Some U. Tourism attracts the most foreign direct investment, although significant U. A combination of natural factors--climate, the longest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere, numerous islands, excellent fishing, safe waters for boating, jungle wildlife, and Mayan ruins--support the thriving tourist industry. Development costs are high, but the Government of Belize has designated tourism as one of its major development priorities.
Belize's investment policy is codified in the Belize Investment Guide, which sets out the development priorities for the country. As part of its financial austerity measures started in late , the government froze expenditures on several capital projects.
Although electricity, telephone, and water utilities are all relatively good, Belize has the most expensive electricity in the region. Large tracts of land, which would be suitable for development, are inaccessible due to lack of roads.
Some roads, including sections of major highways, are subject to damage or closure during the rainy season. Ports in Belize City, Dangriga, and Big Creek handle regularly scheduled shipping from the United States and the United Kingdom, although draft is limited to a maximum of 10 feet in Belize City and 15 feet in southern ports. American Airlines, Continental Airlines, U.
Trade Belize's economic performance is highly susceptible to external market changes. Although the economy recorded a real growth rate of 5. The United States continues to be Belize's number-one trading partner.
Through November , the United States provided In the past two years, Taiwan and Japan have emerged as new trading partners with Belize. Belize continues to rely heavily on foreign trade, with the United States as its number-one trading partner. However, Belizean trade with the rest of the Caribbean is small compared to that with the United States and Europe.
Government program designed to stimulate investment in Caribbean nations by providing duty-free access to the U. Significant U. European Union EU and U. This dispute originated in Imperial Spain's claim to all "New World" territories west of the line established in the Treaty of Tordesillas in Nineteenth-century efforts to resolve the problems led to later differences over interpretation and implementation of an treaty intended to establish the boundaries between Guatemala and Belize, then named British Honduras.
Guatemala contends that the treaty is void because the British failed to comply with all its economic assistance clauses. Neither Spain nor Guatemala ever exercised effective sovereignty over the area. Negotiations have been underway for many years, including one period in the s in which the U. Government sought unsuccessfully to mediate. A trilateral Belize, Guatemala, and the United Kingdom "Heads of Agreement" was not implemented due to continued contentions.
Belize became independent on September 21, , with the territorial dispute unresolved. Significant negotiations between Belize and Guatemala, with the United Kingdom as an observer, resumed in Guatemala recognized Belize's independence in , and diplomatic relations were established.
Eventually, on November 8, , the two parties agreed to respect an "adjacency zone" extending one kilometer east and west from the border. Around this time, the Government of Guatemala insisted that the territorial claim was a legal one and that the only possibility for a resolution was to submit the case to the International Court of Justice ICJ. However, the Government of Belize felt that taking the case to the ICJ or to arbitration represented an unnecessary expense of time and money.
Since then, despite efforts by the OAS to jumpstart the process, movement has been limited to confidence-building measures between the parties. In order to strengthen its potential for economic and political development, Belize has sought to build closer ties with the Spanish-speaking countries of Central America to complement its historical ties to the English-speaking Caribbean states. It became a member of the OAS in The United States is Belize's principal trading partner and major source of investment funds.
It is also home to the largest Belizean community outside Belize, estimated to be 70, strong. Because Belize's economic growth and accompanying democratic political stability are important U.
Caribbean Basin Initiative. International crime issues dominate the agenda of bilateral relations between the United States and Belize. The United States is working closely with the Government of Belize to fight illicit narcotics trafficking, and both governments seek to control the flow of illegal migrants to the United States through Belize.
Of this amount, nearly half a million dollars was provided by the U. Military Liaison Office. The Secretariat gave advice to Belize on improving profits from its petroleum sector and managing its oil resources more sustainably. Site search. Learn more about the Secretariat's elections work Countering violent extremism The Secretariat helped Belize attend talks in Trinidad and Tobago on tackling violent and extremist views.
Learn more about the Secretariat's human rights work Youth The Secretariat helped Belize include young people in tackling unemployment and setting up business enterprises. Learn more about the Secretariat's youth work Trade The Secretariat Hub and Spokes programme sent an expert to Belize to advise on trade in services, intellectual property and competition. Here, even our language is a diverse adventure. Spanish, African-based Garifuna, Maya-Kekchi, Maya Mopan, Mandarin, German are just a few of the languages that form the unique dialects we speak throughout the country.
In Belize, our traditions and customs are varied and represent more than eight diverse cultures. This enduring promise to the land, the waters and you, our visitor, inspires all to achieve a genuine and intimate connection to a variety of extraordinary experiences. There also are a number of expatriates in Belize from Canada, Europe and the United States — and many of them retire here.
Other languages spoken include Garifuna, Mandarin, Spanish and Maya. One of the nicest things about visiting Belize is the weather. Costal sea breezes as well as our jungle and rainforests keep you cool even in the hottest summer months while winters can be cool but never very cold. In short, the climate is pretty much near perfect. Humidity is also fairly consistent at around 85 percent.
When it does rain, it is usually in mild, short bursts. June through December is our wet season, when parts of the country receive up to inches of rain and the heavy, sometimes wild storms associated with the Caribbean occur, usually in the late afternoons.
We also have a hurricane season, and while statistically Belize does not attract many major direct hits, it does get its share of severe tropical weather with high winds and rain. However, we have cooperative early warning network that we share with our neighbors.
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