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Experience the rich culture of Belize, Central America

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Xunantunich, Mayan for Maiden of the Rock is one of the tallest man-made structures in Belize.Stann Creek Belize beach.

Belize is a small nation on the eastern coast of Central America, on the Caribbean Sea bordered by Mexico to the northwest and Guatemala to the west and south. The country is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy which recognizes Queen Elizabeth II as Sovereign. The nation of Honduras lies 75 km away (47 mi) across the Gulf of Honduras to the east. The name is derived from the Belize River, after which Belize City, the former capital and largest city, is also named. In Spanish it is usually called Belice. Known as British Honduras until 1973, Belize was a British colony for more than a century. It became an independent nation in 1981. Belize is a member of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Sistema de Integracion Centro Americana (SICA) and considers itself to be both Caribbean, and Central American

Belize is located between the Hondo and Sarstoon Rivers, with the Belize River flowing down in the centre of the country. The north of Belize consists mostly of flat, swampy coastal plains, in places heavily forested. The south contains the low mountain range of the Maya Mountains, whose Victoria Peak is the highest point in Belize at 1,160 metres (3,806 ft). The Caribbean coast is lined with a coral reef and islands known locally as cayes, pronounced "keys". Belize is home to the longest barrier reef in the western hemisphere and the second longest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef. The climate is tropical and generally very hot and humid. The rainy season lasts from May to November and hurricanes and floods are frequent natural hazards.