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Photo: CadabraPuppet, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.Test your knowledge of Belize! From its ancient Maya cities and Caribbean islands to its unique wildlife and rich cultural history, see how much you know about this tropical gem.
Island Curious 0–4 · Reef Rambler 5–8 · Caye Connoisseur 9–10
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Belize shares a 266-kilometer land border with Guatemala to its west and south. Although Honduras is located nearby across the Gulf of Honduras, the two countries do not share a land border. This unique geography makes Belize the only country in Central America that does not have a coastline on the Pacific Ocean, facing only the Caribbean Sea.
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Belmopan was founded as a planned city in 1970 after Hurricane Hattie nearly destroyed the former coastal capital, Belize City, in 1961. Located further inland to ensure safety from tropical storms, it is one of the smallest capital cities in the world by population. A fun detail is that its name is a blend of two words: 'Belize' and 'Mopan', which is a local river.
Photo: CadabraPuppet, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Belize was known as British Honduras from 1862 until 1973, when its name was officially changed back to Belize. It was Great Britain's last continental colony in the Americas. Interestingly, despite the name change in 1973, full independence was delayed for another eight years due to territorial disputes with neighboring Guatemala.
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In 1986, scientists convinced the government of Belize to protect the Cockscomb Basin, and it became the world's first protected area for the jaguar. The jungle there is home to all five wild cats of Belize. Spotting a jaguar is rare, but hikers often find their footprints on the muddy trails.
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The mahogany tree is so central to Belize's history that it is featured on the national coat of arms under the motto 'Under the Shade We Flourish.' British settlers originally arrived to harvest logwood for dye, but soon shifted to the highly valuable mahogany timber for shipbuilding and furniture. Today, logging is strictly regulated to protect these giants.
Photo: G-Lignum, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
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The Garifuna people are descendants of West African, Carib, and Arawak ancestors who arrived on the coast of Belize in the early 19th century. Their vibrant language, music, and dance were declared a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2001. November 19th is celebrated as a national holiday in Belize to honor their arrival.
Photo: Agostino Brunias (ca. 1730 – 2 April 1796), Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.
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Baird's tapir is the largest native land mammal of Central and South America, about the size of a small donkey. Despite its nickname it is no cow at all: its closest living relatives are horses and rhinos.
Photo: Rhododendrites, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Caracol was once one of the most powerful cities in the Maya world, covering an area larger than modern Belize City. Its massive pyramid, Caana, rises about 43 meters high and still stands as one of the tallest human-made structures in Belize today. Archaeologists believe that at its peak around 650 AD, the city housed over 100,000 people.
Photo: Pgbk87, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
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The Great Blue Hole is a massive underwater sinkhole that lies near the center of Lighthouse Reef, about 70 kilometers from the mainland. It spans over 300 meters across and is roughly 124 meters deep. French explorer Jacques Cousteau famously declared it one of the top scuba diving sites in the world, which helped put Belize on the global tourism map.
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.
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The Belize Dollar is pegged to the United States Dollar at a fixed rate of exactly two Belize dollars to one US dollar. This peg makes it incredibly easy for American tourists to visit, as US currency is widely accepted everywhere in the country. Most businesses will happily take US bills and give you change in Belizean dollars at the standard rate.
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