Editing Geography of Belize

{{Short description|none}}
{{Country geography
| name = Belize
| map = Satellite image of Belize in May 2001.jpg
| map size = 232
| continent = [[Americas]]
| region = [[Central America]]
| coordinates = {{coord|17|15|N|88|45|W|type:country}}
| area ranking = 147th
| km area = 22966
| percent land = 99.3
| km coastline = 386
| borders = [[Land borders|Total land borders]]:<br/>{{convert|542|km|abbr=on}}<br/>[[Guatemala]] {{convert|266|km|abbr=on}},<br/>[[Mexico]] {{convert|276|km|abbr=on}}
| highest point = [[Doyle's Delight]]<br/> {{convert|1,124|m|abbr=on}}
| lowest point = [[Caribbean Sea]]<br/> {{convert|0|m|abbr=on}}
| longest river = [[Belize River]]<br />{{convert|290|km|abbr=on}}
| largest lake = New River Lagoon<br />{{convert|13.5|km2|abbr=on}}
| exclusive economic zone = {{convert|35,351|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}
}}

[[Belize]] is a small [[Central America]]n [[nation]], located at 17°15' north of the [[equator]] and 88°45' west of the [[Prime Meridian]] on the [[Yucatán Peninsula]]. It borders the [[Caribbean Sea]] to the east, with 386&nbsp;km of coastline. It has a total of 542&nbsp;km of land borders—[[Mexico]] to the north-northwest (272&nbsp;km) and Guatemala to the south-southwest (266&nbsp;km). Belize's total size is {{cvt|22,966|km2}}, of which {{cvt|22,806|km2}} is land and {{cvt|160|km2}} is water.

Belize is the only country in Central America without a [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] coastline. Many [[coral reef]]s, [[cay]]s, and [[island]]s to the east—such as [[Ambergris Caye]], [[Lighthouse Reef]], [[Glover's Reef]], and the [[Turneffe Islands]]—are part of Belize's territory, forming the [[Belize Barrier Reef]], the longest in the western hemisphere stemming approximately {{convert|322|km|mi|abbr=on}} and the second longest in the world after the [[Great Barrier Reef]]. Belize's largest river is the eponymous [[Belize River]]. Belize's lowest [[elevation]] is at [[sea level]]. Its highest point is [[Doyle's Delight]] at {{convert|1124|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}.

The climate in Belize is tropical, with a rainy season from June to November and a dry season from January to May. [[Natural hazard]]s include [[Tropical cyclone|hurricanes]] (mostly in the late [[Atlantic hurricane season]], September to December) and [[coastal flooding]], especially in the south.

[[Earthquake]]s also occurred in southern Belize but infrequent and originated from Guatemala.<ref name="Earthquakes in Belize">{{cite web |url=https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2023/11/11/earthquake-felt-in-punta-gorda-and-southern-belize-this-afternoon/ |title=Earthquake felt in Punta Gorda and Southern Belize this afternoon |publisher=Breaking Belize News |last=Humes |first=Aaron |access-date=5 December 2023 |date=11 November 2023 }}</ref>

==Physical features==
Topographical feature divide the Belizean landscape into two main physiographic regions.<ref name=":9">{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/93010956/|title=Guyana and Belize: country studies|date=1993|publisher=[[Federal Research Division]], [[Library of Congress]]|isbn=0-8444-0778-X|editor-last=Merrill|editor-first=Tim|edition=2nd|location=Washington, D.C.|pages=191–193|oclc=28066032|postscript=. {{PD-notice}}}}</ref> The most visually striking of these regions is distinguished by the [[Maya Mountains]] and the associated basins and plateaus that dominate all but the narrow coastal plain in the southern half of the country.<ref name=":9" /> The mountains rise to heights of about 1,100 metres,<ref name=":9" /> with the highest point being [[Doyle's Delight]] (1,124 m) in the Cockscomb Range, a spur of the Maya Mountains in Western Belize.{{Fact|date=November 2020}} Covered with shallow, highly erodible soils of low fertility, these heavily forested highlands are very sparsely inhabited.<ref name=":9" />

The second region comprises the northern lowlands, along with the southern coastal plain.<ref name=":9" /> Eighteen major rivers and many perennial streams drain these low-lying areas.<ref name=":9" /> The coastline is flat and swampy, with many lagoons, especially in the northern and central parts of the country.<ref name=":9" /> Westward from the northern coastal areas, the terrain changes from [[mangrove swamp]] to tropical pine savanna and hardwood forest.<ref name=":9" /> The country's largest lake is the approximately {{Convert|13.5|km2|abbr=on|adj=on}} [[New River (Belize)|New River Lagoon]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Rushton |first1=Elizabeth A. C. |last2=Whitney |first2=Bronwen S. |last3=Metcalfe |first3=Sarah E. |date=17 October 2020 |title=A Tale of Maize, Palm, and Pine: Changing Socio-Ecological Interactions from Pre-Classic Maya to the Present Day in Belize |journal=Quaternary |language=en |volume=3 |issue=4 |pages=30 |doi=10.3390/quat3040030 |doi-access=free |issn=2571-550X |quote=The NRL is about 23 km long, 0.75 km wide, and covers approximately 13.5 km2, the largest body of freshwater in Belize.}}</ref>

[[File:Maritime Boundaries of Belize.svg|thumb|left|Map of Belize's [[exclusive economic zone]]]]
Belize claims an [[exclusive economic zone]] of {{convert|35,351|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} with {{convert|200|nmi|km mi|1|lk=in}} and a [[Territorial waters|territorial sea]] of {{convert|12|nmi|km mi|1}}. From the mouth of the [[Sarstoon River]] to Ranguana Cay, Belize's territorial sea is {{convert|3|nmi|km mi|1|abbr=on}}; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act, 1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for the negotiation of a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala.

Belize is the only country in Central America without a coastline on the [[Pacific Ocean|North Pacific Ocean]].

===Rivers===
{{See also|List of rivers of Belize}}
The interlocking networks of rivers, creeks, and lagoons have played a key role in the historical geography of Belize.<ref name=":9" /> The largest and most historically important river is the [[Belize River]], which drains more than one-quarter of the country as it winds along the northern edge of the Maya Mountains across the center of the country to the sea near Belize City.<ref name=":9" /> Also known as the Old River, the Belize River is navigable up to the Guatemalan border and served as the main artery of commerce and communication between the interior and the coast until well into the twentieth century.<ref name=":9" />

Other historically important rivers include the [[Sibun River]], which drains the northeastern edge of the Maya Mountains, and the [[New River (Belize)|New River]], which flows through the northern sugar-growing areas before emptying into [[Chetumal Bay]].<ref name=":9" /> Both of these river valleys possess fertile alluvial soils and have supported considerable cultivation and human settlement.<ref name=":9" />

===Islands===
{{See also|List of islands of Belize}}

=== Forests ===
In Belize [[forest cover]] is around 56% of the total land area, equivalent to 1,277,050 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, down from 1,600,030 hectares (ha) in 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 1,274,670 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 2,390 hectares (ha). Of the naturally regenerating forest 0% was reported to be [[primary forest]] (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 59% of the forest area was found within protected areas.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/a6e225da-4a31-4e06-818d-ca3aeadfd635/content |title=Terms and Definitions FRA 2025 Forest Resources Assessment, Working Paper 194 |publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |year=2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020, Belize |url=https://fra-data.fao.org/assessments/fra/2020/BLZ/home/overview |website=Food Agriculture Organization of the United Nations}}</ref>

==Climate==

[[File:Koppen-Geiger Map BLZ present.svg|thumb|Köppen climate classification zones of Belize.]]

Belize has a tropical climate with pronounced wet and dry seasons, although there are significant variations in weather patterns by region.<ref name=":9" /> Temperatures vary according to elevation, proximity to the coast, and the moderating effects of the northeast trade winds off the Caribbean.<ref name=":9" /> Average temperatures in the coastal regions range from {{convert|24|°C}} in January to {{convert|27|°C}} in July.<ref name=":9" /> Temperatures are slightly higher inland, except for the southern highland plateaus, such as the Mountain Pine Ridge, where it is noticeably cooler year round.<ref name=":9" /> Overall, the seasons are marked more by differences in humidity and rainfall than in temperature.<ref name=":9" />

Average rainfall varies considerably, ranging from {{convert|1350|mm|in|1|sp=us}} in the north and west to over {{convert|4500|mm|in|1|sp=us}} in the extreme south.<ref name=":9" /> Seasonal differences in rainfall are greatest in the northern and central regions of the country where, between January and April or May, fewer than {{convert|100|mm|in|1|sp=us}} of rain fall per month.<ref name=":9" /> The dry season is shorter in the south, normally only lasting from February to April.<ref name=":9" /> A shorter, less rainy period, known locally as the "little dry," usually occurs in late July or August, after the initial onset of the rainy season.<ref name=":9" />

{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Belmopan (1991–2020)
|single line = Yes
|metric first = Yes
|collapsed = Yes 
|Jan high C = 28.2
|Feb high C = 29.7
|Mar high C = 31.2
|Apr high C = 33.5
|May high C = 34.1
|Jun high C = 32.7
|Jul high C = 32.2
|Aug high C = 32.6
|Sep high C = 32.5
|Oct high C = 31.2
|Nov high C = 29.4
|Dec high C = 28.6
|year high C = 31.3
|Jan mean C = 23.7
|Feb mean C = 24.4
|Mar mean C = 25.5
|Apr mean C = 27.6
|May mean C = 28.6
|Jun mean C = 28.3
|Jul mean C = 27.7
|Aug mean C = 27.9
|Sep mean C = 27.9
|Oct mean C = 26.8
|Nov mean C = 25.1
|Dec mean C = 24.2
|year mean C = 26.5
|Jan low C = 19.1
|Feb low C = 19.2
|Mar low C = 19.8
|Apr low C = 21.7
|May low C = 23.1
|Jun low C = 23.8
|Jul low C = 23.3
|Aug low C = 23.2
|Sep low C = 23.2
|Oct low C = 22.5
|Nov low C = 20.7
|Dec low C = 19.8
|year low C = 21.6
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 135.2
|Feb rain mm = 51.3
|Mar rain mm = 48.5
|Apr rain mm = 41.4
|May rain mm = 119.3
|Jun rain mm = 259.9
|Jul rain mm = 245.3
|Aug rain mm = 226.1
|Sep rain mm = 221.8
|Oct rain mm = 244.2
|Nov rain mm = 201.9
|Dec rain mm = 134.9
|year rain mm =
|unit rain days = 1.0 mm
|Jan rain days = 11
|Feb rain days = 6
|Mar rain days = 5
|Apr rain days = 3
|May rain days = 7
|Jun rain days = 14
|Jul rain days = 16
|Aug rain days = 14
|Sep rain days = 15
|Oct rain days = 14
|Nov rain days = 13
|Dec rain days = 13
|Jan sun = 170.5
|Feb sun = 189.3
|Mar sun = 241.8
|Apr sun = 255.0
|May sun = 248.0
|Jun sun = 189.0
|Jul sun = 201.5
|Aug sun = 207.7
|Sep sun = 171.0
|Oct sun = 182.9
|Nov sun = 165.0
|Dec sun = 150.0
|year sun = 
|Jand sun = 5.5
|Febd sun = 6.7
|Mard sun = 7.8
|Aprd sun = 8.5
|Mayd sun = 8.0
|Jund sun = 6.3
|Juld sun = 6.5
|Augd sun = 6.7
|Sepd sun = 5.7
|Octd sun = 5.9
|Novd sun = 5.5
|Decd sun = 5.0
|yeard sun = 6.5
|source 1 = National Meteorological Service of Belize (sun 1981–2010)<ref name=BelmopanNMS>{{cite web
| url = http://nms.gov.bz/climate-services/climatology/
| title = Climatology Information for a few stations across Belize
| publisher = National Meteorological Service of Belize
| access-date = 6 January 2022
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220106220633/http://nms.gov.bz/climate-services/climatology/
| archive-date = 6 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url = http://nms.gov.bz/climate-services/climatology/past_data_1981-2010.php
| title = Climatology Information for a few stations across Belize
| publisher = National Meteorological Service of Belize
| access-date = 6 January 2022
| url-status = dead
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220106221452/http://nms.gov.bz/climate-services/climatology/past_data_1981-2010.php
| archive-date = 6 January 2022
| df = dmy-all
}}</ref>
|date=November 2011
}}

{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Belize City 1991–2020, extremes 1866–present 
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|collapsed = Yes
|Jan record high C = 34.2
|Feb record high C = 34.7
|Mar record high C = 37.3
|Apr record high C = 37.0
|May record high C = 37.0
|Jun record high C = 35.7
|Jul record high C = 33.8
|Aug record high C = 35.0
|Sep record high C = 35.3
|Oct record high C = 34.0
|Nov record high C = 33.3
|Dec record high C = 34.0
|year record high C = 37.3
|Jan high C = 27.9
|Feb high C = 28.8
|Mar high C = 29.8
|Apr high C = 31.2
|May high C = 31.9
|Jun high C = 31.7
|Jul high C = 31.5
|Aug high C = 31.8
|Sep high C = 31.8
|Oct high C = 30.6
|Nov high C = 29.2
|Dec high C = 28.3
|year high C = 30.4
|Jan mean C = 24.3
|Feb mean C = 25.2
|Mar mean C = 26.1
|Apr mean C = 27.7
|May mean C = 28.5
|Jun mean C = 28.7
|Jul mean C = 28.4
|Aug mean C = 28.5
|Sep mean C = 28.3
|Oct mean C = 27.2
|Nov mean C = 25.6
|Dec mean C = 24.7
|year mean C = 26.9
|Jan low C = 20.6
|Feb low C = 21.5
|Mar low C = 22.4
|Apr low C = 24.2
|May low C = 25.2
|Jun low C = 25.7
|Jul low C = 25.3
|Aug low C = 25.3
|Sep low C = 24.9
|Oct low C = 23.9
|Nov low C = 22.0
|Dec low C = 21.2
|year low C = 23.5
|Jan record low C = 11.0
|Feb record low C = 11.5
|Mar record low C = 10.9
|Apr record low C = 15.0
|May record low C = 19.0
|Jun record low C = 20.8
|Jul record low C = 20.7
|Aug record low C = 21.0
|Sep record low C = 19.3
|Oct record low C = 16.1
|Nov record low C = 14.4
|Dec record low C = 12.0
|year record low C = 10.9
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 141.4
|Feb rain mm = 64.7
|Mar rain mm = 41.0
|Apr rain mm = 58.0
|May rain mm = 131.8
|Jun rain mm = 236.4
|Jul rain mm = 180.2
|Aug rain mm = 195.0
|Sep rain mm = 229.8
|Oct rain mm = 305.5
|Nov rain mm = 235.8
|Dec rain mm = 150.9
|year rain mm = 
|unit rain days = 1.0 mm
|Jan rain days = 10
|Feb rain days = 6
|Mar rain days = 4
|Apr rain days = 4
|May rain days = 7
|Jun rain days = 12
|Jul rain days = 14
|Aug rain days = 14
|Sep rain days = 16
|Oct rain days = 16
|Nov rain days = 13
|Dec rain days = 12
|year rain days = 
|Jan humidity = 83
|Feb humidity = 82
|Mar humidity = 79
|Apr humidity = 77
|May humidity = 79
|Jun humidity = 82
|Jul humidity = 83
|Aug humidity = 84
|Sep humidity = 84
|Oct humidity = 83
|Nov humidity = 84
|Dec humidity = 84
|year humidity = 82
|Jan sun = 199
|Feb sun = 203
|Mar sun = 239
|Apr sun = 256
|May sun = 257
|Jun sun = 197
|Jul sun = 226
|Aug sun = 237
|Sep sun = 178
|Oct sun = 196
|Nov sun = 180
|Dec sun = 190
|year sun = 2558
|source 1 = National Meteorological Service of Belize,<ref name = belizecityNMS >{{cite web
| url = http://nms.gov.bz/climate-services/climatology/
| title = Climatology Information for a few stations across Belize
| publisher = National Meteorological Service of Belize
| access-date = 6 January 2022
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220106220633/http://nms.gov.bz/climate-services/climatology/
| archive-date = 6 January 2022}}</ref> Meteo Climat (record highs and lows)<ref name = meteoclimatbelizecity>
{{cite web 
| url = http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=1506
| title = Station Philip Goldson
| publisher = Meteo Climat 
| language = fr 
| access-date = 6 November 2016}}</ref>
|source 2 = [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]] (sun, 1961–1990, humidity 1975–1989)<ref name = belizecityDWD>
{{cite web
| url = http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_785830_kt.pdf
| title = Klimatafel von Belize City (Int. Flugh.) / Belize
| work = Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world
| publisher = Deutscher Wetterdienst
| language = de
| access-date = 24 January 2016}}</ref><ref name = DWDsunbelizecity>{{cite web
| url = ftp://ftp-cdc.dwd.de/pub/CDC/observations_global/CLIMAT/multi_annual/sunshine_duration/1961_1990.txt
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171017195327/ftp://ftp-cdc.dwd.de/pub/CDC/observations_global/CLIMAT/multi_annual/sunshine_duration/1961_1990.txt
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 2017-10-17
| title = Station 78583: Belize/Phillip Goldston INTL. Airport
| work = Global station data 1961–1990—Sunshine Duration
| publisher = Deutscher Wetterdienst
| access-date = July 9, 2015
}}</ref>{{efn|[https://web.archive.org/web/20171017195318/ftp://ftp-cdc.dwd.de/pub/CDC/help/stations_list_CLIMAT_data.txt Station ID for Belize/Phillip Goldston INTL. Airport is 78583] Use this station ID to locate the sunshine duration}}
|date=August 2010
}}

=== Hurricanes ===
Hurricanes have played a devastating role in Belizean history.<ref name=":9" /> In 1931 an unnamed hurricane destroyed over two-thirds of the buildings in Belize City and killed more than 1,000 people.<ref name=":9" /> In 1955 [[Hurricane Janet]] leveled the northern town of Corozal.<ref name=":9" /> Six years later, [[Hurricane Hattie]] struck the central coastal area of the country, with winds in excess of {{convert|300|km/h|mph|0|sp=us}} and {{convert|4|m|ft|1|adj=on|sp=us}} storm tides.<ref name=":9" /> The devastation of Belize City for the second time in thirty years prompted the relocation of the capital some {{convert|80|km|mi|0|sp=us}} inland to the planned city of [[Belmopan]].<ref name=":9" /> A hurricane that devastated Belize was [[Hurricane Greta-Olivia|Hurricane Greta]], which caused more than US$25 million in damages along the southern coast in 1978.<ref name=":9" />

There was a period of 20 years that Belize was considered as a hurricane-free zone by many{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}} until [[Hurricane Mitch]] (October 1998) gave rise to hurricane awareness and the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO). One year later [[Hurricane Keith]] hit Belize, followed the following year by [[Tropical Storm Chantal (2001)|Tropical Storm Chantal]].

In 2001, [[Hurricane Iris]] swept through the southern part of Belize causing damage that ranged in the hundreds of millions due largely to wiping away the [[banana]] industry, crippling the [[citrus]] and tourism in the area. Six years later, the fury of [[Hurricane Dean|Category Five Dean]] landed on the Yucatán coast at Mahahual and Corozal in northern Belize, was not spared the brunt of reportedly Category 3 to 4 winds. Hurricane Dean did tens of millions in damages, especially to the infantile [[papaya]] industry and to a lesser extent to the endemic [[sugar cane]] industry.

[[File:Mountain Pine Ridge Uploaded on November 28, 2007 by tomeppy (cropped).jpg|thumb|center|600px|The [[Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve]], Belize.]]

==Geology==
[[File:Belize_topo.png|thumb|right|205px|Topography of Belize]]
Belizean geology consists largely of varieties of [[limestone]], with the notable exception of the [[Maya Mountains]], a large uplifted block of intrusive [[Paleozoic]] [[granite]] and sediments running northeast to southwest across the south-central part of the country.<ref name=":9" /> Several major [[Fault (geology)|faults]] rive these highlands, but much of Belize lies outside the [[Tectonics|tectonically active]] zone that underlies most of Central America.<ref name=":9" /> During the [[Cretaceous]] Period, what is now the western part of the Maya Mountains stood above sea level, creating the oldest land surface in Central America, the Mountain Pine Ridge plateau.<ref name=":9" />

The hilly regions surrounding the Maya Mountains are formed from Cretaceous limestone.<ref name=":9" /> These areas are characterized by a [[karst topography]] that is typified by numerous [[sinkhole]]s, [[cave]]rns, and underground streams.<ref name=":9" /> In contrast to the Mountain Pine Ridge, some of the soils in these regions are quite fertile and have been cultivated during at least the past 4,000 years.<ref name=":9" />

Much of the northern half of Belize lies on the [[Yucatán Platform]], a tectonically stable region.<ref name=":9" /> Although mostly level, this part of the country also has occasional areas of hilly, karst terrain, such as the Yalbac Hills along the western border with Guatemala and the Manatee Hills between Belize City and [[Dangriga]].<ref name=":9" /> Alluvial deposits of varying fertility cover the relatively flat landscapes of the coastal plains.<ref name=":9" />

== Environmental issues ==
[[Environmental degradation]] issues in Belize include [[deforestation]], [[water pollution]] from [[sewage]], industrial [[effluent]]s, [[agricultural runoff]], and [[solid waste]] disposal.

Belize is party to the [[Basel Convention]], [[Convention on Biological Diversity]], [[Ramsar Convention]], [[CITES]], [[Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter]], [[International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling]], [[Montreal Protocol]], [[MARPOL 73/78]], [[United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea]], [[United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification]], and [[United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change]].

=== Climate change ===
Belize is highly vulnerable to [[climate change]] due to its low-lying coastal areas, diverse ecosystems, and economic reliance on tourism and agriculture.<ref name=":10">{{Cite book |last=UNFCC |url=https://unfccc.int/documents/630427 |title=BELIZE: A CASE STUDY CONDUCTED BY THE CLIMATE RESILIENT FOOD SYSTEMS ALLIANCE |date=December 2022}}</ref> [[Sea level rise|Rising sea levels]] and [[coastal erosion]] threaten coastal communities and coral reefs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=World Bank |title=Belize |url=https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/belize/vulnerability |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=IMF |date=November 2018 |title=Belize: Climate Change Policy Assessment |url=https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/CR/Issues/2018/11/16/Belize-Climate-Change-Policy-Assessment-46372#:~:text=Belize%20is%20exceptionally%20vulnerable%20to,policy%20gaps%20and%20resource%20needs. |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=IMF |language=en}}</ref> Warming ocean temperatures are causing [[coral bleaching]], which impacts biodiversity and [[Fishery|fisheries]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=UNESCO |date=2022 |title=Building climate change resilience and adaptation of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (Belize) |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/canopy/belize/ |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=whc.unesco.org}}</ref> [[Extreme weather]] events, such as [[Tropical cyclone|hurricanes]] and floods, have become more frequent and intense, damaging infrastructure and livelihoods.<ref name=":10" />

As a country, Belize's 2023 [[greenhouse gas emissions]] are relatively low (7.46 million tonnes), however, it ranks as the 13th highest country for per capita emissions, at 18.13 tonnes per person.<ref name=":8">{{Cite journal |last=Jones |first=Matthew W. |last2=Peters |first2=Glen P. |last3=Gasser |first3=Thomas |last4=Andrew |first4=Robbie M. |last5=Schwingshackl |first5=Clemens |last6=Gütschow |first6=Johannes |last7=Houghton |first7=Richard A. |last8=Friedlingstein |first8=Pierre |last9=Pongratz |first9=Julia |last10=Le Quéré |first10=Corinne |date=2023-03-29 |title=National contributions to climate change due to historical emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide since 1850 |url=https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02041-1 |journal=Scientific Data |volume=10 |issue=1 |doi=10.1038/s41597-023-02041-1 |issn=2052-4463|hdl=11250/3119366 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ritchie |first=Hannah |last2=Rosado |first2=Pablo |last3=Roser |first3=Max |date=2024-01-05 |title=Greenhouse gas emissions |url=https://ourworldindata.org/greenhouse-gas-emissions |journal=Our World in Data |language=en}}</ref> [[Land use]] change and [[forestry]] together is the highest source of emissions in Belize.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |last=Climate Action Watch |title=Belize |url=https://www.climatewatchdata.org/countries/BLZ?end_year=2021&start_year=1990 |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=www.climatewatchdata.org}}</ref> The government has committed to [[Net-zero emissions|net zero emissions]] by 2050 and has developed [[climate resilience]] and [[Climate change adaptation|adaptation]] plans.<ref name=":11" />

==Natural resources==
Although a number of economically important minerals exist in Belize, none has been found in quantities large enough to warrant their mining. Those minerals include dolomite, barite (source of barium), bauxite (source of aluminum), cassiterite (source of tin), and gold. In 1990 limestone, used in road building, was the only mineral resource being exploited for either domestic or export use.<ref name=":9" />

The similarity of Belizean geology to that of oil-producing areas of Mexico and Guatemala prompted oil companies, principally from the United States, to explore for petroleum at both offshore and on-land sites in the early 1980s. Initial results were promising, but the pace of exploration slowed later in the decade, and production operations never commenced. As a result, Belize remains almost totally dependent on imported petroleum for its energy needs.<ref name=":9" />

Belize has considerable potential for hydroelectric and other renewable energy resources, such as solar and biomass. In the mid-1980s a Belizean businessman proposed the construction of a wood-burning power station for the production of electricity, but the idea foundered in the wake of ecological concerns and economic constraints. In late 2005, a company named Belize Natural Energy found oil in commercial quantities in the [[Spanish Lookout]] area of Belize.<ref name="Romero 2006 r636">{{cite web | last=Romero | first=Simon | title=Touched by Oil and Hope in Belize | website=The New York Times | date=February 21, 2006 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/21/business/worldbusiness/touched-by-oil-and-hope-in-belize.html | access-date=March 4, 2024}}</ref>

== Extreme points ==

* Northernmost point – [[Subteniente Lopez]]
* Southernmost point – Southwestern border with [[Guatemala]], near [[Chocon]]
* Westernmost point – Border with [[Guatemala]], at [[Sarstoon River]]
* Easternmost point – [[Lighthouse Reef]]
* Highest point – [[Doyle's Delight]]: 1124 m
* Lowest point – [[Atlantic Ocean]]: 0 m

==See also==
*[[Great Blue Hole]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{refbegin|}}
*{{CIA World Factbook}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.belize.net/html/maps.shtml Maps at Belize.Net] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808154816/http://www.belize.net/html/maps.shtml |date=2013-08-08 }}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130119081438/http://www.freeworldmaps.net/central-america/belize/map.html Physical map of Belize]

{{Belize topics}}
{{Geography of North America}}
{{North America topic|Climate of}}

<!-- Please respect alphabetical order -->

{{DEFAULTSORT:Geography Of Belize}}
[[Category:Geography of Belize| ]]