History
Independent since 1981, Belize covers 8867 square miles and has a little over 318,000 residents of Mestizo (Spanish-Indian), Creole (African-European), Maya, Garifuna, Chinese, East Indian and European descent.  Bordered by Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the west and south and the Caribbean Sea to the east, the topography ranges from sea level mangrove forests to mountains.  Three atolls and the largest barrier reef in the western hemisphere are dotted with hundreds of islands called cayes (pronounced keys).  Belize is divided in 6 Districts, Corozal, Orange Walk, Belize City, Cayo, Stan Creek and Toledo

Entry
A valid passport is required for all visitors.  Some nationalities also require visas.  Foreigners leaving the country are required to pay a departure tax (note that sometimes, the tax is included in your ticket price).  Retirees and investment citizens are welcome, though a special immigration process is required.

Currency
The Belize Dollar is pegged at BZ$2 to US$1, and US dollars are accepted widely.  ATMS are available countrywide and most merchants will accept major credit cards.

Time Zone
Belize is in USA Central Standard Time (GMT -6).  Daylight saving is not observed in Belize.

Language
English is the official language of Belize.  However, Spanish is widely spoken, as are the English Creole dialect, Garifuna, Maya (Ketchi, Mopan), East Indian, Mandarin and Hindi.