Belize is an independent country on the east coast of Central America. It is bounded to the north and north-west by Mexico, on the east coast by the Caribbean Sea and to the south and west by Guatemala. Up until 1973, Belize was predominantly known as The British Honduras. In 1981, Belize finally achieved their independence, however, Guatemala refused to recognize Belize as a nation, and therefore British troops had to remain stationed in Belize in order to make sure that Guatemala would not pursue military action.

Belize Politics and Cultural Diversity

The majority of the population of Belize is of mixed racial descent. The largest such group is of African American ancestry, however, there are several other groups in addition to African Americans that make up the remaining population of Belize. These groups include Native Americans, people of European descent and a mix of Spanish descent. Belize is a country of great diversity, with a mix of many colors and languages, Belize is one of the multicultural capitals of the world.

Belize Political Climate

The current government of Belize took form when they declared their independence in 1981. This government is headed by the Queen of the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II, who is acting head of state. The Queen is represented by a Governor General due to her having to reside in Great Britain. The Governor General is the true authority in power, however, he does not officially run the government, that is led by the Prime Minister and his cabinet.

The legislative branch in Belize is made up of the House of Representatives, often referred to as the upper house, and the Senate, which has less power and is referred to as the lower house. Currently in the Senate there are 12 members, plus the President of the Senate. The Governor General appoints 6 senators on advice of the Prime Minister, 3 on advice of the leader of the opposition, one member on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and Evangelical Association of Churches and two other members from two separate organizations.

Belize Political Tensions with Guatemala

Belize has a great history, but in addition to the makeup of their political system, Belize has often had a deep conflict with Guatemala. This conflict reached its pinnacle when Belize achieved its independence in 1981. Guatemala severed diplomatic ties with Great Britain as a result and refused to recognize Belize as a new nation, believing that it should still be a part of Guatemala. To this day, Guatemala has never forgiven or forgotten about Belize achieving independence, this has led to less than friendly relations with Great Britain.

Belize is a country of great historical significance. It is a country that has a long and storied past that tells the tale of a society trying to reach independence, and finally doing so in 1981. Since that day Belize has never looked back and even regards itself as a Caribbean nation, even though they are geographically attached to Central America.