Belmopan, the capital of Belize, is located around 41 to 51 miles or 66 to 82 kilometres from Belize City. The distance can be covered in about an hour by car or bus. The journey can also be made by shuttle bus.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Distance by road | 48.6 miles |
Distance by air | 42 miles |
Driving time | 1 hour 9 minutes |
Flight time | 35 minutes |
Distance by road (km) | 77-79 km |
Distance by air (km) | 66-67 km |
What You'll Learn
Driving distance: 48-49 miles
The distance between Belize City and Belmopan is around 48-49 miles by road. This journey takes approximately 1 hour to drive non-stop.
Belize City is located on the coast, whereas Belmopan is inland, 50 miles from the Caribbean Sea. Belmopan was built following the destruction of Belize City by Hurricane Hattie in 1961. The government proposed to build a new capital city on better terrain, and in 1962, a committee chose the site now known as Belmopan.
The driving distance between the two cities is around 48-49 miles, depending on the route taken. The journey can be made by car, bus, or shuttle. The bus is the cheapest option, costing between $3 and $7, and taking around 1 hour and 44 minutes. Driving is the fastest option, taking just over an hour, and costing between $16 and $24.
If you're looking to stop along the way, you could take a road trip. You could drive for 16 minutes and then stop at Super Palm Resort for an hour. Then, after a 28-minute drive, you could visit The Belize Zoo for an hour before completing your journey to Belize City with a 40-minute drive.
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Flight distance: 42 miles
The flight distance between Belmopan and Belize City is 42 miles or 67 kilometres. This distance is calculated using an iterative Vincenty formula, which accounts for the curvature of the Earth.
The flight distance is 9 miles less than the driving distance, which is 50 or 51 miles. The driving distance takes around 1 hour, whereas the flight time is around 35 minutes.
Belmopan is Belize's capital city and is located 80 kilometres (50 miles) inland from the Caribbean Sea. It is one of the world's newest capital cities, having been founded in 1970 after Hurricane Hattie destroyed approximately 75% of Belize City in 1961. Belmopan is the smallest capital city in the continental Americas by population, with 16,451 residents in 2010.
Belize City is the former capital of Belize and is located on the coast. It is the second-largest settlement in Belize, with a population of 57,169 in 2010.
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Driving time: 1 hour, 2 minutes
The distance between Belmopan and Belize City is around 41 miles or 66 kilometres. The driving distance is a little further, at 48 miles or 77 kilometres.
If you're planning to drive non-stop, the driving time is 1 hour and 2 minutes. However, if you're looking to make some interesting stops along the way, you could plan a road trip with a total travel time of 1.5 hours on the road.
For instance, you could drive for 16 minutes, stop at Super Palm Resort for an hour, then drive for another 28 minutes to The Belize Zoo. After spending an hour there, you could drive for a final 40 minutes to reach Belize City.
If you're not driving, you could take a bus or a shuttle bus from Belize City to Belmopan. The bus takes 1 hour and 44 minutes and costs $3-7. The shuttle bus takes a similar amount of time.
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Belmopan is Belize's capital
Belmopan is the capital of Belize. It is located in the Cayo District, about 50 miles (80 kilometres) inland from the former capital, Belize City. The distance between Belize City and Belmopan is approximately 41 to 51 miles (66 to 82 kilometres) by road. The drive between the two cities takes around one hour.
Belmopan was established as a planned community in 1970, making it one of the world's newest capital cities. The city was constructed following the devastation of Hurricane Hattie in 1961, which destroyed approximately 75% of the homes and businesses in Belize City. The new capital was conceived to be on safer, higher ground, away from the coast and the risk of flooding. The site for Belmopan was chosen in 1962, and construction began in 1966 with funding from the United Kingdom.
Belmopan is the third-largest settlement in Belize, with a population of around 16,451 in 2010. The city is centred around the Ring Road, which is just under 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) in circumference. The National Assembly Building, designed to resemble a Pre-Columbian Maya temple, is the focal point of the city's design. The city has a tropical monsoon climate, with a lengthy wet season from May to January and a short dry season for the remaining three months.
Belmopan is known as "The Garden City" and is one of the safest cities in Belize. It has a growing population, with immigrants settling on the outskirts and Belizeans moving from the old capital due to crime and congestion. The city has good infrastructure, with well-laid-out streets and paved roads. It is also a hub for call centres and business process outsourcing, with a thriving economy and a growing number of business establishments. Belmopan is an ideal base for exploring the surrounding ecotourism attractions, including national parks, protected areas, and Mayan archaeological sites.
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Belize City is the former capital
Belize City is the largest city in Belize and was formerly the country's capital. It was founded as Belize Town in 1638 by English lumber harvesters, who chose the site as it was on the sea and a natural outlet for local rivers and creeks. Belize Town was also the home of thousands of African slaves brought in by the English to work in the forestry industry.
In 1961, Belize City was almost entirely destroyed by Hurricane Hattie. The hurricane and the accompanying tidal wave destroyed approximately 75% of the houses and businesses in the low-lying coastal city. In 1970, the capital was moved to Belmopan, an inland site that was less susceptible to flooding.
Belize City has a population of 61,461 people according to the 2010 census. It is the country's principal port and financial and industrial hub. The city is served by the Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport, located in Ladyville, and the Belize City Municipal Airport, within the city itself.
Belize City has a tropical monsoon climate, with very warm to hot and humid conditions throughout the year. The city has a lengthy wet season, lasting from May to February, and a short dry season covering the remaining two months.
The city is divided into two areas: Northside, bounded by Haulover Creek and ending in the Fort George area in the east, and Southside, extending to the outskirts of the city and the port area, including downtown. Politically, it is divided into ten constituencies.
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Frequently asked questions
The distance between Belmopan and Belize City is 41 miles or 66 kilometres.
The driving distance is 77.49 kilometres or 48 miles.
The drive from Belmopan to Belize City takes 1 hour and 2 minutes, or 1 hour and 9 minutes, depending on the source.
The cheapest way to travel between the two cities is by bus, which costs between $3 and $7.