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The History
Numerous ruins indicate that
for hundreds of years Belize was heavily populated by the Maya Indians, whose
relatively advanced civilization reached its height between A.D. 250 and 900.
Eventually the civilization declined leaving behind small groups whose offspring
still exist in Belize contributing positively to the culturally diverse
population.
In 1502, Columbus sailed through parts of the Caribbean, but did not actually visit the area later known as British Honduras.
The first reference to European settlement in the colony was in 1638. These were later augmented by disbanded British soldiers and sailors after the capture of Jamaica from Spain in 1655. The settlement, whose main activity was logwood cutting (logwood was used in the past to produce dye), had a troubled history during the next 150 years. It was subjected to numerous attacks from neighbouring Spanish settlements (Spain claimed sovereignty over the entire New World except for regions in South America assigned to Portugal).
It was not until 1763 that Spain in the Treaty of Paris allowed the British settlers to engage in the logwood industry. The Treaty of Versailles in 1783 reaffirmed those boundaries and logwood concession was extended by the Convention of London in 1786. But Spanish attacks continued until a decisive victory was won by settlers, with British naval support, in the Battle of St. George's Caye in 1798. After that, British control over the settlement gradually increased and in 1871 British Honduras was formally declared a British Colony.
From an early date the settlers had governed themselves under a system of primitive democracy by Public Meeting. A set of regulations referred to as Burnaby's Code was effected in 1765 and this, with some modification, continued until 1840 when an Executive Council was created.
In 1853 the Public Meeting was replaced by a Legislative Assembly (partly elected, on a restrictive franchise), with the British Superintendent, an office created in 1786 at the settlers' request, as Chairman. When the settlement became a colony in 1871 the Superintendent was replaced by a Lieutenant Governor under the Governor of Jamaica.
The Crown Colony System of Government was introduced in 1871, and the
Legislative Assembly by its own vote was replaced by a nominated Legislative
Council with an official majority presided over by the Lieutenant Governor.
An unofficial majority was created in 1892, and this constitution, with minor
changes, continued until 1935 when the elective principle was once again
introduced on the basis of adult suffrage with a low-income qualification. The
administrative connection with Jamaica was severed in 1884, when the title of
Lieutenant Governor was changed and a Governor was appointed.
Further constitutional advances came in 1954 with the introduction of Universal Adult Suffrage and an elected majority in the Legislature, the Ministerial System was adopted in 1961 leading up to Self Government in 1964. The country's name was changed on 1st June, 1973, from British Honduras to Belize.
Independence was achieved on September 21, 1981 and a new independence constitution introduced. Belize was then admitted as a member of the United Nations, the Non-Alligned Movement and the Commonwealth of Nations.
The Economy
Belize's partners in development consist of a number of government and international development agencies. These include multilateral agencies such as the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the European Economic Community (EEC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB); bilateral agencies such as the the United Kingdom Government, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) the Taiwan and Mexican Governments. The economic cooperation programme which complement and form an integral part of Belize's National Development Plan assists in guiding Belize's development efforts from year to year.
The economy of Belize was traditionally based on forestry, mainly the export of logwood, mahogany and chicle. The country's economy is now based on agricultural development. But in recent years there has been a resurgence in forestry. The main exports are sugar, citrus, bananas, fish products (mainly lobster), timber and garments.
Dairy farming is growing in importance and the livestock industry continues to grow.
Several oil companies hold exploration or prospecting licences. Oil was discovered in the north of the country in 1981, but not in commercial quantities. Tax concessions and other incentives encourage the development and diversification of manufacturing industries which include clothing and textiles for export, plywood and veneer manufacturing, matches, beer, rum, soft drinks, furniture, boat building and battery assembly.
Agriculture
Agriculture currently provides some 71% of the country's total foreign exchange earnings, and employs approximately 29% of the total labour force.
Although
about 1,998,230 acres or 38% of the total land area are considered potentially
suitable for agricultural use, only perhaps 10 to 15% is in use in any one year.
About half of this is under pasture, with the remainder in a variety of
permanent and annual crops. The traditional system of "milpa"
(shifting cultivation) involves the annual clearing of new land for crop
production, however, there is an increasing number of farmers making permanent
use of cleared land by mechanical means. A tax is levied on the unimproved
"value" of the land.
The expansion and improvement of agriculture is one of the principal aims of national development planning. The Department of Agriculture of the Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries maintains an Extension Service with officers posted in all districts. Agricultural research is conducted at the Central Farm Research Station into a variety of tropical crops, livestock and pasture. Agricultural research is also done by other non-governmental bodies, such as the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and the Taiwanese Mission, within the country. The Ministry provides mechanical, veterinary and quarantine services to farmers and an agricultural training college at Central Farm. Other government services include the Belize Marketing Board, which operates in the buying and selling of producers' rice from the Toledo District, and the Development Finance Corporation, which offers credit to farmers, among others.
Fisheries and Forestry
Belize
has a viable fishing industry. During 1996, Bz $24.3 million of marine products
were exported. There are laws to protect the rock or spiney lobster to avoid
over fishing. There is a closed season between March and July. Export markets
for scale fish are mainly in the United States, Mexico and Jamaica.
There has been a resurgence in forestry. Reforestation and natural regeneration in the pine forest (mainly in the Cayo, Stann Creek and Toledo Districts) and artificial regeneration of fast-growing tropical hardwood species are in progress.
List of Fisheries Export Products:
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The Belize fishing industry - The road to zxpansion
The Belize Fisheries Department was established in 1965 and has been mandated to manage a sector that has been in existence for several generations - the Fisheries Sector. Belize's fisheries are exploited for commercial, as well as for subsistence purposes, and are one of the most heavily exploited natural resources. In an effort to maximize the benefits obtained from the fishing industry, while ensuring its long-term viability, fisheries managers are promoting an expansion in production through diversification of this resource base.
Belize's fishing industry is small and growing; it is an industry with great potential for development.
The People
Up to 1998, population estimates put Belize's population at approximately 238,500.
In 1991, Population and Housing
Census showed the main ethnic groups as Mestizo, Creole, Maya and Garifuna. Each
other ethnic groups at the time accounted for a small percentage of the
population East Indian; German/Dutch and Mennonite. The ethnic groups, however,
are heavily intermixed. The multi-racial make-up of the Belizean society
includes Chinese and Arabs, and other ethnic groups. Up to Jan. 1997, some 8,672
registered refugees had settled in Belize.
English is the official language and the language of instruction in the schools. Spanish is also widely spoken. It is taught in primary and secondary schools in order to further develop bi-lingualism.
In certain areas of the country, such as the Orange Walk and Corozal Districts in the north and the Cayo District in the west, Spanish is spoken as a mother tongue by the majority of the people.
In the southern Districts of Stann Creek and Toledo, there are people whose first language is Garifuna or Maya.
National Flower
The Black Orchid (Encyclia Cochleatum) is the National Flower of
Belize. This orchid grows on trees in damp areas, and flowers nearly all year
round.
Its clustered bulblike stems vary in size up to six inches long and carry two or three leaves.
The black orchid flower has greenish-yellow petals and sepals with purple blotches near the base. The "lip" (one petal of special construction, which is the flower's showiest) is shaped like a valve of a clam shell (hence the name Encyclia Cochleatum) and is deep purple-brown, almost black, with conspicuous radiating purple veins.
National Tree
The Mahogany Tree (Swietenia Macrophilla) is one of the
magnificent giants of the forest. Rising straight and tall to over a hundred
feet from great buttresses at the roots, it emerges above the canopy of the
surrounding trees with a crown of large, shining green leaves.
In the early months of the year, when the leaves fall and new red-brown growth appears, the tree can be spotted from a great distance.
The tree puts out a great flush of small whitish flowers - the blossom for dark fruits, which are pear-shaped capsules about six inches long.
When the fruits mature they split into five valves, freeing large winged seeds which are carried away by the wind. They fall on the shaded protection of the forest floor and germinate to begin a new life cycle. The mahogany tree matures in 60 to 80 years.
British settlers exploited the forest for mahogany, beginning around the middle of the 17th century. It was originally exported to the United Kingdom in the form of squared logs, but shipment now consits mainly of sawn lumber.
The mahogany tree forms part of Belize's Coat of Arms. The motto "Sub Umbra Florero" means: Under the shade (of the mahogany tree) I flourish.
National Bird
The Keel Billed Toucan (Ramphastos Solfurantus) is the National
Bird of Belize. It is noted for its great, canoe-shaped bill, brightly colored
green, blue, red and orange feathers
.
The bird is about 20 inches in overall length. It is mostly black with bright yellow cheeks and chest, red under the tail and a distinctive white patch at the base of the tail.
Toucans are found in open areas of the country with large trees. They make a monotonous frog-like croak. Toucans like fruits, and eat by cutting with the serrated edge of their bills.
Toucans nest in holes in trees, using natural holes or holes made by woodpeckers, often enlarging the cavity by removing soft, rotten wood.
They lay two to four eggs which are incubated by both parents. The nesting stage lasts from six to seven weeks.
National Animal
The Tapir or Mountain Cow (Tapirello Bairdii) is the largest
land mammal of the American tropics.
The tapir is a stoutly built animal with short legs, about the size of a donkey and weighs up to 600 pounds.
Its general color is dusty brown with a white fringe around the eyes and lips, white tipped ears and occasional white patches of fur on the throat and chest.
In spite of it's local name, the tapir is not a cow. It is closely related to the horse and is also kin to the rhinosceros.
The tapir is a vegetarian. It spends much of its time in water or mud shallows, and is a strong swimmer.
The National Animal is protected under the wÀildlife protection laws of Belize, thus the hunting of the tapir is illegal.
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