NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
The Country of Belize is located in Central America along the Eastern or Caribbean coast. The Country shares the northern and western border with Mexico and southern border with Guatemala. The Inner coastal waters are shallow and sheltered by a line of coral reefs, (at 180 miles the 2 nd largest in the world), the country has over 200 islands, atolls, and islets called Cayes. Belize covers 8, 866 miles of territory. The mainland is approximately 180 miles long and 68 miles wide. Although the mainland has a low coastal plain covered with mangrove wetlands, the land rises gradually towards the interior.
The Southern sector of the country forms its backbone with the Maya Mountains and the Cockscomb range, with the highest point being 3, 699 feet. The Cayo District, which is located in Western Belize, includes the Mountain Pine Ridge, which are 305 to 914 meters above sea level. The Northern districts contain many rivers, waterfalls, creeks, and lagoons. However, a large part of the mainland consists of tropical forest.
Ambergris Caye is the largest of all the Cayes (islands) of Belize. It is twenty-five miles long and over four miles in width. Ambergris Caye has a town (San Pedro) within the island. This area is best known for scuba diving and snorkeling. Caye Caulker is the second largest of Belize Cayes, which lies northeast of Belize City and south of Ambergris Caye. This island is four miles long and has a population of 1000 people.
This island is best known as a fishing community. Belize District is the largest city in Belize, but is no longer the nations capital. The population is over 60, 000. The city has its own Tropical Education Center and Belize Zoo.
The Cayo District, the frontier of Belize, is also the new nations capital. Located here are the cowboys on horseback. In the Cayo District there are several towns, including Belmopan which is located 50 miles west of Belize City. San Ignacio is the largest city in Cayo with population of about 10, 000. The Stann Creek District is located in Southern Belize with an 11 -mile strip of land. Stann Creek District is best known for its beaches, islands, jungles, and jaguars.
The Orange Walk District the agricultural center that produces dairy products, citrus fruits, sugar and beef, and process Belize's famous rum. Within Orange Walk District, lies Belize most important nature reserve, the Rio Bravo Conversation and Management Area. This reserve is about 280, 000 acres. The Coral District has a population of 9, 000 people, consisting mostly of refugees fleeing from the civil war between the Mestizos and Mexico Indians. The town was built by these people and Spanish is the language spoken there. The Toledo District is located 200 miles from Belize City in the southern sector of the country.
The population is less than 4000 people, and within the town lies rich culture rather than luxury. Belize is subtropical, and the average temperature is 80 degrees. However, the temperature varies from 50 - 95 degrees. Most of the year the winds cool the coastal areas and Cayes, with the exception of a few weeks in August or September. From November through May is the dry season, and the rainy season is from June through November. In the Northern Cayes of Belize, severe droughts can occur.
Hurricane season is typically in August or September. The average rainfall for this country ranges from 60 inches in the North to 150 inches in the South. The water temperature averages between 79 and 83 degrees F. Belize population is approximately 200, 000 and a very diverse environment also. The ethnic groups consist of Creoles (African-European), Mestizo (Spanish-Indian), Garifuna (African-Indian), Mayan (Anglo-European), Middle Eastern, and Asian.
History of Belize Prior to the 1900 s For hundred of years Belize was heavily populated by the Maya Indians, whose relatively advanced civilization reached its height between AD 300 and 900. The Maya Indians built elaborate cites and temples, created advanced mathematics, astronomy, engineering, and art. Due to things like war, drought, rebellion, religious and cultural conflicts, the civilization began to collapse and many of the people migrated. In 1502, Columbus sailed into and named the Bay of Honduras but he did not actually visit the area later known as British Honduras. Shipwrecked British sailors established the first recorded European settlement in 1683. These were later augmented by disbanded British soldiers and sailors after the capture of Jamaica from Spain in 1655.
The settlement, whose main activity was logwood cutting, had a troubled history during the next 150 years. It was subjected to numerous attacks from neighboring Spanish settlements. It was only in 1763 that Spain, in the Treaty of Paris, allowed the British settlers to engage in the logwood industry. The Treaty of Versailles reaffirmed this in 1783 and the area of logwood concessions was extended by the Convention of London in 1786. But Spanish attacks continued until a decisive victory was won by settlers, with British naval support, in the Battle of St.
Georges Caye in 1798. After the British control over the settlement gradually increased and in 1862 British Honduras was formally declared a British Colony. From an early date the settlers had governed themselves under a system of primitive democracy by Public Meeting. A constitution based on a system was granted in 1765 and this, with some modification, continued until 1840 when an executive council was created.
The Crown Colony system of government was introduced in 1871, and the Legislative Assembly by its own vote was replaced by a nominated Legislative Council with an official majority which was presided over by the Lieutenant Governor. The administrative connection with Jamaica was severed in 1884, when the title of Lieutenant Governor was changed to that of Governor. History of Belize - 1900 to present day During the 1900 s, the territory known as Belize was under constant dispute between British Honduras and Guatemala. In 1919, there was a disastrous fire which destroyed all of the government buildings, including the Court House and the Post Office. On December 30, 1927, Col.
Charles Lindbergh visited Belize in his Ryan monoplane "The Spirit of St. Louis. " He flew from St. Louis to Mexico City, then to Guatemala City and on to Belize. There were preliminary negotiations in 1929 between Guatemala and Belize on where the boundaries were, and they came to an agreement that monuments would determine part of the boundary line between British Honduras and the Republic of Guatemala. In 1934, the British having offered to build a road from the city of Belize to the frontier land if Guatemala, agreed to build a connecting road on their side, but this as well as other agreements that were trying to be made, all fell through. 1939 saw more of the same types of arbitration trying to be made and ending in the same type of conclusion. In 1940, Guatemala claimed for the first time the whole of British Honduras as part of Guatemala.
Guatemala enacted her Constitution of 1945 including Belize as part of her territory, which included teaching in the schools, placed in her maps, on stamps, and even kept vacant seats in her Assembly for representatives of her Department. During the time period of 1955 the signatories of the Central American Republics all supported the declaration of Antigua of 1955 - claiming that the territory of Belize is an integral part of Guatemala. This in turn sparked Mexico into claiming that they too had legal and territorial rights over part of that territory as well. 1960 was the year that Belize started to see some progress as to becoming a independent country, since the General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. During the next 21 years, Belize finds that gaining independence is an uphill battle. One of the first steps achieved on their road to independence was the achieving of internal self-government in 1964 and trying to come to terms with all parties that had an interest in Belize. Proposal after proposal was submitted for approval, and every time it failed to met all parties' requirements or compromising terms.
The General Assembly of the United Nations passed a resolution in 1965 affirming Belize's right to a secure independence with all its territory and declare that any proposal that may emerge from negotiations between Britain and Guatemala must respect this right. Belize first received backing from Britain and now it needed backing from all other nations to back them in obtaining their right to independence. Belize gained ground in acquiring support to become independent and in 1981, Britain prevailed in obtaining a signed document agreeing to recognize the Independent State of Belize and respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity in accordance with existing and traditional factors. Although Belize secured independence and territorial integrity there was a claim filed in 1985 which prohibited Belize from joining the OAS, (Organization of the American States).
It was declared that in 5 years time that the claim would be suspended if there were no additional claims filed, and in 1991 Belize became a member of the OAS. In August of 1991, the Guatemalan government stated that they would not recognize Belize as an independent state until all claims of disputed territories were settled and they would use every legal means necessary to complete this claim. In September of the same year, the British government issued a statement that they would contribute $ 22. 5 million dollars for launching a joint project to renew and extend the road network linking the two countries, this in turn helped sway the Guatemalan government to establish full diplomatic relations with Belize. The President of Guatemala declared the independence of Belize without consulting congress in 1991 and that it might have violated that the Guatemala Constitution. In 1992, it was put to a vote and although it did not violate the Guatemalan Constitution, it referred several matters to the Guatemalan Congress. In an attempt to relinquish the claim on Belize, the President declared that they would relinquish the claim on Belize.
This in turn had the President of Guatemala ousted one week later and several petitions declaring that the President committed treason for declaring the independent state of Belize. The present Guatemalan Government is in the same position that it was in back in 1990, in which they hold the stance that it acknowledges the interim agreement, but does not agree to be bound by them until there is a final treaty resolving the claim. Today the stance of these two governments is one of not talking to one another and no initiation to do so has been made as of recent and the issue still remains unresolved. For most Belizean's, the presence of so many elements found different ethnic groups in their country is as much a national treasure as the Barrier Reef or Mayan ruins. Generations of racial mixing have made it impossible to describe the "typical" Belizean - only a typical room full of Belizean's, whose physical characteristics range from the very darkest to the lightest skin tones, and every imaginable hair and eye color.
Even within a single family there is likely to be considerable variation, since the grandparents usually boast ancestors from several continents. But despite the blurring of racial lines, most Belizean's identify themselves with one particular ethnic group. Belize is not so much a melting pot of cultures as a salad where each element lends a certain flavor or spice to the mix. From an early age, Belizean's are encouraged to feel proud of their own racial traditions and appreciate those of others. "Cultural Presentations, " displaying the music, dance, and dress of the elements of Belizean society, are a regular part of primary school activities, community celebrations, and political rallies. The government operates eight hospitals and 29 health centers where citizens receive free health care. Private clinics are also found in Belize City.
Most public health facilities are not fully staffed and are in need of modern equipment. Fewer than 100 physicians practiced in the co...
Free research essays on topics related to: territorial integrity, lieutenant governor, ethnic groups, miles long, independent state
Research essay sample on Territorial Integrity Lieutenant Governor
