Introduction

Background

The territory now known as Belize was home to numerous Mayan city-states until their decline at the conclusion of the first millennium A.D. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the British and Spanish contested control over the area, which officially became the colony of British Honduras in 1862. Disputes regarding territory between the United Kingdom and Guatemala postponed Belize's independence until 1981. Guatemala did not acknowledge the newly established nation until 1992, and both nations continue to engage in a protracted boundary dispute. The tourism sector has emerged as a pivotal element of the country's economy. Present challenges include a significant foreign debt load, elevated crime rates, high unemployment rates coinciding with a predominantly young populace, increasing participation in the drug trade linked to Mexico and South America, and one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS prevalence in Central America.