Belize's Freedom: A Country's Sovereignty And Autonomy

Belize is a free country. It is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with a democratic political system. The country gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1981 and is a member of the Commonwealth, with King Charles III as its monarch and head of state. Belize has a bicameral National Assembly, consisting of a House of Representatives and a Senate.

The country's path to independence was marked by a unique international campaign against the irredentist claims of its neighbour, Guatemala, which refused to recognise the new nation until 1992. The two countries are still involved in an ongoing border dispute.

Belize has a diverse society composed of many cultures and languages. The population is predominantly Mestizo (of mixed Spanish and Mayan descent), Creole, Maya, Garifuna, East Indian, Mennonite, White, Asian, and other ethnic groups. English is the official language, but Spanish, Creole, Mayan dialects, and other languages are also widely spoken.

Belize has a free-market economy, with tourism as the top foreign exchange earner. The country has a small but active private sector, and its main private sector advocacy group is the Belize Chamber of Commerce. While crime and gang-related issues are a concern, particularly in Belize City, the country has avoided the more severe problems faced by some of its Central American neighbours.

Belize's Independence and Relationship with Guatemala

Belize, previously known as British Honduras, has had a long and tumultuous journey to becoming an independent country. The road to independence was coloured by a claim on Belize's territory by Guatemala, which has persisted to this day.

Guatemala's Claim to Belize

The roots of the territorial dispute between Belize and Guatemala can be traced back to the 17th century. During the late 1600s and throughout the 1700s, Britain and Spain signed several treaties regarding territories in the Americas. Both nations agreed that the territory of modern-day Belize was under Spanish sovereignty, although British settlers could use the land for specific purposes. When the Spanish Empire fell, Guatemala claimed that it inherited Spain's sovereign rights over the territory. Since then, Guatemala has claimed sovereignty over all or part of Belizean territory.

Belize's Independence

Belize became an independent nation on 21 September 1981. However, the journey to independence was not without challenges. The Belizean government faced the task of transforming a society marked by centuries of brutal slavery and colonial domination. Additionally, there was firm opposition to independence from political parties such as the United Democratic Party. Matters were further complicated by Guatemala's demand for cession of a large area of Belizean territory in exchange for withdrawing its claim.

Despite these challenges, the Belizean government, under the leadership of Premier George Price, waged a successful international campaign to gain support for its claim to full independence with its territory intact. This effort, known as "the internationalization effort," garnered support from the Caribbean Community, the British Commonwealth of Nations, and the Non-Aligned Movement. In 1975, the first United Nations resolution on Belize was passed, with 110 votes in favour, 9 against, and 16 abstentions.

In the years leading up to independence, negotiations between Belize and Guatemala continued, with the UK pressing Belize to make concessions on territory and sovereignty. However, the Belizean negotiators resisted these pressures and proceeded towards independence without reaching an agreement with Guatemala. On 21 September 1981, Belize became an independent state with all its territory and full sovereignty, with British troops stationed in the country to deter any possible attack from Guatemala.

Belize-Guatemala Relationship Today

Guatemala finally recognised Belize's independence in the early 1990s, and diplomatic relations were established in 1991. However, Guatemala has continued to assert its claim to Belizean territory, and border tensions have persisted. In 2008, both countries agreed to hold referendums to determine if the issue should be taken to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a final resolution. The referendums passed in both countries, and as of 2022, the dispute is now being settled at the ICJ.

Despite the ongoing territorial dispute, Belize and Guatemala have established diplomatic relations and are both members of the Organization of American States and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.

Belize's Economy and Industries

Belize's economy is a small, developing, free-market economy, based primarily on agriculture, tourism, and services. The country has a rich variety of wildlife and ecosystems, including extensive coral reefs, giving it a key place in the globally significant Mesoamerican Biological Corridor.

Agriculture

Belize's economy is primarily based on agriculture, with only a small proportion of the land being used for this purpose. The country has about 8,090 km2 of arable land, with most farms being smaller than 100 acres (40 hectares). The main agricultural products include sugarcane, maize, bananas, oranges, soybeans, sorghum, chicken, rice, beans, and milk. Banana production, for example, accounted for 16% of total exports in 1999. Citrus fruits are the second most important agricultural crop, and Belize produced 100,000 tons of oranges in 2018.

Tourism

Tourism is a major source of foreign income for Belize, with its many attractions, including the Belize Barrier Reef (the second-largest in the world), pristine cayes (islands), excellent fishing, safe waters for boating, scuba diving, snorkelling, abundant jungle flora and fauna, and numerous Mayan ruins. International tourism accounts for approximately 40% of the country's economy, with the United States being the largest source of tourists.

Services

The service sector of the economy has accounted for the largest share of the GNP since the early 1980s. Services, including tourism, now sustain nearly half of the labour force and the GNP.

Other Industries

Belize also has a manufacturing industry, which includes food products, fertilisers, and textiles. The country has mineral resources, such as dolomite, barite, bauxite, cassiterite, and gold, but these are not in quantities large enough to warrant mining. Oil was discovered in the town of Spanish Lookout, presenting new prospects and challenges for the country.

Belize's economy faces challenges such as a growing trade deficit, high foreign debt, and a lack of infrastructure investment. However, the country has a history of stable democratic government and is working to improve tax collection and economic stability.

Belize's People and Demographics

Belize is the most sparsely populated country in Central America, with a population of around 410,990 people. The population is growing at a rate of 1.87% per year (2018 estimate), the second-highest in the region and one of the highest in the Western Hemisphere. Belize is a melting pot of diverse cultures, with most Belizeans being of multiracial descent.

Ethnic Groups

The Mestizo people, who are of mixed Spanish and Yucatec Maya descent, make up the largest ethnic group in Belize, constituting around 52.9% of the population. The Creole people, who are of mixed West and Central African, British, Scottish, Miskito, Jamaican, and Caribbean descent, make up around 25.9% of the population. The Maya people, who have inhabited Belize since the second millennium BCE, constitute about 11.3% of the population. The Garifuna people, who are of West/Central African, Arawak, and Island Carib ancestry, make up around 6.1% of the population. Other ethnic groups include East Indians (3.9%), Mennonites (3.6%), White people (4.8%), and smaller groups of Asians and Arabs.

Languages

Belize is the only country in Central America with English as the official language. However, Belizean Creole is the most widely spoken dialect, with over half the population being multilingual. Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language, followed by Mayan languages, German dialects, and Garifuna.

Religion

Belize is a religiously diverse country, with approximately 80% of the population identifying as Christian. Roman Catholics constitute the largest religious group, making up 40.1% of the population, while various Protestant denominations make up 31.5%. Other religious groups include Jehovah's Witnesses (1.7%), Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Baháʼís, Rastafarians, and others (10.5%). Around 15.5% of the population does not adhere to any religion.

Education and Health

Education in Belize is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 14 years. The literacy rate in Belize was estimated at 79.7% in 2010, one of the lowest in the Western Hemisphere. Belize has a high prevalence of communicable diseases such as respiratory illnesses and intestinal infections. The life expectancy at birth is 74.3 years, with a relatively high infant mortality rate of 11.3 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Belize's Government and Politics

Belize is a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy, with a constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The country gained sovereignty from the United Kingdom in 1981 and is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

The king of Belize, Charles III, serves as head of state and is represented in the country by the governor-general, Froyla Tzalam, who acts on the advice of the prime minister and the cabinet. The prime minister is the head of government and the primary executive organ of the government is the cabinet, which advises the governor-general and is led by the prime minister. Cabinet ministers are members of the majority political party in parliament and usually hold elected seats in the National Assembly concurrently with their cabinet positions.

The National Assembly of Belize is a bicameral body consisting of a House of Representatives and a Senate. The 31 members of the House of Representatives are popularly elected to a maximum five-year term of office. The Senate consists of 12 senators plus the president of the Senate. The senators are appointed by the governor-general, with six appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and the remaining three on the advice of various church, business, and trade union groups. The president of the Senate is then selected by the 12 senators, either from among themselves or from the general populace. The president presides over the sessions of the Senate but ordinarily has no vote in the proceedings.

The party system is dominated by the centre-left People's United Party and the centre-right United Democratic Party. There are also smaller parties that have participated at all levels of governmental elections in the past, although none have won any significant number of seats or offices.

Constitutional safeguards include freedom of speech, press, worship, movement, and association. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature, and jurisprudence is based on English common law.

Belize's History and Culture

History

Belize was an important region of the Mayan civilization, which spread over much of southern Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala from 1500 BC to 800 AD. The Maya reached their peak in the 6th, 7th, and 8th centuries AD but declined by the 14th century. By the time the Spanish arrived in the 16th century, the Maya presence was barely felt.

The Spanish and British disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries, but Britain gained full control in 1798 when they defeated the Spanish off St. George's Caye. In 1862, the region formally became the colony of British Honduras. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed Belize's independence until 1981.

Culture

Belize is a melting pot of cultures, with more than 10 distinct languages that each hold their own cultural implications. The country has a diverse society composed of many cultures and languages, with a population of nearly 400,000 people. Belizeans of all ethnicities eat a wide variety of foods, with a typical breakfast consisting of bread, flour tortillas, journey cakes, or fry jacks, often homemade and accompanied by various cheeses, refried beans, eggs, or cereal. Midday meals vary from lighter foods like beans and rice to various constituted dinners featuring rice and beans, meat, and salad or coleslaw.

Belizean marriages are commonly celebrated with church weddings and colorful receptions, but an increasing number of Belizean families are headed by single parents, especially mothers. As a result, the most common family structure in Belize is the single-parent family, and it is not common to encounter youths living with their parents around the age of 20 or above.

Belize has a rich variety of wildlife and is known for its September Celebrations and punta music. The country has the world's second-largest barrier reef and hundreds of small islands, called cayes, that are popular recreation areas.

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