Belize Background Information

Belize Background Information

Overview

Belize is the most accessible tropical wilderness in the western hemisphere. Located on the Caribbean coast of Central America, 750 miles from Miami, Houston and New Orleans, Belize is almost 9,000 sq. miles in areas. Its neighbors are Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the West and South.

Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. Belize's absolute anonymity had been what the country was best known for, for centuries: it was first settled by English and Scottish Pirates in the 17th century. It was not formally named Belize until 1973.

Today, Belize is known as one of the world's leading "ecotourism" destination. The land consists of vast plain of untouched rain forest, endless savannah and mangrove coasts, all containing the greatest variety of animal habitats north of the Amazon Basin. Offshore, Belize's coral reef is the most splendid in the Western hemisphere, second in size and grandeur to Australia's Great Barrier Reef. 

Belize has a subtropical climate, controlled by dominate trade winds from the Caribbean Sea. Unlike America, Belize has only two seasons: the rainy season is from June to January with a brief dry period in August; the dry season is from February to May. It should be stressed that this season allotment is not guaranteed, and torrential tropical downpours can occur at any time of the year.

Belize's population is around 325,000 people, it is also one of the most diverse populations considering how small it is. It is made diverse by its many languages, cultures and ethnicities. About 45% of the population is Roman Catholic, but as Belize welcomes more nationalities into the population the number of religious groups is also increasing. 

Although English is the official language, many mestizos (a person with a mix of Hispanic and Amerindian blood) only speak Spanish, while the increasingly used Creole language has both an English and Spanish version. Creole is popularly referred to as Spanglish since it is more a mixture of English and Spanish than true Creole. As a result, both languages are taught in primary and secondary schools.

Belize has two levels of government: a state government and a single-tier local government. Over the last five years, local councils have been formally established and the trend has been towards greater decentralization and autonomy. Direct election of mayors was introduced in 2000. 

Service Project

The AYS project will take place in the small northern gateway town of Corazol. Because the country is very poor there is very little financial assistance for the schools from the government. We are working with the people of the village to repair their neighborhood elementary school. We will also build an additional room to house computers so the school will qualify for government programs to provide computers to the students. Even though it is a public school it relies on the parents and neighbors to keep the school functioning. AYS will make it possible for this small neighborhood to provide a modern education for their children. AYS volunteers will be laying brick walls, applying stucco, building a tile roof and repairing other sections of the school. Repairs will also be made to some of the outdoor play areas and equipment.