Belize (formerly British Honduras) is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost sovereign state in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official language. Belize is bordered to the north by Mexico, south and west by Guatemala, and to the east by the Caribbean Sea. Belize’s mainland is about 290 kilometers long and 110 kilometers wide.
With 22,960 square kilometers of land and a population of only 340,000 people, Belize possesses the lowest population density in Central America. Belize’s abundance of terrestrial and marine species, and its diversity of ecosystems give it a key place within the globally significant Mesoamerican Biological Corridor. Belize is culturally unique among its Central American neighbours; it is the only nation in the region with a British colonial heritage.