Sacred Heart College Belize Introducing Mystery Class #9 San Ignacio, Belize (17.250 N, 89.000 W) Hi! My name is Barbara Helbling. I am the Art teacher at Sacred Heart College in San Ignacio, within the Cayo District of the beautiful country of BELIZE (Central America). Belize (formerly British Honduras until the name was changed in 1973) lies on the eastern or Caribbean coast of Central America, bounded on the north and part of the west by Mexico, and on the south and remainer of the west by Guatemala. The inner coastal waters are shallow and sheltered by a line of coral reefs, dotted with islands called 'cayes', extending almost the entire length of the country. The area of the mainland and the cayes is 8,867 square miles. The country's greatest length from north to south is 280 kilometers and its greatest width is 109 kilometers. The Barrier Reef in front of Belize is the longest Reef in this Hemisphere. The climate is sub-tropical, tempered by trade winds. Temperatures in costal districts range from about 50 F to about 96 F. Inland, the range is greater. Rainfall varies from an average of 1,295 millimeters in the north to 4,445 millimeters in the extreme south. The dry season usually extends from February to May and there is sometimes a dry spell in August. The hurricane season begins in June and ends the end of November. The Population is approximately 250,000 people. There are four main ethnic groups: Creole, Mestizos, Maya and Garifuna. Less the five percent are East Indian, Mennonites, Chiniese and Arabs. Xunantunich An ancient Maya Temple The official language is English. Spanish is also widly spoken. In the southern districts of Stan Creek and Toledo, there are people whose first language is Garifuna or Maya. Numerous ruins indicate that for hundreds of years Belize was heavely populated by Maya Indians, whose relatively advanced civilization reached its height between AD 250 and 900. Eventually the civilization declined leaving behind small groups whose offsprings still exist in Belize contributing positively to the culturally diverse population. The Maya ruins are one of the main attractions for today's Tourism. Next to the Barrier Reef (snorkeling and diving), we have six National Parks, where you can see our National Animal the Tapir and also the Jaguar. Belize is famous for its wild life and still has an intact Tropical Forest. Maybe one day it will be your holiday destination! Tapir Jaguar Copyright 2002 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form