an Independent Belize. Constitutional reforms were initiated in 1954 and resulted in a new constitution ten years later. Britain granted British Honduras self-government in 1964, and the head of the PUP—independence leader George Price—became the colony's prime minister. British Honduras was officially renamed Belize in 1973. Progress toward independence, however, was hampered by a Guatemalan claim to sovereignty over the territory of Belize. When Belize finally attained full independence on September 21, 1981, Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation. About 1,500 British troops remained to protect Belize from the Guatemalan threat. With Price at the helm, the PUP won all elections until 1984. In that election, first national election after independence, the PUP was defeated by the United Democratic Party (UDP), and UDP leader Manuel Esquivel replaced Price as prime minister. Price returned to power after elections in 1989. Guatemala's president formally recognized Belize's independence in 1992. The following year the United Kingdom announced that it would end its military involvement in Belize. All British soldiers were withdrawn in 1994, apart from a small contingent of troops who remained to train Belizean troops. The UDP regained power in the 1993 national election, and Esquivel became prime minister for a second time. Soon afterward Esquivel announced the suspension of a pact reached with Guatemala during Price's tenure, claiming Price had made too many concessions in order to gain Guatemalan recognition. The pact would have resolved a 130-year-old border dispute between the two countries. Border tensions continued into the early 2000s, although the two countries cooperated in other areas. 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 the underdeveloped and largely inaccessible southern part of Belize. In 2005, Belize was the site of unrest caused by discontent with the People's United Party government, including tax increases in the national budget. On February 8, 2008, Dean Barrow of the UDP was sworn in as Belize's first black prime minister. Throughout Belize's history, Guatemala has claimed ownership of all or part of the territory. This claim is occasionally reflected in maps showing Belize as Guatemala's twenty-third department. As of March 2007, the border dispute with Guatemala remains unresolved and quite contentious;[8][9] at various times the issue has required mediation by the United Kingdom, Caribbean Community heads of Government, the Organization of American States, Mexico, and the United States. Since independence, a British garrison has been retained in Belize at the request of the Belizean government. Notably, both Guatemala and Belize are participating in the confidence-building measures approved by the OAS, including the Guatemala-Belize Language Exchange Project.[10] Sport Main article: Sport in Belize The major sports in Belize are Football (Soccer), Basketball, Volleyball and Cycling, with smaller followings of Boat racing, Track & Field, Softball and Cricket. The Cross Country Cycling Classic, also known as the "cross country" race or as Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic, is considered to be one of the most important Belize sports events. This one-day sports event is meant for amateur cyclists but has also gained a worldwide popularity. This cycling event in Belize has seven categories based on the age, gender and the route that has to be taken. Action packed and thrilling, this sporting event in Belize is one of the most interesting activities that tourists and visitors from all over the world like to participate in. The cycling routes offer enchanting and mesmerizing views across the meandering rivers and the resplendent greenery of the forest areas. This makes the event even more popular among the tourists. The history of Cross Country Cycling Classic in Belize dates back to the period when Monrad Metzgen picked up the idea from a small village in the Northern highway. The people in this village used to cover miles on their bicycles to attend the weekly game of cricket in the Belizean villages. He improvised on this observation and added thrill by sowing the idea of a sporting event in the difficult regions of western highways, which was then poorly built. Geography Main article: Geography of Belize Belize Topography Map of Belize Big Rock Falls in the Cayo District. Belize is located 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, 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 (8,860 sq mi), an area slightly larger than El Salvador or Massachusetts. The abundance of lagoons along the coasts and in the northern interior reduces the actual land area to 21,400 square kilometres (8,300 sq mi). Belize is shaped like a rectangle that extends about 280 kilometres (170 mi) north-south and about 100 kilometres (62 mi) east-west, with a total land boundary length of 516 kilometres (321 mi). The undulating courses of two rivers, the Hondo and the Sarstoon, define much of the course of the country's northern and southern boundaries. The western border follows no natural features and runs north-south through lowland forest and highland plateau.The north of Belize consists mostly of flat, swampy coastal plains, in places heavily forested. The flora is highly diverse considering the small geographical area. The south contains the low mountain range of the Maya Mountains. The highest point in Belize is Doyle's Delight at 1,124 m (3,690 ft).[11] The Caribbean coast is lined with a coral reef and some 450 islets and islands known locally as Cayes (pronounced "keys"). They total about 690 square kilometres (270 sq mi), and form the approximately 320-kilometre (200 mi) long Belize Barrier Reef, the longest in the Western Hemisphere and the second longest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef. Three of the four coral atolls in the Western Hemisphere are also located off the coast of Belize. Belize has a tropical climate with pronounced wet and dry seasons, although there are significant variations in weather patterns by region. Temperatures vary according to elevation, proximity to the coast, and the moderating effects of the northeast trade winds off the Caribbean. Average temperatures in the coastal regions range from 24 °C (75 °F) in January to 27 °C (81 °F) in July. Temperatures are slightly higher inland, except for the southern highland plateaus, such as the Mountain Pine Ridge, where it is noticeably cooler year round. Overall, the seasons are marked more by differences in humidity and rainfall than in temperature. Average rainfall varies considerably, ranging from 1,350 millimetres (53 in) in the north and west to over 4,500 millimetres (180 in) in the extreme south. Seasonal differences in rainfall are greatest in the northern and central regions of the country where, between January and April or May, fewer than 100 millimeters of rain fall per month. The dry season is shorter in the south, normally only lasting from February to April. A shorter, less rainy period, known locally as the "little dry", usually occurs in late July or August, after the initial onset of the rainy season. Hurricanes have played key—and devastating—roles in Belizean history. In 1931 an unnamed hurricane destroyed over two-thirds of the buildings in Belize City and killed more than 1,000 people. In 1955 Hurricane Janet leveled the northern town of Corozal. Only six years later, Hurricane Hattie struck the central coastal area of the country, with winds in excess of 300 kilometres per hour (190 mph) and 4-metre (13 ft) storm tides. The devastation of Belize City for the second time in thirty years prompted the relocation of the capital some eighty kilometers inland to the planned city of Belmopan. Hurricane Greta caused more than US$25 million in damages along the southern coast in 1978. On October 9, 2001, Hurricane Iris made landfall at Monkey River Town as a 145 mph Category Four storm. The storm demolished most of the homes in the village, and destroyed the banana crop. According to the most recent vegetation surveys, about sixty percent (60%) of Belize is forested, with only about twenty percent (20%) of the country's land subject to human uses (such as agricultural land and human settlements). Savanna, scrubland and wetland constitute extensive parts of the land. As a result, Belize's biodiversity is rich, both marine and terrestrial, with a host of flora and fauna. About thirty-seven percent (37%) of Belize's land territory falls under some form of official protected status. Although a number of economically important minerals exist in Belize, none has been found in quantities large enough to warrant their mining. These minerals include dolomite, barite (source of barium), bauxite (source of aluminum), cassite (source of tin), and gold. In 1990 limestone, used in roadbuilding, was the only mineral resource being exploited for either domestic or export use. The similarity of Belizean geology to that of oil-producing areas of Mexico and Guatemala prompted oil companies, principally from the United States, to explore for petroleum at both offshore and on-land sites in the early 1980s. Initial results were promising, but the pace of exploration slowed later in the decade, and production operations had been halted. As a result, Belize remains almost totally dependent on imported petroleum for its energy needs. In 2006, the cultivation of newly discovered Crude Oil in the town of Spanish Lookout, has presented new prospects and problems for this developing nation.[12] The country also possess considerable potential for hydroelectric and other renewable energy resources, such as solar and biomass. In the mid-1980s, one Belizean businessman even proposed the construction of a wood-burning power station for the production of electricity, but the idea foundered in the wake of ecological concerns and economic constraints. Economy Main article: Economy of Belize Agriculture is an important and consistent sector of the economy. Oil barge being loaded at Big Creek Port. Crude oil is a potentially lucrative resource of Belize. Overview Belize has a small, essentially private enterprise economy that is based primarily on agriculture, agro-based industry, and merchandising, with tourism and construction recently assuming greater importance. In 2006, the cultivation of newly discovered Crude Oil in the town of Spanish Lookout, has presented new prospects and problems for this developing nation.[13] It has yet to be seen if significant economic expansion will be made by this. To date, oil production equal 3,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) and oil exports equal 1,960 bbl/day (2006 est.). Sugar, the chief crop, accounts for nearly half of exports, while the banana industry is the country's largest employer.[14] The trade deficit has been growing, mostly as a result of low export prices for sugar and bananas.[citation needed] The new government faces important challenges to economic stability. Rapid action to improve tax collection has been promised, but a lack of progress in reining in spending could bring the exchange rate under pressure. The tourist and construction sectors strengthened in early 1999, leading to a preliminary estimate of revived growth at 4%. Since independence, the Belize Dollar is fixed to the U.S. dollar at a rate of two Belize Dollars per U.S. dollar.[citation needed] Infrastructure continues to be a major challenge for the economic development of Belize.[15] Belize has the most expensive electricity in the region. Trade is important and the major trading partners are the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, European Union, and Central America.[15] Banking Belize has five commercial banks, of which the largest and oldest is Belize Bank. The other four banks are Alliance Bank of Belize, Atlantic Bank, FirstCaribbean International Bank, and Scotiabank (Belize). Tourism and Ecotourism Main article: Tourism in Belize A combination of natural factors-- climate, the Belize Barrier Reef, 127 offshore Cayes (islands), excellent fishing, safe waters for boating, scuba diving, and snorkeling, numerous rivers for rafting, and kayaking, various jungle and wildlife reserves of fauna and flora, for hiking, bird watching, and helicopter touring, as well as many Maya ruins-- support the thriving tourism and ecotourism industry. It also has the largest cave system in Central America . Development costs are high, but the Government of Belize has designated tourism as its second development priority after agriculture. In 2007, tourist arrivals totaled 251,655 (more than 210,000 from the U.S.) and tourist receipts amounted to $183.3 million. San Pedro Beach in Ambergris Caye "El Castillo", Xunantunich, the second tallest structure in Belize (after the temple at Caracol), at some 130 feet (40 m) tall.[16] The Maya pyramid "Caana" at Caracol, Cayo District The Great Blue Hole, located near Ambergris Caye, Belize Panoramic view of the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve's numerous mountains Big Rock Falls Resort in Placencia, Belize. North Side of Belize City, Belize Attractions Belize District Altun Ha The Great Blue Hole La Isla Bonita Ambergris Caye Hol Chan Marine Reserve Museum of Belize Fort Street Tourism Village The Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts Old Belize Museum and Cucumber Beach. The Belize Zoo (Called, "The Best little zoo in the world") Caye Caulker Belikin Beer Brewery San Pedro Town Numerous Cayes (islands) Stann Creek District Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Jaguar Reserve Placencia Hopkins Victoria Peak Tobacco Caye Numerous Cayes Orange Walk District Lamanai San Estevan (Maya site) Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area Cayo District Caracol Xunantunich Cahal Pech El Pilar Blue Hole (park) Guanacaste National Park Chiquibul National Park Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve Barton Creek Cave and Actun Tunichil Muknal (cave) 1,000 ft. Falls Chaa Creek Big Rock Falls Belize Botanic Gardens Doyle's Delight, Belize's highest point at 1,124 m (3,688 ft). Toledo District Lubaantun Nim Li Punit Payne's Creek National Park San Antonio, Santa Cruz and Rio Blanco Falls Blue Creek Education Main article: Education in Belize Transport Main article: Transport in Belize Politics Dean Oliver Barrow, Belizean Prime Minister. Main article: Politics of Belize Belize is a parliamentary democracy, a Commonwealth realm, and therefore a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The structure of government is based on the British parliamentary system, and the legal system is modeled on the common law of Great Britain. The current head of state is Elizabeth II, Queen of Belize. Since the Queen primarily resides in the United Kingdom, she is represented in Belize by the Governor-General. However, the cabinet, led by the Prime Minister of Belize, who is head of government, acting as advisors to the Governor-General, in practice exercise executive authority. 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 is composed of a House of Representatives and a Senate. The thirty-one 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 twelve 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. Belize is a full participating member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Districts and constituencies Districts of Belize Main articles: Districts of Belize and Constituencies of Belize Belize is divided into 6 districts: Belize District Cayo District Corozal District Orange Walk District Stann Creek District Toledo District These districts are further divided into 31 constituencies. Demographics Main articles: Demographics of Belize and Belizean people Typical Saturday market day in Punta Gorda, Belize Wilfred Peters and Leela Genus Vernon dancing the Kriol Brukdown Garifuna Settlement Day celebration in Punta Gorda, Belize Parade in San Pedro, Belize Colonisation, slavery, and immigration have played major roles in affecting the ethnic composition of the population and as a result, Belize is a country with numerous cultures, languages, and ethnic groups.[17][18][19] The country's population is currently estimated to be a little over 320,000.[20] Mestizos comprise about 34% of the population, Kriols 25%, Spanish 15%, Maya 11%, and Garinagu 6%.[21] Maya and early settlers The Maya are thought to have been in Belize and the Yucatán region since the second millennium BC; however, much of Belize's original Maya population was wiped out by disease and conflicts between tribes and with Europeans. Three Maya groups now inhabit the country: The Yucatec (who came from Yucatán, Mexico to escape the Caste War of the 1840s), the Mopan (indigenous to Belize but were forced out by the British; they returned from Guatemala to evade slavery in the 19th century), and Kekchi (also fled from slavery in Guatemala in the 19th century).[22] The latter groups are chiefly found in the Toledo District. White, initially Spanish conquistadors explored and declared the land a Spanish colony but chose not to settle due to the lack of resources such as gold. Later English and Scottish settlers and pirates known as the "Baymen" entered the area in the 16th and 17th century respectively and established a logwood trade colony.[23] Kriols By 1724, the Baymen began importing African slaves who spent brief periods in Jamaica, the Miskito Coast of Nicaragua and elsewhere in the Western Caribbean to cut logwood and later mahogany. They led a better life than their fellows in the West Indies, but were still mistreated, systematically raped and bullied. Even so, these slaves assisted in the defence of the fledgling settlement for much of the late 1700s, particularly in the 1798 Battle of St. George's Caye. Due to the lack of women in the colony, slave women Intermingling with the Baymen whites was very common. This mixture created the Kriol ethnic group, accounting for as much as 60% of the colony's population until independence in 1981.[24] Today, identifying as a Kriol may confuse some; a blonde, blue-eyed Kriol is not an uncommon sight as the term also denotes a culture that distinguishes more than physical appearance.[25] Kriol was historically only spoken by them, but this ethnicity has become synonymous with the Belizean national identity, and as a result it is now spoken by about 75% of Belizeans.[21][26] Found predominantly in urban areas such as Belize City, this group is also found in most coastal and central and towns and villages.[21] Garinagu The Garinagu, (singular Garifuna) are a mix of African, Arawak, and Carib ancestry. Throughout history they have been incorrectly labeled as Black Caribs. When the British took over Saint Vincent after the Treaty of Paris in 1763, they were opposed by French settlers and the