Belize: History

Belize was home to the ancient Maya civilization for centuries before European contact, with numerous archaeological sites still visible today, including Caracol and Xunantunich. British settlers, initially drawn by logwood and mahogany extraction, established a colonial presence beginning in the 17th century, and the territory became known as British Honduras.

Britain formally declared it a crown colony in 1862, despite a long-standing territorial dispute with Guatemala that persists to this day. British Honduras was renamed Belize in 1973, and the country achieved full independence from the United Kingdom on September 21, 1981, becoming the last British colony on the American mainland to do so.