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Three fun places to visit in Belize are Ambergris Caye, Placencia, and Corozal. Ambergris Caye is a town, beach, and boardwalk that offers water and on land activities. Ambergris Caye is the top destination for scuba divers and snorkelers, it offers swimming, fishing, sailing, windsurfing, and jetskiing. Three land activities it offers are hiking, bird watching, and biking. In addition, Placencia is also a great place to visit in Belize! Placencia is a town, beach, and community with sixteen miles of sandy beaches. Placencia is a peninsula which is a piece of land surrounded by bodies of water on three sides. The town has coffee shops, bistros, cafes, hotels, buses and taxi transportation. The ocean offers diving, snorkeling, and you can arrange to go exploring the reef. Finally, Corozal, a town with a clear bay, is another great place to visit. Not only is Corozal a great place to visit, but it has lot’s of wildlife and bird viewing tours. In town, Corozal has a big market filled with fruits and lots of people selling and buying. In Corozal town hall there is a big mural of the Yucatan’s Caste War because this war is very important to Belize. Chetumal City, a city in Corozal, has attractions like malls and entertainment. If you are traveling to Belize, you definitely want to check out Ambergris Caye, Placencia, and Corozal!

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The top nine most eaten foods in Belize are rice and beans, fruit cake, Cashew and Caboo wine, Johnny cakes, ceviche, Cochinita Pibil, tamales, Chicken Escabeche, and Belizean desserts. In Belize, rice and beans are cooked in coconut milk, they are best served on the side of meat. Moving on, Fruit cake is mostly eaten on holidays and it is popular to add almonds into the batter. Also, Cashew and Caboo wines are very popular in Belize. This type of wine is homemade and comes from a cashew fruit. Adding on, Johnny cakes are small baked bread cakes made with coconut milk and flour. Johnny cakes are another  popular cake in Belize. Continuing on, Ceviche, shrimp mixed with sliced cucumber, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, black pepper & Habanero peppers, is one of many popular Spanish dishes in Belize. Cochinita Pibil, which is a slow roasted pork dish wrapped in  plantain leaf, is another popular food in Belize. It is served with handmade tortillas. Tamales, a popular mexican dish in Belize, is cornmeal stuffed with chicken, pork, and beans. Chicken Escabeche, also popular, is chicken soup. This type of chicken soup comes from the Yucatec Maya and Spanish cuisine. Lastly, Belizean desserts are also popular in Belize. Three different types of desserts are Soursop ice cream, Cassava, and Craboo. Belize has lots of interesting foods!

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In Belize, being part of the army is a big deal, so, there are many requirements. First of all, you must be at least 18 to volunteer and have to be able to serve 12 years at minimum. You also must be able to deal with harsh and severe fighting and training conditions. But, most importantly, you must be motivated. When you entry you must be able to run a mile and a half in 10 minutes and 30 seconds, do 59 pushups and 60 situps, and you have to be 18 to 23 years old and Belizean. Also, you must have  high school diploma, a background check from the police, have an official and approved social security card, a Belizean passport, and a birth certificate. Finally, you must have to history of having heart disease or a spine, head, ankle, skin, or knee injury. The BDF has lots of strict rules because they want the best of the best!

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The army in Belize is called the Belize defense force.  Like all armies, it’s job is to protect Belize. Not only does the force work to defend the land itself, there are two different branches defending both the water and air surrounding it. The BDF Air wing if the portion of the army that works in the sky. They defend and protect Belize by watching radars, defusing bombs, and by making sure no plane crashes. The Belize Defense Force Air Wing was originally formed in 1983. Moving on, the Belize Coast Guard is the water portion of the BDF. The Coast Guard’s job is to keep the border safe, and to search and rescue after attack. They also are in charge of preparing Belize for any Hurricanes coming their way and the BDF Coast guard must protect visiting cruise ships.

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The most popular music in Belize is Garifunas, Andy Palacio, and Punta Rock. Garifunas was originally influenced by Africa. This type of music uses drums. Most Garifunas are work songs, for example Eremwu Eu and Laremuna Wadauman. Andy Palacio, famous artist and serious cultural archivist, wrote music based on Garifunas. Punta rock is party music and danceable. It also based off of  Garifunas like Andy Palacio. These certain songs are call and response. Like Garifunas, Punta Rock music is played on drums.

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The two most popular dances in Belize are Punta Music and John Canoe. Punta music is a very popular dance performed on holidays and at celebrations. During this dance, different couples compete against each other to be declared the best at shaking and moving their hips. On the other hand, John Canoe is one of the most famous traditional dances in Belize. This dance was created when slavery was around and is based off of Creole and Garifunas. While performing, dances dress up in white or pink masks. This dance is performed on Christmas and New Years. These two dances are important to Belize!

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The clothing people wear in Belize is trendy, fashionable, sporty, and traditional! One popular article of clothing people wear is jeans, just like people in the US wear. Also, people wear fancier clothing such as skirts, dresses, and dress pants. People in Belize like to be comfortable! Lightweight linen shirts are common. Heinke chiefs, baseball hats, and straw hats are used to accessorize!

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The literacy rate in Belize for both men and women is fairly high, men being 76.7% and women being 77.1%. In Belize, if you are 5 to 14 you must attend school. The way the school system is set up in Belize has you attending three different schools. From 5 to 12 you are in Primary school, which acts as our elementary & middle schools here in the US. From 13-16 you attend Secondary school. Secondary school is like high school in the US, each year you move up a form (grade) and eventually graduate. After Secondary school you go to Tertiary school, known as college in the US, for two years. The University of Belize is where most kids go.

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Through the year Belize celebrates a total of ten holidays. But, some religions and entities do celebrate little holidays such as the Creole festival every year. The first holiday of the year is New Year's day on January 1. New Year’s in Belize is celebrated like it is in the US, people host and go to parties and stay up late. After a couple month of comes Baron Bliss Day on March 9. This day celebrates the death of an Englishmen lost to food poisoning. After Baron Bliss Day the next holiday is Easter. Easter is the longest holiday in Belize because it goes on for four days. Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter, and Easter Monday are celebrated just like how they are in the US. Labour Day is next on May 1. This day is to honor workers world wide. In the morning the Prime Minister gives a speech and the rest of the day is celebrating time! On May 24 it is Commonwealth Day. Commonwealth Day celebrates all the former British colonies. The current Queen also makes a speech that is broadcasted all around the world. St. George’s Caye Day is next on the calendar! This holiday occurs on September 10. This day celebrates Belize’s victory in battle against Spain in the 1700s. On September 21 it is Independence Day which celebrates Belize and it’s independence ever since 1981. Next up is Columbus Day on October 12. This day commemorates Christopher Columbus landing in the western hemisphere. Garifuna Settlement Day is next on the calendar! Garifuna Settlement Day on November 19 celebrates when the Garifuna people originally came to Belize in 1832. Lots of food, dancing, music, and parties happen on this special day! Christmas is finally here! On December 25, the second to last holiday of the year happens! Christmas day is celebrated with parades, fireworks, and dances! Finally, Boxing day has arrived! On December 26, the last holiday of the year, everyones boxes up theirs gifts and gives back to the community and the less fortunate. Boxing Day follows Christmas. Belize celebrates and commemorates many important holidays!

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The main religion in Belize is Roman Catholic, about 40.1% of people living their practice it. If you are Roman Catholic you believe that faith is believing that god is real and that he is all around you. Also, if you are Roman Catholic you believe that there is evidence behind the fact that god is real and you know that because of your background knowledge. In addition, the most common spoken language in Belize is english. English is the official language of Belize, but, Spanish is still taught in some schools. The language Kriol is also popular. Kriol was originally formed in British colonies. Continuing on, the top three ethnicities in Belize are Mestizo, Maya, and Creole. The Mestizo ethnicity comes from a mix of spanish and Mayan genetics. Many people in Belize with this ethnicity might be recent immigrants. The Maya ethnicity loves earth and honors spirits. Even though most people think The Maya have disappeared, they haven’t and are most likely doing farming work like their ancestors once did. Today these people come from three different branches, Kekchi, Yucatec, and Mopan Maya. Also, about a fourth of the population in Belize is Creole. If you are Creole you have blood with African in it, but are not Garifuna. The official language of Creole is dialect.

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From 1862 to 1981 Belize was a British Colony. But, It wasn’t called Belize, it was known as the British Honduras. In 1954, women and men finally gained full voting rights and were allowed to vote! In 1964, the British Honduras became a self governing territory which meant they were run by their own people. Finally, after being known as The British Honduras for 111 years, in 1973 Belize became Belize. As independence continued to change all around the globe, Belize finally took part. On September 21, 1981, Belize finally gained independence and was their own nation!

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On October 13, 1961, one of the strongest and deadliest category four hurricanes struck Belize. Hurricane Hattie killed more than four hundred people and left thousands homeless. With strong 140 mph winds, reaching over 180 mph as it hit Belize,  destroyed and injured many. Hurricane Hattie was a huge devastation to all.

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The type of currency in Belize is called Belize dollars, although US dollars are accepted. Even though US dollars are valid in Belize, Belize dollars aren’t worth anything outside of it’s own country. One US dollar is equivalent to two Belize dollars. Belize dollars come in coin and dollar bill form.

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Belize is a Parliament Government, which means that Queen Elizabeth is the symbolic head of the country, but she doesn’t declare laws without the ok of the Parliament and vise versa. The Parliament is a group of people in government that come together and work. Belize is also part of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth is a group of colonies, that Britain used to own, that are allies. When there is a problem in Belize, the other countries  in the Commonwealth help out. A step down from Queen Elizabeth II, the current Queen, is the Prime Minister, who is currently Dean Barrow. The Prime Minister acts like our President. They are appointed by the Governor General, who is currently Colville Young. The Governor General is in charge of the military. The Governor General chooses one of the house members, who he thinks will be the best leader, and declares them the Prime Minister. The House of Representatives is made up of 31 members and are elected by the people. House of Representative members serve for 5 years. The Senate is made up of 13 people who are appointed. The Prime Minister elects 6 people, the Opposition or the group that the Prime Minister didn’t get elected from, elects 3 people. The Council of Churches elects 1 person, the Chamber of Commerce elects 1 person, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize elects 1 person, and one Governmental Organization elects a person. A Senate Member serves a 5 year term. Below is a picture of how the Belize Government is set up.

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Important items imported into Belize are gas and oil, rolled tobacco, and electricity. Minor imports consisting of boats, such as speed boats and yachts, and delivery trucks. Belize also exports goods such as sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, marine products, molasses, wood, and crude oil. The number one foreign exchange in Belize is tourism.

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Until 2016, same sex sexual-activity was not allowed in Belize. Caleb Orozco, leading activist in favor of LGBT, was the one who introduced these laws in the first place. The Supreme Court finally took action in 2016 and declared this law unconstitutional. In August 2017, Belize held its very first Pride Week. But, foreign homosexuals are still not allowed to enter the country.