Belize's Colonial Transformation

Belize, formerly known as British Honduras, became a British colony in 1840 and a Crown colony in 1862. It was the last British colony on the American mainland and remained so until it gained independence in 1981.

The Battle of St George's Caye

The Battle of St. George's Caye was a military engagement that took place between 3 and 10 September 1798, off the coast of British Honduras (now Belize). The battle was between an invading force from Mexico, attempting to assert Spanish claims to what is now Belize, and a small force of resident woodcutters called Baymen, who fought for their livelihood assisted by Black slaves.

The territory including portions of what is now Belize had been contested by Britain and Spain since the mid-1750s. Although never occupying the territory, Spain considered it part of its Central American territories, which then included portions of present-day Mexico and Guatemala. The British had entered the territory in 1638 to harvest logwood and, later, mahogany. Spain recognised this trade in the Treaty of Paris (1763) but did not end the dispute by ceding interest or delineating boundaries.

The events of 10 September 1798 marked the final Spanish attempt to take over the area. The Spaniards had previously attempted to expel the colonists on six occasions, most recently in 1779. From 1779 to 1782, the settlement was abandoned, with Baymen and their African slaves relocating to Havana, Cuba, following a Spanish attack. The Treaty of Versailles in 1783 affirmed the boundaries set by the Treaty of Paris to cut logwood and was later extended by the Convention of London in 1786. In this treaty, Spain gave permission to the British to cut mahogany and logwood further south to the Sibun River.

The British ships that were sent from Jamaica to assist the Baymen were the Merlin, Teazer and Tickler. On the morning of 10 September, fourteen of the largest Spanish ships approached and anchored approximately one mile away from the HMS Merlin, the leading vessel that had been relocated from Jamaica to assist the Baymen, and the other British seacrafts. Captain John Moss, captain of the Merlin, believed that the Spaniards would wait to attack the following day, however, the attack ensued at 2:30 pm. The conflict lasted for approximately two and a half hours until the Spaniards abruptly cut their cables and departed towards Caye Chapel. The Merlin was unable to chase them due to shallow waters.

The battle is considered a very important part of Belize's history as it marked the final episode in the long conflict of the logwood trade between these two European settlements. It is celebrated as St. George's Caye Day on 10 September and is considered a national and historic event to recognise the efforts of the Baymen and slaves as ancestors of Belize.

Belize's diverse population

Belize is a melting pot of diverse cultures, with a small but varied population. It is the only Central American country with English as its official language, but Belizean Creole is the most widely spoken dialect. Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language, followed by Mayan languages, German dialects, and Garifuna. Over half of Belize's population is multilingual, reflecting the diverse linguistic backgrounds of the population.

The population of Belize is ethnically diverse, with most Belizeans being of multiracial descent. About 52.9% of the population is of mixed Indigenous (mostly Maya) and European descent (known as Mestizo), 24.9% are Kriols, about 10.6% are Maya, and about 6.1% are Afro-Amerindian (Garifuna). The remaining population includes European, East Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and North American groups.

Belize's population also includes a significant number of Mennonites, who make up about 3.6% of the population. The Mennonites are mostly of German descent and live in isolated areas, such as Spanish Lookout, Shipyard, Little Belize, and Blue Creek.

In addition, Belize has a small but notable presence of East Indians, also known as Indo-Belizeans, who make up about 3.9% of the population. They are part of the wider Indo-Caribbean community and are mostly descendants of indentured labourers who came to Belize after the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Belize also has a small but growing population of East Asians and Arabs, who make up an increasingly significant part of the urban population, especially in Belize City.

The country's population also includes a significant number of immigrants from neighbouring Central American countries, such as El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, who have fled to Belize due to political instability and conflicts in their home countries.

The country's name origin

The country of Belize is often thought to derive its name from the Mayan language. The Maya were the original inhabitants of Belize and used the country's river network to transport valuable goods. In the Mayan language, "Balix" means "muddy waters", and there are plenty of rivers and creeks in Belize. Thus, it is believed that the country's name comes from its ancient Mayan inhabitants who made great use of the "muddy waters" to transport goods.

Another theory suggests that the name Belize comes from a Scottish buccaneer, Peter Wallace, who set up a permanent residence in the area after discovering the mouth of the Belize River. Over time, the name "Wallace" evolved into "Wallix", then "Valis", "Balis", and eventually "Belize".

According to the earliest known record of the name "Belize", dating back to 1677, a Dominican priest named Fray José Delgado recorded the names of three major rivers he crossed while travelling north along the Caribbean coast: Rio Soyte, Rio Kibum, and Rio Balis. These waterways correspond to the Sittee River, Sibun River, and Belize River, and the names were provided to Delgado by his translator.

While the exact origin of the country's name remains uncertain, it is clear that Belize has a rich history and cultural diversity, with influences from various ethnic groups, including the Maya, Scottish, English, and Spanish.

The Maya civilisation

The Maya people developed their first civilisation in the Preclassic period, which lasted from c. 2000 BC to 250 AD. During this time, they established the first complex societies in the Maya region and cultivated staple crops such as maize, beans, squashes, and chilli peppers. The Maya also built the first Maya cities around 750 BC, and by 500 BC, these cities possessed monumental architecture, including large temples with elaborate stucco facades.

The Classic period, which lasted from c. 250 to 900 AD, is considered the golden age of Maya civilisation. During this time, Maya civilisation developed many city-states linked by a complex trade network. The Maya were deeply religious and worshipped various gods related to nature, including the sun, the moon, and corn. They also made significant advances in mathematics and astronomy and used a sophisticated system of hieroglyphic writing.

The Maya people lived in three separate sub-areas with distinct environmental and cultural differences: the northern Maya lowlands on the Yucatan Peninsula; the southern lowlands in the Peten district of northern Guatemala and adjacent portions of Mexico, Belize, and western Honduras; and the southern Maya highlands in the mountainous region of southern Guatemala.

Today, descendants of the Maya still live in Central America, mainly in Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, and parts of Mexico. In the early 21st century, around 30 Mayan languages were spoken by more than five million people, most of whom were bilingual in Spanish.

Belize's economy

Belize, which was known as British Honduras until 1973, became a British colony in 1840 and a Crown colony in 1862. The country gained independence from the UK in 1981.

Belize has a small, developing, free-market economy that is primarily based on agriculture, tourism, and services. The country's economy is susceptible to external market changes and vulnerable to world commodity price fluctuations.

Agriculture

Belize's primary exports are now citrus fruits, sugar, and bananas. In 2018, Belize produced 1.7 million tons of sugarcane, 100,000 tons of oranges, 80,000 tons of bananas, and 77,000 tons of maize, in addition to smaller productions of other agricultural products such as papaya, rice, and soy. Banana production accounted for 16% of total Belizean exports in 1999, while citrus fruits are the country's second most important agricultural crop.

Tourism

Tourism is a major source of foreign income for Belize, partly due to an increase in cruise ship arrivals. In 2011, tourist arrivals totalled 888,191 (mostly from the US) and tourist receipts amounted to $260 million. In 2012, tourist arrivals totalled 917,869 (with about 584,683 from the US) and tourist receipts amounted to over $1.3 billion.

Services

The service sector has accounted for the largest share of Belize's GNP since the early 1980s. Nearly half of the labour force and the GNP are sustained by services.

Trade

Belize has a substantial trade deficit in goods. In 2000, the country's total imports totalled $446 million, while total exports were only $349.9 million. In 2022, Belize's trade deficit had grown, mostly as a result of low export prices for sugar and bananas.

Belize's main exports are seafood, sugar, citrus products, bananas, and clothing, while its chief imports include machinery and transport equipment, food, fuels and lubricants, and chemicals. The country's primary trading partners include the US, the UK, China, Mexico, Curaçao, Panama, and certain members of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom).

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