Facts About Belize

Belize is bordered on the north by Chetumal, Quintana Roo (which is south of Cancun), Mexico; on the west and south by Guatemala; and on the east by the Caribbean.

Land Area:
8,908 Square Miles.

Population:
287,730 (2005, est.)

Capital:
Belmopan

Average rainfall in the north:
1,350 millimeters.

Climate:
Sub-Tropical

Government:
Parliamentary Democracy (Prime Minister: Dean Barrow 2008-2020 (UDP), Said Musa 1998-2008 (PUP))

Official Language:
English (Other languages widely spoken, mostly as an additional language are: Spanish, Chinese (Tiawanese dialect), Mopan Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), and Belizean Creole (this is not the New Orleans or Jamacian dialects and varies widely). In Corozal it is not unusual to find some youngsters speaking 3 or 4 languages.

Education:
British based system, school is required but not enforced in recent years, especially past age 14.

Religion:
49.6% Roman Catholic, 27% Protestant, 14% Other,
9.4% None.

Electricity:
US 110 Volts AC, 60 Hz - American Style 2 pin plugs, although not usually grounded properly. I advise bringing solid core copper grounding wire or purchasing from Amazon and have it delivered if you plan to move here as I was not able to find solid core which is recommended because of frequent surges. Grounding rods and clamps are available but they tend to use stranded wire here!

Currency and Exchange Rate:
Belize Dollar (BZD) $1USD=$2BZD (It is assumed BZD unless it states USD, USD accepted everywhere)

Country Code:
501 (outside Belize), there are no city/area codes. No Zip Code, use 00000

Sales Tax:
12.5%

Hotel Tax:
9%

Tips:
0-10% Tips are only expected at Resorts!

Time Zone:
Central American Standard- all the time. (-6 GMT)

Pets:
Must have vet certificates which include rabies shots and the certificate must be less than 30 days old. Please also e-mail baha@btl.net (telephone: 822-0197) before you bring your pet, and there is a fee.

Other Facts of interest:
*Smoking is not prohibited unless posted.
*Please be advised that drug use is illegal in Belize!
*As in Mexico, Belize requires car insurance. Motorcycle Ins. is required in Belize, but not in Mexico!
*Please remember that we are thought of as rich and when we do wrong we must pay with CA$H or sit in jail until we do!
*And YES Belize has an extradition treaty with the USA. (I hear that Panama doesn't, but that's a rumor too!)

Available Services: 6 very political Newspapers
DHL, FedEx, Western Union, cell phone service (BTL and Smart uses GSM 1900 service (uses a sim card like AT&T and T-Mobile and Apple cell phones which you can unlock to use in Belize, there are people who unlock and repair phones here), mail (no zip codes), ATM´s accept Cirrus and PLUS, DSL and Cell internet services, Cable Service, but I advise local tv by antenna and Streaming TV with a VPN from your origin country but be aware that Amazon Prime, Hulu and Sling Box will NOT work outside the USA even with a VPN (For sure: ExpressVPN and IPVanish do not work with Amazon Prime; Amazon Prime does make some shows available here. Netflix should be set up in your home country as it cost more here unless you set it up with an active VPN and use your USA address, Philo, Shudder, Disneyplus, CBS ALL Access, VUDU all work here with any VPN. Movies Anywhere must be signed up for in the USA before you move here without a vpn, then it will work with a VPN. Goggle Play, Netflix, PureFlix and YouTube will all work and do not need a VPN. Do not bring a Roku if you need to use a VPN as it is not available with a Roku unless you have a vpn router like GL-iNet. You can get VPN´s on Amazon Firesticks and Android TV Boxes. Please check our Services page for recommended Shippers!

For other facts or questions that you can not find in this website, please feel free to e-mail me.

We will concentrate mostly but not exclusively on Northern Belize which is comprised of the Corozal District and the Orange Walk District. (Districts are similar to a state.)

Corozal Town:
The largest town in the Corozal District. The name "Corozal" comes from the great forest of Cohune Nuts Palm (Corozal). The town has undergone cultural and economic transformation over the past 4000 years. It was originally founded by refugees from the massacre at Bacalar during the Caste War in 1849 by Mayans and mestizos fleeing southern Mexico. Corozal Town has been given a big economic boost by the Free Zone.

Old Corozal consisted of adobe and thatch structures loosely organized into a town. Then on September 27th, 1955 Hurricane Janet hit Corozal Town. Ten houses were reportedly left standing. Though tragic, it also created an opportunity for rebuilding a modern city with modern electricity, water, and septic dry wells. Corozal Town may be the only community in Belize planned and laid out by professionals, but unfortunately does not have well maintained roads (I advise motorcycle or truck) New trucks are available for purchase in Belize City at dealerships, most used vehicles here are not well maintained and are purchased in the US and imported 2nd or 3rd hand.

Orange Walk:
The other major town in the North also grew from the flow of refugees from the Caste War. Orange Walk Town grew as the sugar industry flourished, and with the closing of the Libertad sugar factory, became the sole processor of cane. Today, the town lives with the constant rumble of bulging cane trucks flowing in from all corners of the north heading to the factory.

Mennonites reached Belize and Orange Walk in 1958 from Canada and Mexico. They are successful farmers. The land around Blue Creek and Shipyard are populated by the more orthodox Mennonites who choose to farm without the assistance of modern technology. There is another settlement called Little Belize in Corozal District and they are not quite as Orthodox and many own tractors and trucks. Horse drawn buggies are normal sites in these village so please use caution.

First Class Bus Service to and from Belize and Mexico:

Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Corozal, Orange Walk, Belize City. No other cities or stops (no Chetumal stop on the Express).

It is more expensive to travel on this bus, but if you do not need to go to Chetumal, Quintana Roo it is less trouble! This is a safe way to Cancun, Tulum, Playa del Carmen. Pets not allowed inside Mexican Buses! Remember the exit fee for Belize tourist must be paid at the border. When you enter Mexico and put your destination on the form you will not need to pay a fee for Mexico if you leave within 7 days, the visa is for 180 days and you will need to pay a fee at a Mexican owned Bank apx. $25USD for 7-180 days and credit/debit cards are accepted. If you over extend this I am told it can be $6,000 pesos per day.

Click Link below to use the ADO Express to begin your journey from Belize to Mexico (Apx.$45USD 02/2019):

To go the USA if you stick to the Gulf Coast and use Reynosa,Tamaulipas /McAllen,TX or Matamoros,Tamaulipas/Brownsville,TX Border Crossings via (Villa Hermosa,Tabasco), Veracruz Veracruz, (Tampico,Tamaulipas ) to get there. You can use only Veracruz Veracruz and Reynosa Tamaulipas and Chetumal Quntana Roo as Express Bus Destinations even though they do make other stops in major cities for Mexicans. Please pay close attention if you disembark for food at these stops as you do not want left. Most bus drivers pay attention to foreigners if they are aware of your travel plans. The ¨El Expresso¨ bus lines can be taken from Reynosa to Houston,... The drivers crossing the border are Bilingual. Make sure the form is turned in or your passport is stamped when you leave or it could come back to haunt you. A conversation with the bus driver may be necessary as this last time I could not get the bus station ticket people to do anything. A bus ticket and letter sent to a Mexican Consulate with copies of passport and visa could help with this problem as I have found the bus doesn´t want to stop at the Mexican exit side and the US now only scans passports without stamping them for US Citizens unless you request it for proof of exiting Mexico. This does not seem to be a problem thru the Mexico/Belize border though. A Passport Card is only good for 50 miles into Mexico from the US and will not work for this trip. Mexican buses are very cold and have a Baño. Many have videos that run except late at night and phone charging ports, but not all. Vendors do bring snacks and drinks on to sell. I advise a jacket, travel pillow and blanket at the least. Most Bus Stations also have coffee, free charging ports and wifi, but again, not all. The driver keeps the bus cold to stay awake for his long run and usually has an assistant. It is not unusual to be stopped at a Estado crossing.<BR> Please keep in mind the City and Estado when looking for a destination in Mexico.