Belize
Facts for Visitors
Government:
Independent nation since 1981, member of British Commonwealth of Nations.
Parliamentary democracy with two major political parties, the United
Democratic Party (UDP) and the PeopleÕs United Party (PUP). UDP currently
holds power, led by Prime Minister Manuel Esquivel. Belize has a Constitution,
which includes a Bill of Rights.
Location:
Belize lies on the eastern coastline of Central America, bordered on
the north by Mexico (the Yucatan Peninsula), on the west and south by
Guatemala, and on the east by the sparkling waters of the Caribbean Sea.
It is separated by sea from its neighbor to the southwest, Honduras.
Size:
Approximately 8,866 square miles. BelizeÕs mainland is approximately
180 miles long and up to 68 miles wide. Belize also consists of over
200 cayes (islands), ranging in size from a few hundred feet to 25 miles
long and four miles wide; most of which are located inside the 200 mile
Belize Reef.
Population:
The population of Belize is approximately 200,000. There is a great deal
of ethnic diversity among Belizeans, who include Creoles (African-European),
Mestizo (Spanish-Indian), Garifuna (African-Indian), Mayan, Anglo-European,
Middle Eastern and Asian.
Language:
English is the official language and is widely spoken, as is Spanish.
Other languages include Creole, Mayan and Garifuna.
Departure
Tax: A
tax of $17.25 US is charged when leaving Belize; this must be paid in
cash or travelersÕ checks (credit cards not accepted for departure tax.)
Further, travelers entering Belize International by air and connecting
to in-country flights are charged a $.75 US security fee.
Entry
Requirements: A passport and return ticket is required to
enter Belize. No visas are required for citizens of the U.S., British
Commonwealth nations, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Iceland, Italy,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey
and Uruguay.
Customs:
U.S. residents are permitted a $400 per person (or $1,100 per family)
duty-free tax exemption upon returning to the U.S., and can also bring
back one quart of alcohol and 200 cigarettes duty-free.
Currency:
Local currency is the Belize Dollar. One U.S. dollar is worth two Belize
dollars. The Belize dollar is fixed to the U.S. dollar so this rate of
exchange does not fluctuate. U.S. dollars should be exchanged directly
in purchasing goods and services, as banks will charge a fee (currently
is at .0125) to exchange U.S. to Belize dollars. U.S. dollars are accepted
everywhere in Belize. Credit Cards/TravelersÕ Checks: Nearly all hotels,
restaurants and shops in the major towns and tourist areas take all major
credit cards. Street vendors and smaller establishments in remote areas
may accept only cash or travelersÕ checks. ItÕs important to keep travelersÕ
checks in a waterproof pouch, as they are considered void if they get
wet. Representatives of VISA, MasterCard and American Express can be
contacted at the four commercial banks in Belize City (Atlantic Bank
Ltd., Bank of Nova Scotia, Barclays Bank, and the Belize Bank. Banks
are generally open Monday-Friday from 8 AM-1 PM and Saturdays, 8 AM-11
AM. American Express also has a representative at Belize Global Travel
Services, Inc., at 27-7257.
Electrical
System: Same as US (110 volts AC). However, most jungle lodges,
and most Cayes, are on diesel generators so electricity is both costly
and environmentally unsound. We recommend that you minimize your use.
Telecommunications:
All telecommunications services (direct dial phones, fax, telex, cable)
are available; but calls from Belize are much higher than an equivalent
call to Belize. The country code for Belize is (501) and there are currently
17 area codes within Belize. Remote jungle lodges usually have short
wave radio communications linked to cellular service. If you are business
visitor planning to spend some time in Belize and want a temporary internet
account, you can make arrangements by contacting Belize Telecommunications,
Inc. ("BTL"), BelizeÕs sole internet access provider (e-mail them at:
sales@btl.net).
Postal
Rates: Rates to the US are: BZ $.60 for letters, $.30 for
postcards. Rates to Europe are: BZ $.75 for letters, $.40 for postcards.
First class mail between Belize and the US averates 8-10 days to delivery.
International Express mail from the US to Belize usually arrives in 3
business days; cost is $14.00. When writing letters to Belize, abbreviate
Central America as C.A. Be sure to include the periods; otherwise the
U.S. Post Office will send your letters to Califonia.
Time
Zone: Belize is in the Central Standard Time zone, and does
not utilize daylight saving time.
Sales
Taxes: Belize recently instituted the "value added" ("VAT")
tax. This tax, set at 15%, is applied to all goods and services except
hotel accommodations. There is a 7% hotel tax. Some hotels also add a
10-15% "service charge" to the bill; inquire about this when checking
hotel prices.
Tipping:
Tipping is voluntary; tips of 15% are acceptable; more if the service
is exceptionally good. Some hotels and restaurants add a 15 percent service.
Climate:
Belize is subtropical, with a mean annual temperature of 80 degrees F.
Winter storms may bring the temperature down to the low Ô60Õs; it can
reach the mid-90Õs on the mainland in the hottest part of summer. Trade
winds blow along the coast and on the cayes most of the year, keeping
temperatures pleasant even in the hottest months, except for a few weeks,
generally around mid-August through mid-September. The dry season generally
lasts from November through May; the rainy season is typically June-November.
Hurricanes occasionally occur; they are most likely to hit in August
through October. Rainfall is heaviest in the south and the jungle areas,
lightest in the north and on the Cayes. Water temperature averages between
79 and 83 degrees F.
Water:
Most Belizean homes and hotels use cisterns to collect rainwater for
drinking and home use. In severe droughts, cisterns may run dry. Regardless
bottled water is advisable. Visitors should be aware of the need to conserve
water during the dry season, especially on the Cayes. Do not eat fruit
you have not pealed yourself, stay away from leafy vegetables like lettuce,
and avoid ice cubes. These are common causes of amoebic dissentary and
giardia, both of which are unpleasant enough to be worth avoiding at
all costs.
Time:
The local time is Greenwich mean time minus six, the same as U.S. central
time, year-round (no daylight saving time).
