Learn More About Belize

The population of Belize is approximately 300,000.  It is a small country that is only 75 miles wide and about 200 miles long.  It borders Mexico to the north and Guatemala on the west and south and the Caribbean Sea on the east.  Belize has the highest cost of living in all of Central America. The government places a high taxation on any company that attempts to start a business.  This hinders the people and creates difficulties finding jobs.  The main industry of Belize is sugar cane and citrus.  The jobs are very strenuous and wages are poor.  The average Belizean will make a salary of $60.00 US to $75.00 US a week for about 70 hours of labor.  This is the reason for extreme poverty. It is actually cheaper to live in the states than Belize.  Gas is around $4.75 a gallon, which enables few to have cars.  A box of cereal sells for $10.00 Belize or $5.00 US. The poverty causes many to live in primitive dwellings. The people of Belize are a melting pot of cultures.  English is spoken in the cities but most people are bilingual and speak both Spanish and English.  The dominant ethnic group are the Creoles (British and black), though predominately African in origin.  Mestizos are people of mixed Spanish and Indian descent. Next are the Maya (or American Indian), the only indigenous group.  The Garifuna also known as the "Black Caribs," (African and Indian), are descendents of African slaves and actually came over on Pirate ships that foundered in the sea.  There are 1% white, and the remainder of people include East Indian, Lebanese, and Chinese.  The cultural groups in Belize transcend racial lines and intermarry which causes even more complicated cultures. The main religion in Belize is Catholicism.  The people are very receptive to what you have to say. There is no interference with the government.  You are able to preach on a street corner if desired. There are other cults in the area also.  Seventh Day Adventist, Mormonism, and Jehovah's Witness prevail. This is why we have to get the true gospel to the people.  They will listen to whatever people have to say, and are easily misguided. Schooling is government subsidized through the eighth grade.  Few children are able to complete High school or college due to poor income.  The schools teach in English since Belize started out as a British colony.  Many might remember that Belize used to be called, British Honduras.  It changed it's name in 1982 when they received their independence from Great Britain. The main staple in Belize is rice & beans and tortillas. Many eat fish that live in the coastal area. Chicken is eaten frequently. Most of the food is stewed and cooked on open fire. They have fruits and vegetables in the market place. They do not have fast food as we have in the states. Their restaurants are much below our standards, but it is good and usually hot.Many do not have our modern conveniences, such as refrigeration, air conditioning, stoves, indoor plumbing, and washing machines. The laundry is done in the river scrubbing on rocks or washboards or at the pila in the village.  Appliances are available but very expensive for a Belizean. The road system in Belize is in bad shape.  The main roads are just dirt, few have gravel.  There are very few paved roads, only one has lines on it, which is called the Hummingbird highway.  The main vehicles in the country are 4-wheel drive units due to the bad roads and heavy rainfall.  The area of Cayo where we will be going gets 165 inches of rain a year.  It's in the tropical rain forest. There is public transportation by bus and a ticket can be bought at a reasonable rate. There are many sites to see in Belize.  One of the largest living coral reefs in the world is off the island of San Pedro in the Cayes.  The coastal area is great for fishing.  There are many Mayan ruins to explore.  The Belizeans are big environmentalists.  Much of the jungle and tropical rain forest has been untouched. The creatures of Belize are plentiful.  Crocodiles swim the sea and rivers, as do the iguanas.  The national animal is the tarpon, which actually looks like a pig/cow.  The national bird is the toucan. Wild parrots fly over the houses at dusk making the forest come alive.  The loudest animal of all is the howler monkey.  He has a unique way of sucking air into his lungs and then his throat blows up and he expels it over his vocal cords.  There are jaguars in the dense jungle, and of course we have the three most deadly snakes in the world.  They include the Yellow throated Tommy Goff and the bushmaster.  We also have the garden variety of tropical rattlesnakes, boa constrictors and corral snakes.  And many crawly things consist of tarantulas, scorpions, and geckos.  Stay to the main paths and roads and all should be well.