Formerly British Honduras. a parliamentary democracy in N Central America: a former British crown colony; gained independence 1981. 8867 sq. mi. (22,966 sq. km). Capital: Belmopan.
Also called Belize City.a seaport in and the main city of Belize.
a river flowing NE through Belize to the Gulf of Honduras. 180 miles (290 km) long.
Related formsBe·li·ze·an[buh-lee-zee-uh n]/bəˈli zi ən/, adjective, noun
a port and the largest city in Belize, on the Caribbean coast: capital until 1973, when that function was transferred inland to Belmopan owing to hurricane risk. Pop: 53 000 (2005 est)
Belize
noun
a state in Central America, on the Caribbean Sea: site of a Mayan civilization until the 9th century ad; colonized by the British from 1638; granted internal self-government in 1964; became an independent state within the Commonwealth in 1981. Official language: English; Carib and Spanish are also spoken. Currency: Belize dollar. Capital: Belmopan. Pop: 334 297 (2013 est). Area: 22 965 sq km (8867 sq miles)Former name (until 1973): British Honduras
