Table of Contents
Belize Today 5
1 Geography 11
Neighbors and features
Regional differences
Tropical weather
Flora and fauna
Two capitals?
2 History 21
Who were the Maya?
Europeans arrive
Gaining independence
Ongoing conflict
3 Government 31
How it works
Defense
Political allegiances
The national flag
A political giant
Key happenings today
4 Economy 39
Farming
From the sea
Foreign visitors
Money, drugs, and people
Import/export
Getting around
Communications
Energy usage
5 Environment 51
Protecting wildlife
Water usage
Paradise and pollution
Protecting the forest
Waste mitigation
Sewage
The process of recycling
Threatened species
Refuges for animals
6 Belizeans 65
Creoles
Mestizos
The Maya
Garifuna
East Indians
Mennonites
Diverse is the word
Well-known faces of history
7 Lifestyle 77
Off the coast
Families
Emigration
Urban vs. rural
Schooling
Health care Shelter
8 Religion 87
Christians
Mennonite beliefs
Rastas
The Garifuna belief system
Folktales
9 Language 95
Creole English
Spanish
Other tongues
Linguistic evolution
Oral tradition
10 Arts 101
Influences
Literature
Differing arts
Punta, breakdown, and modern music
Handmade crafts
11 Leisure 109
Olden-day leisure in Belize
Entertainment for all
From airwaves to cable
Life online
Sports and games
Beaches
12 Festivals 117
National celebrations
Fairs and competitions
Local celebrations
Carnival
National Heroes and Benefactors Day
Easter
Celebrating cashews
Saint George's Caye Day
Celebrating the Garifuna
Christmas traditions
13 Food 125
Daily meals
Mixing it up
Spices and herbs
Liquid refreshments
Map of Belize 133
About the Economy 135
About the Culture 137
Timeline 138
Glossary 140
For Further Information 141
Bibliography 142
Index 143
