The tiny nation of Belize sits on the eastern edge of Central America, flanked by borders to Mexico in the north west and Guatemala in the west down to the south west. The country has nearly 400km of coastline stretching across the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Honduras and lays claim to numerous small islands off the coast, known locally as cayes. The geography of Belize is something of a mixed bag, but it all tends to err on the side of stunningly beautiful - more than 45 percent of the land is classed as protected, showing both how proud the Belizean people are of their land as well as their commitment to keeping it as wonderful as it already is. While a great deal of the inlands are forested, home to countless plant and animal species, the south-central areas are mountainous and the coastal regions are home to many lagoons and marshlands - it's an explorer's and eco-tourist's dream. The people of Belize just add to the fantastic charm of the country, with a friendly, approachable and outgoing feel to nearly everyone encountered on a visit - it's a Caribbean paradise in Central America!

The first settlers of the area now known as Belize were Amerindians, which soon led to the area being populated by the Mayans - evidence of this is located all around the country with the thousands of ruins scattered throughout. After the mysterious collapse of the Mayan civilisation Belize became the home of a number of small, sparsely populated city states - things remained this way until the early 1500s and the arrival of the Spanish. The Spaniards attempted to install their culture and values on the native peoples, but were repelled on a number of occasions by vicious native fightbacks - by 1638 the Spanish had been all but expelled from Belize. Pirates arrived in the region, drawn by the lure of stealing from the Spanish but soon realising they could make more money through legitimate logging endeavours, and these early settlements became a whole colony of the United Kingdom by the early 18^th century. Spanish interest in the region hadn't completely dissipated, however, and Belize - known as 'the settlement of Belize in the Bay of Honduras' - was attacked a number of times by Spain, though with very few successes. In 1862 the colony was officially declared as British Honduras, and by the early 20^th century the faltering economy - reliant on logging exports - was reinvigorated by sugar cane, banana and citrus fruit demand from across the Atlantic. The 20^th century saw British control over the colony faltering, a hurricane in 1961 nearly destroyed then-capital Belize City, prompting officials to move to a new purpose-built capital in 1971, at Belmopan. Independence was formally recognised in 1981, eight years after the country was officially renamed Belize and after nearly 20 years as a self-governing state. Relations with neighbouring Guatemala were frosty at best for many years, thanks to territorial disputes on both sides, and Guatemala refused to acknowledge the existence of Belize until 1992 - this recognition was repealed in 1994 however, and though the dispute has never looked too likely to boil over from diplomacy, relations are still conducted at arm's length. Recent years have seen Belize's economy strengthened no end by the influx of tourists, and the country now ranks tourism as its number one form of income.

Belize is a very new country, speaking from the perspective of independence, but as a whole there is an incredible history surrounding the way in which it has become such a wonderful country to visit. The people, thanks to centuries of integration, are friendly, accepting and happy to see visitors throughout the whole country - the laid back atmosphere combined with the country's reliance on the tourist trade just helps to fuel this feeling. There are elements of crime and discontent, but recent measures have been put in place to curb this before it becomes a real problem. The market for property in the country isn't a huge one, and though prices can still hit Caribbean levels of high, there can be some real bargains in this Central American paradise.

The standards of healthcare in Belize are limited at best, and only the main cities around the country have government-approved hospitals. Health insurance, including emergency evacuation cover, is essential.

Mobile phone coverage is good across along the coast and in the main cities, but coverage elsewhere cannot be guaranteed. Landlines are available and lines are of a decent standard. Internet cafes are available in larger towns and cities, as well as in tourist spots.