The big national holidays are dictated by the Roman Catholic calendar, but other celebrations include the wonderfully titled Baron Bliss Day (March 9), which honors a philanthropic British nobleman who fell in love with Belize and upon his death willed the bulk of his fortune in trust to the people of Belize. Belize National Day (September 10) commemorates the Battle of St George's Caye; celebrations continue until Independence Day (September 21). More festivities occur on Columbus Day (October 12) and Garífuna Settlement Day (November 19). The latter commemorates the arrival of the Garífuna (or Garinagus, also called Black Caribs) in dugout canoes from Honduras in 1823. Dangriga is the place to celebrate this festival: the small town explodes in a frenzy of dancing and drinking.    

      International flights to Belize City tend to go through Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles or Miami. There are also flights between Belize and Guatemala, as well as other Central American countries. A departure tax of 15.00 is payable by travellers departing by air. There are bus services from Belize City to Chetumal (Mexico) and to Benque Viejo del Carmen on the Guatemalan border and Melchor de Mencos (Guatemala). A token exit tax is payable at Belizean land border-crossing points. You can travel by boat from Punta Gorda in southern Belize to Puerto Barrios (Guatemala) and Lívingston (Guatemala), or from Dangriga and Placencia to Puerto Cortés (Honduras).
     Belize has no rail network, so it depends heavily on small aeroplanes for transport. There are domestic airports in Belize City, Caye Caulker, Corozal, Dangriga, Placencia, Punta Gorda and San Pedro. Bus is the mode of transportation for most Belizeans, and they travel fairly regularly on the country's three major roads (between Corozal and Belize City, between Benque Viejo Del Carmen and Belize City, and between Belmopan and Dangriga). Cars can be rented in Belize City if you're at least 25 years old and have a valid driver's license from your home country. Bicycles and motorbikes can be hired on the Cayes. Fast and frequent motor launches connect Belize City with Caye Chapel, Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye.

Religion: Catholic (50%), Protestant (27%)      Government: parliamentary democracy
Head of State: Governor General Sir Colville Young Head of Government: Prime Minister Said Musa 
Full country name: Belize    Area: 22,966 sq km     Population: 266,440    Capital City: Belmopan
People: 49% mestizo, 25% Creole, 11% Maya, 6% Garífuna    Language: English