Country Profile
Key Facts
Comptroller
Name: The origin of the name “Belize” remains unclear.
The earliest known record of the name appears in the journal of the Dominican priest Fray José Delgado, dating to 1677. Delgado recorded the names of three major rivers that he crossed while travelling north along the Caribbean coast: Rio Soyte, Rio Xibum, and Rio Balis. The names of these waterways, which correspond to the Sittee River, Sibun River and Belize River, were provided to Delgado by his translator. It is likely that Delgado’s “Balis” was actually the Mayan word belix (or beliz), meaning “muddy-watered”
Date of Membership in CCLEC: (1992 – Panama)
Motto: “Under the shade I flourish”
Status: British Overseas Territory
Area: 22,966 km2 (8,867 miles2)
GDP: $3.088 billion (2006 est.)
Population: 2012 est. : 368,310
Capital City: Belmopan
Official Language: English
Currency: Belize dollar (BZD)
