Belize was originally settled by the Mayan civilization. They began moving into Belize in 1500 BC. There are several Mayan sites in Belize including Altun Ha, Xunantunich, and Caracol. Quite a few people lived in Belize at the time.
Christopher Columbus was the first European to visit Belize in 1502. Later shipwrecked sailors started the first settlement in Belize. It was many years later in 1840 that Belize became a British Colony. It was called the Colony of British Honduras.
In 1973, the territory we renamed to Belize. On September 21, 1981 it gained independence.
The Geography of Belize
Total Size: 22,966 square km
Size Comparison: slightly smaller than Massachusetts
