Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Belize is the only Central American country with English as its official language—a direct legacy of its colonial past. The colonizing power was Britain.
British buccaneers and logwood cutters first settled the coast in 1638. Despite Spanish claims to the territory (formalized in various treaties), the British presence solidified. In 1862, the settlement was formally declared the colony of British Honduras.
Constitutional advances in the 20th century led to self-government in 1964. The country was renamed Belize in 1973, and full independence was achieved on September 21, 1981, though Guatemala did not recognize the new state until 1991.
Today, Belize retains the British parliamentary system, common law, and the Privy Council as its final court of appeal (though it has acceded to the Caribbean Court of Justice). The Queen's image remains on currency, and British military forces maintain a training presence.