DESCRIPTION
Belize, formerly the colony of British Honduras, is the only country in Central America without a coastline on the Pacific Ocean. Belize is situated with Guatemala to the west and south, and Mexico to the north. In this central location, the climate is very hot and humid most of the year, while the rainy season is from May-November and the dry season is from February-May. As a former British Colony, Belize is the only country in Central America where the official language is English, while Spanish, Maya, Garifuna (Caribbean), and Belizean Creole are all spoken as second languages. The currency used in Belize is the Belizean dollar (BZD). The population as of July 2006 was just over 287,000. Popular cities in Belize are: Dangriga, San Ignacio (known as Cayo to locals), San Pedro, Punta Gorda, Orange Walk, Belize City- the largest city, and Belmopan-the capital. Two of the most popular activities for tourists in Belize, are going scuba diving off of the Belize atolls, and studying the history of Belize at the Museum of Belize and the House of Culture.