Belize: Geography and Environment

Belize is located on the eastern coast of Central America, bordered by Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. The country's coastline stretches along the Caribbean and is fringed by the Belize Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef system in the Western Hemisphere and part of the larger Mesoamerican Reef. Belize also includes hundreds of small islands known as cayes, along with three coral atolls. Inland, the terrain rises from flat, swampy coastal plains in the north to the low mountains of the Maya Mountains in the south and west, with Doyle's Delight as the country's highest point.

Belize has a tropical climate with a distinct wet season from June to November and a drier season from February to May, and it lies within the hurricane belt, making it vulnerable to Atlantic storms. The northern lowlands are characterized by limestone plains and extensive wetlands, while the south and west feature denser tropical rainforest and higher elevation. Rivers such as the Belize River, the New River, and the Sibun River drain the interior toward the Caribbean and have historically shaped settlement patterns and transportation routes across the country.

More than half of Belize's land area remains under forest cover, and the country has established an extensive network of protected areas, including marine reserves, national parks, and wildlife sanctuaries such as the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, though it faces pressure from coastal development, agricultural runoff, and coral bleaching linked to warming ocean temperatures. Belize has also prioritized sustainable forestry and ecotourism as ways to balance economic development with the preservation of its coral reefs, mangroves, and rainforest habitat.