|
|
Article: The Conservative Party's untouchable; TEN THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT BELIZE.(News)
- Article from:
- The Birmingham Post (England)
- Article date:
- July 15, 1999
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Birmingham Post & Mail Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
It's a state in Central America, situated on the Caribbean, flanked to the north and north-west by Mexico and to the south and west by Guatemala.
n Until the ninth century it was the site of a Mayan civilisation and the name Belize is derived from the Mayan word belix meaning "muddy water".
n Its population of 200,000 lives within 8,867 sq miles - an area slightly smaller than Belgium.
n It was colonised by the British from 1638 and until 1973 was known as British Honduras. It was granted internal self-government in 1964 and became an independent ...