History UsefulNotes / Belize

Belize is a very mixed nation. English is the official language, while most of the people speak Kriol, and Spanish is also widely spoken due to a large Mestizo population. Most people in Belize are mixed race, descendant from English speaking settlers, African slaves, and Spanish speaking refugees. The country, generally, has taken very kindly to immigration. It has historically been a very sparsely populated country; from the 1790 census to one taken shortly after WWII, the population grew from 4,000 to 60,000, and that was fueled more by Mexican refugees fleeing the Caste War than anything. As of 2015, it currently stands at 370,000. Compare this with nearby El Salvador, which despite having a smaller territory has no less than 17 times more people (6.3 million as of 2015).

Guatemala was the only nation not to recognize Belize and classified it as a breakaway territory. Negotiations between Guatemala, Belize, and the United Kingdom began. The three nations decided that the original decision was not worth fighting over and in 1991, Guatemala recognized Belize as a sovereign nation. In 1999 however, Guatemala changed its mind and renewed its claim over Belize. Guatemala deployed its army along the border with Belize who responded by placing its army on their side of the border. The British army also still remains in Belize. Why the British don't simply build the railroad so as to make amends is anyone's guess.

The PUP ultimately wanted Belize to become independent but they were hesitant to due to neighboring Guatemala's claim to Belizean sovereignty. Because Belize had only been created because the British agreed to build a railway from Belmopan to Guatemala City, and they did not, the Guatemalan government still believed that the land controlled by Belize was rightfully theirs. In 1972, the British Navy even had to send HMS ''Ark Royal'' in a high-speed dash across the Atlantic to [[GunboatDiplomacy ward off a feared Guatemalan invasion.]] The only reason that Guatemala did not invade the colony was that it would lead to war with Britain, and they were already suffering from problems of their own. Belize did however manage to become entirely independent in 1981 but the British agreed to deploy troops in Belize to protect them.

Many people from British Honduras went to fight in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII as part of the British forces, but after the second world war, the economic situation in the colony had not improved at all. After WWII, many British colonies throughout the world were becoming independent leading to an independence movement in British Honduras and the founding of the 'Peoples United Party (PUP)', which wanted constitutional change for the colony. In 1964 the British colonial office gave the colony some self-governance and the PUP was the first party in office, with George Price as the first prime minister. Price changed the capital from Belize City to Belmopan in 1970 and changed the name of the colony to 'Belize' in 1973.

Many people from British Honduras went to fight in the second world war as part of the British forces, but after the second world war, the economic situation in the colony had not improved at all. After WWII, many British colonies throughout the world were becoming independent leading to an independence movement in British Honduras and the founding of the 'Peoples United Party (PUP)', which wanted constitutional change for the colony. In 1964 the British colonial office gave the colony some self-governance and the PUP was the first party in office, with George Price as the first prime minister. Price changed the capital from Belize City to Belmopan in 1970 and changed the name of the colony to 'Belize' in 1973.

TheGreatDepression of the 1930s crippled the British Honduran economy, which was dependent on selling timber to the British market. Demand for timber in the UK fell and unemployment became widespread. This caused a general sense of resentment towards the government, since the government refused to introduce a minimum wage in the colony, and was generally slow to respond to their demands for change (if they responded at all). In 1931, Belize was further damaged by a hurricane that destroyed parts of Belize City. The government reacted to this poorly and this caused riots throughout British Honduras during 1934. In response to this, the government legalized trade unions.

The Great Depression of the 1930s crippled the British Honduran economy, which was dependent on selling timber to the British market. Demand for timber in the UK fell and unemployment became widespread. This caused a general sense of resentment towards the government, since the government refused to introduce a minimum wage in the colony, and was generally slow to respond to their demands for change (if they responded at all). In 1931, Belize was further damaged by a hurricane that destroyed parts of Belize City. The government reacted to this poorly and this caused riots throughout British Honduras during 1934. In response to this, the government legalized trade unions.

The colonial office began to crack down on British Honduras and took great steps to try and control the colony. They enforced the slavery ban but, although slavery was now illegal, there were still massive inequalities between the former slave-owning landowners and the former slaves. Many former slaves had no choice but to continue working in the logging industry. British Honduras attracted many British businesses, most notably the Belize Estate and Produce Company which bought almost half of the private land in the colony. In the 1860s, British Honduras soon became entirely incorporated into the British Empire, becoming a Crown Colony about a decade later.

In 1823, Central America became independent from Spain and formed the 'United Provinces of Central America'. The territory that the Baymen settlement was on also seceded. In 1835 the British outlawed slavery and wanted to incorporate modern-day Belize into a British colony to enforce this. In 1835, Guatemala became independent and the land was succeeded to them. The unrest throughout Central America, especially La Guerra de las Castas, caused an influx of Spanish-speaking refugees to move to what is now Belize.

UsefulNotes/TheNapoleonicWars in Europe, in which Spain sided with France, increased tension between Britain and Spain resulted in Spain declaring war on Britain in 1797. The Baymen began worrying that the Spanish would attack them and so appealed to the governor of Jamaica, Alexander Lindsay, for help. Lindsay sent a colonel named Thomas Barrow to administrate the settlement. Barrow organized the lawless Baymen and introduced martial law in the settlement. In 1798 Spanish ships tried to force their way into the settlement through the sea but they were fought off by the Baymen on the island of St Georges Caye. The Baymen had given weapons to their slaves and this helped them win the battle (that and the fact that the Spanish sailors all had yellow fever)

The Napoleonic Wars in Europe, in which Spain sided with France, increased tension between Britain and Spain resulted in Spain declaring war on Britain in 1797. The Baymen began worrying that the Spanish would attack them and so appealed to the governor of Jamaica, Alexander Lindsay, for help. Lindsay sent a colonel named Thomas Barrow to administrate the settlement. Barrow organized the lawless Baymen and introduced martial law in the settlement. In 1798 Spanish ships tried to force their way into the settlement through the sea but they were fought off by the Baymen on the island of St Georges Caye. The Baymen had given weapons to their slaves and this helped them win the battle (that and the fact that the Spanish sailors all had yellow fever)

For whatever reason, '''Belize''' is often overlooked and is widely regarded as an obscure Central American nation. But despite being in Central America, Belize is not [[UsefulNotes/LatinAmerica Latin American]] and is often seen as being culturally Caribbean. It's even a member of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbean_Community CARICOM]].

For whatever reason, '''Belize''' is often overlooked and is widely regarded as an obscure Central American nation. But despite being in Central America, Belize is not Latin American and is often seen as being culturally Caribbean. It's even a member of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbean_Community CARICOM]].

For whatever reason, '''Belize''' is often overlooked and is widely regarded as an obscure Central American nation. But despite being in Central America, Belize is not Latin American and is often seen as being Caribbean. It's even a member of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbean_Community CARICOM]].

For whatever reason, '''Belize''' is often overlooked and is widely regarded as an obscure Central American nation. But despite being in Central America, Belize is not Latin American and is usually seen as being Caribbean. It's even a member of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbean_Community CARICOM]].

Not only is Belize in the British Commonwealth but it is also a commonwealth realm, meaning that Belize recognizes [[UsefulNotes/HMTheQueen Queen Elizabeth II]] as its own head of state.

** Monarch: Elizabeth II

* '''Lowest point:''' Caribbean Sea (7,686 m/25,217 ft) (-)