75 Interesting Facts About Belize 

Last updated on September 4th, 2022

About Belize’s national animal, tallest man-made structure, poisonous cashews, hurricanes, sharks etc

38. The national animal of Belize is a biological mix of a horse and a rhinoceros but is named Mountain Cow. Locally, it’s known as tapir and looks like a giant Guiana pig, weighing over 500 pounds.

39. The highest point of Belize is Doyle’s Delight, a tree covered mountain peak where many jaguars lurk in the dark of the night.

40. The pyramid shaped El Castillo is the tallest man-made structure in Belize. A ghost known as “stone-woman”, who wears white clothes and has fiery eyes, is said to climb the stairs and mix with the temple wall.

41. More than 80% of the rainforests are protected by the government and is inaccessible.

42. Belize is filled with 450 cayes (pronounced keys), which are small islands. They are indeed the key to happiness.

43. In 2016, a Guatemalan minor was killed near the Belize border. This incident led to the deployment of 3000 additional troops by Guatemala on the Belize border.

44. The islands may have remained uninhabited for years, but each Caye has a watchman which is appointed by the government. This has to be the mother of all awesome jobs.

45. The forests here yield an amazing variety of cashew trees. Some are deliciously edible while some are actually poisonous.

46. The Great Blue Hole is the world’s largest sea sinkhole and a paradise for deep sea divers. It’s a huge 984 feet across and 407 feet deep depression in the middle of the sea. It is said that the deeper one goes, the water becomes more clear and the formations, more complex.  It is also a part of the larger Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System. (See fact no. 11)

47. In 1971, Jacques Cousteau, a French naval officer became the first to dive into this sinkhole. His historic testimonial led to a tourism frenzy, with scuba enthusiasts flocking to discover the hole.

48. Superstition fact: it’s bad luck to swim on Good Friday in Belize.

49. Cocoa is another exotic gift Mother Nature blessed Belize with. You can get memorable tours into the entire chocolate-making process at the Toledo Cacao Fest.

50. Belize has the lowest population density in Central America, of only 15 persons per square kilometer.

51. The Toledo district is officially known as “the forgotten land” of Belize. It is a pristine, untouched world in the middle of nowhere.

52. Belizeans are pretty passionate about their natural formations. They name their natural wonders and places after animals and often tend to be awkward. Like a forest is known as Old moon monkey or a waterfall, Coral eyed Butterfly and a trek by the name of False Vampire Bat.

53. The worst enemy of Belize is also Mother Nature. Hurricanes and storm destroy a lion’s share of coastal infrastructure each year.

54. Belize is the conflation of several ethnic groups who came here at different points escaping war, slavery, and prosecution. Some are the Mestizo, Mennonites, Garinagu and Creole.

55. These are the top three revenue earners of Belize: tourism, agriculture, and cocaine. The first two are government controlled and the third is controlled by the South-American mafia cartel.

56. Belize is among the top 5 least populated countries.

57. The Shark Ray Alley in reef system has a number of nurse sharks and sting rays and is not as dangerous as they sound.

58. Most Belizeans travel to the US for work but they return back to their tropical paradise to retire.

59. The Belize Rainforest is home to over 500 species of orchid.

60. Belize’s is a vital part of the extremely significant Mesoamerican Biological Corridor.

61. There are some awesome caves in Belize filled with adventurous trekking routes and some spooky stories to entertain you along the way.

62. Fan of caves or of bright sunny beaches, Belize is a magnet for tourists. The little country pulls in two million plus tourists in a year, which is a rare feat.

Fun facts about Belize

63. Gladden Spit in Belize is a hotspot for whale watchers and on full moon you can expect to see the magnanimous whale shark. Choose a boat or scuba diving or snorkeling, this will remain an ineffable experience.

64. Belize has many themed Mayan villages with unique culture, traditions, festivals and geography.

65. Barton Creek Cave is a one-kilometer long creek cave where 5 mysterious human skeletons from the Stone Age were excavated. The bodies were buried one on top of another and included a child’s skeleton.

66. If you like to eat at fast food centers like McDonalds, Burger King, Starbucks or KFC, learn that there is not any of these in Belize. Not even a single outlet. 

67. There is only one international airport in Belize which is nearby Belize City.

68. Body 2000 – the largest and most popular gym in Belize City was shut down in May, 2015 because the owner didn’t pay his 2015 trade license. The fitness center had a high-profile clientele including the Prime Minister and his wife and some of the northside nouveau riche.

Belize facts for kids

69. Longest river: Belize River. 

70. Highest point: Doyle’s Delight 1,160 m.

71. Did you know Belize is the only Central American country whose official language isn’t Spanish. The country’s official language is however, English. 

72. The Belize Rainforest is home to the “jabiru stork”, which is the largest flying bird in all of North, Central and South America.

73. Belize has some hardcore party animals in its backyard. It is home to the noisiest species of monkey on earth, the howler monkey. Their shriek can pierce through 2 miles of forest cover.

74. Belize has been ranked as one of the happiest countries in the world.

75. June to November are the months for hurricane season in Belize.

Belize – country at a glance