defend the settlement. Balcarres then named Major (promoted to Lieutenant Colonel) Thomas Barrow Superintendent of the settlement. Barrow, a seasoned veteran of war according to Humphreys, immediately began whipping
5976-439: The settlement as a colony for fear of provoking a Spanish attack. This delay in government oversight enabled the settlers to establish their own laws and forms of government. During this period, a few settlers gained control of the local legislature, known as the Public Meeting, as well as of most of the settlement's land and timber. The British did not appoint their first superintendent over the Belize area until 1786. Throughout
6059-405: The small vessels of the fleet were to be sent to Bacalar to assist in embarking the troops at that place, said to consist of 12 companies of 100 men each... This estimate was severely reduced due to outbreaks of yellow fever and dissent in the Spanish army. Nevertheless, it was enough to frighten the Baymen into posting lookouts near the boundaries of the territory. Merlin 's captain in 1798
6142-414: The territory in 1638 to harvest logwood and, later, mahogany . Spain recognized this trade in the Treaty of Paris (signed in 1763 ) but did not end the dispute by ceding interest, delineating boundaries. From 1779 to 1782 the settlement was abandoned, Baymen and their African slaves relocating to Havana , Cuba following a Spanish attack . The Spaniards in the 1500s made constant attempts to control
6225-514: The two countries cooperated in other areas. In 1996, the Belize Barrier Reef , one of the Western Hemisphere's most pristine ecosystems, was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The PUP won a landslide victory in the 1998 national elections, and PUP leader Said Musa was sworn in as prime minister. In the 2003 elections the PUP maintained its majority, and Musa continued as prime minister. He pledged to improve conditions in
6308-428: The underdeveloped and largely inaccessible southern part of Belize. In 2005, Belize was the site of unrest caused by discontent with the PUP government, including tax increases in the national budget. On 8 February 2008, Dean Barrow was sworn in as prime minister after his UDP won a landslide victory in general elections. Barrow and the UDP were re-elected in 2012 with a considerably smaller majority. Barrow led
6391-478: The unruly Baymen into shape, and martial law, stopping all activities in the settlement, was declared on 11 February 1797. On 18 March, magistrates Thomas Potts, Thomas Graham and Marshall Bennett all asked Barrow whether there were any incoming messages from Jamaica. Barrow assured that more help would be on the way soon, to alleviate the fears of the Baymen, but Humphreys calls the actions of Potts and company "cowardly" and says that even after that reassurance morale
6474-414: Was John Moss, a strategist on the order of Barrow. By 18 July the fleet had reached Cozumel , leading the settlers to agree to arm their slaves, an act that affected the outcome of the battle due to the slaves' knowledge of warfare. There were still some who were cautious and demanded evacuation, including Potts, but Balcarres ignored them and imposed martial law on 26 July. The Settlement lineup consisted of
6557-491: Was actually the Mayan word belix (or beliz ), meaning "muddy water", although no such Mayan word actually exists. More recently, it has been proposed that the name comes from the Mayan phrase "bel Itza", meaning "the way to Itza ". In the 1820s, the Creole elite of Belize invented the legend that the toponym Belize derived from the Spanish pronunciation of the name of a Scottish buccaneer , Peter Wallace , who established
6640-553: Was founded around 1716, in what became the Belize District , and during the 18th century, established a system using enslaved Africans to cut logwood trees. This yielded a valuable fixing agent for clothing dyes, and was one of the first ways to achieve a fast black before the advent of artificial dyes. The Spanish granted the British settlers the right to occupy the area and cut logwood in exchange for their help suppressing piracy. The British government did not recognize
6723-401: Was low. Impatient with the plans to defend the settlement, the Baymen called a public meeting for 1 June 1797. At this meeting, the Baymen voted 65 to 51 to defend the settlement and cooperate with Barrow. This initial support wavered considerably between then and September 1798, as reports came in of the size of the Spanish fleet. Don Arturo O'Neill Tirone , Yucatán Governor and Commander of
6806-429: Was not given to the enslaved Africans at the time, nor since. The end of slavery did little to change the formerly enslaved Africans' working conditions if they stayed at their trade. A series of institutions restricted the ability of emancipated African individuals to buy land, in a debt-peonage system. Former "extra special" mahogany or logwood cutters undergirded the early ascription of the capacities (and consequently
6889-482: Was to be held in Belize on 10 April 2019, but a court ruling led to its postponement. The referendum was held on 8 May 2019, and 55.4% of voters opted to send the matter to the ICJ. Both countries submitted requests to the ICJ (in 2018 and 2019, respectively) and the ICJ ordered Guatemala's initial brief be submitted by December 2020 and Belize's response by 2022. On 7 June 2023, the stage of written submissions ended, with
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