Culture of Belize Due to the outstanding natural beauty of Belize, it is unsurprising that many people are largely unaware of the cultural and the historical significance which this Central American country has to offer. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Mayan Civilisation first set foot in this country, as far back as 1500 BC; their remains in terms of physical artefacts as well as their cultural heritage are still very evident in Belize today. The modern culture of Belize has largely been driven by Mayan influence, including language, ethnicity and even pace of life. Today, the country of Belize is a democracy and has been fully independent from Britain, since 1981. Despite this, Queen Elizabeth II remains the head of state, but the country, does now have its own prime minister. The national language is English and the laws are largely based on English law, making this a popular destination for English travellers, due to there not being a language barrier to overcome. Although English is the official language, the Creoles, one of the largest ethnic groups, also have their own dialect. In some parts of the north of the country and to the west, Spanish is readily spoken, primarily due to the influences from Mexico. Other popular languages include Chinese, Lebanese, Hindi, Garifuna, Mennonite German and even Arabic. | |
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