The name Belize is thought to have two possible meanings, both derived from Mayan words. The first is said to come from the word belixe, meaning muddy water referring to the many swamps and rivers found in the country. The second, perhaps more interestingly, is proposed to have come from “bel itza”, literally translating to “The road to Itza”, in reference to Chichen Itza; one of the foremost Mayan cities found closeby in Mexico. 

The country’s flag features a royal blue background with two horizontal red stripes at the top and the bottom, with the coat of arms in the middle. This shows a man wielding an axe and another an oar. In between the two are a mahogany tree and a shield bearing woodcutting tools and a ship on it, representing the logging industry and the first British settlement.

The government of Belize is a constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy, with the head of state being King Charles III (after Queen Elizabeth II’s demise at the time of writing). He is represented by a Governor General who in turn acts upon the decisions of the Prime Minister and their cabinet.

Whilst Belize doesn’t rank high GDP-wise, its economy has recently boomed with tourism and construction now becoming a predominant source of income, as opposed to relying solely on agriculture or forestry as before. The majority of the population are employed, with most working in the industry or service sector.