Belize's Border: Gulf Of Honduras Proximity Explored

Belize is a country in Central America that borders Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. It also shares a water boundary with Honduras to the southeast. Belize is bordered by the Gulf of Honduras, a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea that runs from Dangriga, Belize, to La Ceiba, Honduras. The Gulf of Honduras is home to diverse ecosystems and is a popular tourist destination, known for its beaches, reefs, and marine life. The Belize Barrier Reef, part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, forms the inner Gulf of Honduras and is a significant tourist attraction.

Belize's border with Guatemala

Belize, formerly known as British Honduras, shares a border with Guatemala, its neighbour in Central America. The Belize–Guatemala border is an almost straight line 266 km (165 mi) long, close to the 89th meridian west, which separates the west of Belize's territory from Guatemala.

The border between Belize and Guatemala is defined in Article I of the Wyke–Aycinena Treaty of 1859:

> Beginning at the mouth of the River Sarstoon in the Bay of Honduras, and proceeding up the mid-channel thereof to Gracias a Dios Falls; then turning to the right and continuing by a line drawn direct from Gracias a Dios Falls to Garbutt's Falls on the River Belize, and from Garbutt's Falls due north until it strikes the Mexican frontier.

The border has been disputed by Guatemala, which claims that the treaty is void since Britain failed to comply with economic assistance provisions found in Article VII. The situation was partially resolved in 1991 when Guatemala officially recognised Belize's independence and diplomatic relations were established.

There is one main highway crossing of the border, at Benque Viejo del Carmen, Cayo District, Belize and Melchor de Mencos, Peten, Guatemala, where Guatemala Highway CA-13 meets the George Price (Western) Highway, connecting to Belize City and Belmopan.

About four kilometres south of this crossing is the village of Arenal, which has homes on both sides of the border, and a football field directly on the border. From the Guatemala side, there is just a footbridge to a road into Melchor de Mencos; the Belize side has a road connecting to Benque Viejo.

The unresolved territorial dispute between Belize and Guatemala is one of the oldest in the Americas. Some Guatemalans refer to Belize as their 23rd state, and tensions have flared up in the smugglers' haven that has arisen around the disputed boundary between the two countries, raising fears over greater instability in a region already marked by drug wars and the exodus of migrants to the United States.

Belize's border with Mexico

Belize shares its northern border with Mexico. The border is 250km (160mi) long and mostly follows the course of the Hondo River. The modern boundary was agreed upon in 1893 and finalised in 1897. The border separates Belize from the Mexican state of Quintana Roo.

The border between Mexico and Belize was difficult to explore due to its remote location, particularly on the Mexican side. The region's sparse population allowed the British colony of British Honduras, now Belize, to occupy the region. However, Mexico did not recognise British possession of the territory until the late nineteenth century. The Mexican government wanted to put an end to arms smuggling from Belizean Maya supplied by rebels during the Caste War.

As a result, the government of Porfirio Diaz created a Federal Territory that had previously belonged to the State of Yucatan. They later formed the Territory of Quintana Roo and decided to negotiate with the British government to fix the common border. They agreed to recognise British governance of the territory in return for Britain's promise to refrain from arming the Maya.

A treaty was signed on 8 July 1893 in Mexico City, with an additional convention added on 7 April 1897. The treaty consisted of four articles: the first set the upper border, the second required the United Kingdom to stop arming Mayan rebels, the third laid out the obligation of both states to prevent Native Americans from gradually encroaching into the territory of the neighbouring country, and the fourth required ratification of the treaty by the respective governments.

Under the treaty, the border starts at Boca Bacalar Chico, a narrow channel that separates the southern tip of the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan Peninsula and Ambergris Caye. It then runs through Chetumal Bay in a broken line up to the mouth of the Hondo River. The border follows the Hondo River through its deepest channel and then along its tributary, Blue Creek, until it reaches the meridian of Garbutt's Falls (approximately 89° 9' W). From this point, it runs directly south to 17° 49' N latitude, the border established between Mexico and Guatemala.

There are two official border crossings with international bridges. The main one is located between Subteniente Lopez, Quintana Roo, Mexico, and Santa Elena, Corozal District, Belize. It is about 16km (10mi) from Chetumal, the capital of Quintana Roo and the main city of the region. A second bridge, located about five blocks west of the old bridge, was opened to the public on 15 May 2013.

The border between Mexico and Belize is one of the lesser-used borders by Mexicans, but it has gained notoriety due to recent reports of drug trafficking. This problem has become more prevalent due to a significant increase in economic activity and tourism, especially on the Belize side of the border. Bilateral agreements between Mexico and Belize have been made to combat the issue of drug trafficking across the border.

The Belize–Guatemala territorial dispute

Belize, formerly known as British Honduras, neighbours Guatemala in Central America. The Belize–Guatemala territorial dispute is an unresolved dispute between the two countries.

Historical Context

During the late 1600s and 1700s, Britain and Spain signed treaties regarding territories in the Americas. They agreed that modern-day Belize was under Spanish sovereignty, but British settlers could use the land for specific purposes. The British settlers expanded past the agreed boundaries, and the area was never fully under the rule of either empire. When the Spanish Empire fell, Guatemala claimed it inherited Spain's sovereign rights over the territory. Guatemala has since claimed, in whole or in part, the territory of Belize.

The Wyke-Aycinena Treaty of 1859

Guatemala and Britain negotiated and signed the Wyke-Aycinena Treaty in 1859, which recognised British sovereignty over the region and formed the modern-day boundary lines of Belize. The treaty also included an article about building a mutually beneficial road from Guatemala City to the Atlantic Coast, though it was never constructed. Guatemala blamed Britain for this and argued that the treaty was therefore void.

20th Century Tensions

Throughout the 20th century, tensions flared up between Guatemala and British Honduras. In 1931, Guatemala and the UK exchanged notes confirming concrete markers implementing the 1859 border lines. Less than 10 years later, Guatemala renewed its claims on the area, using the broken promise of the road as justification. Britain stationed troops in British Honduras to protect the region from Guatemalan invasion.

Belize's Independence

In 1981, Belize gained its independence. Guatemala recognised this independence in the early 1990s. However, in 1999, Guatemala shifted its stance back to inheriting claims from the Spanish Empire and the Federal Republic of Central America. Guatemala and Belize stationed troops at the border, with a one-kilometre "adjacency zone" drawn on either side of the 1859 treaty borders.

Recent Developments

In 2008, Belize and Guatemala agreed to hold simultaneous referendums to send the issue to the International Court of Justice. The referendums passed in both countries by May 2019. As of June 2022, both countries are settling the dispute at the International Court of Justice and have submitted their initial briefs. The court is not expected to rule until 2025 at the earliest.

The Belize Barrier Reef

Despite protective measures, the reef remains under threat from oceanic pollution, uncontrolled tourism, shipping, and fishing. Other threats include hurricanes, global warming, and the resulting increase in ocean temperatures, which cause coral bleaching. Scientists claim that over 40% of Belize's coral reef has been damaged since 1998.

Belize has implemented several successful protective measures, including an oil drilling moratorium, development restrictions, and fishing reforms. In December 2010, Belize became the first country in the world to completely ban bottom trawling, and in December 2015, it banned offshore oil drilling within 1 km of the Barrier Reef.

The Gulf's unique ecosystem

The Gulf of Honduras is a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea, indenting the coasts of Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. The unique ecosystem of the Gulf is supported by the runoff from the watersheds of 12 rivers, including the Motagua, Sarstoon, and Ulua rivers. These rivers originate in Central America's highlands and create an exceptional and diverse ecosystem in the Gulf.

The Gulf's ecosystem is marked by the complex dynamics of coastal and open waters and ocean currents, which have produced a wide variety of coastal marine waters. These include coastline estuaries, barrier beaches, lagoons, intertidal salt marshes, mangrove forests, seagrass beds, keys, and barrier reefs. The reefs of Pelican Cays in Belize and the Bay Islands of Honduras are known for their rich marine life and attract tourists from around the world for snorkelling and diving.

The Gulf's mangrove forests are dominated by red mangroves, with black, white, and buttonwood mangroves also present. These forests act as sediment traps in estuaries, protecting coral reefs from sedimentation and providing a primary source of nutrition and a nursery habitat for coastal marine life. They also serve as a physical buffer from tropical storms for inland settlements. The largest mangrove forests are found on the Sarstoon-Temash and the Port Honduras-Payne's Creek areas, on the southern coast of Belize and the Atlantic coast of Guatemala, respectively.

The Gulf's seagrass beds are dominated by turtle grass, with shoal, manatee, and tape grasses also present. These meadows are found in clear, sandy-bottomed, surf-free, shallow waters, such as those off the coast of Belize, in the Amatique Bay, and in Graciosa Bay. They provide a source of nutrition for marine life and help stabilise the coast. Additionally, they serve as an important habitat for the queen conch, Belize's second-most important commercial fish species.

The Belize Barrier Reef, which lines the inner Gulf of Honduras, is part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the second-largest coral reef system in the world. This reef system is home to approximately 60 coral, 350 mollusc, and 500 fish species. It also includes small islands called cays, such as Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye, which are popular tourist destinations.

The Gulf of Honduras is a significant source of income for Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras, supporting industries such as tourism, fishing, and conservation. It is also a vital source of food and sustenance for Central America. The Gulf's marine life is diverse and includes threatened and endangered species such as the West Indian manatee and various turtle species.

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