Belize was first inhabited by Mayan Indians, whose civilization reached its height in 300 and 900 AD. Belize was settled by the British in 1638, declared a colony in 1871. Full internal self-government was granted in 1964. In 1972, the capital was moved to Belmopan and the colony renamed Belize (from British Honduras). On September 21, 1981 Belize officially became a sovereign nation.

Belize is home to the world’s biggest double barrier reef, the Belize Barrier Reef which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is a system of coral reefs that stretches along the coast of Belize. It is the largest barrier reef system in the Northern Hemisphere and Western Hemisphere, and it is a major tourist attraction. The reef is home to many different species of fish, coral, and marine life, and it is a popular destination for snorkeling and diving.

The Blue Hole Natural Monument is a large underwater sinkhole that is located off the coast of Belize. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Belize, and it is also a popular scuba diving spot. The Blue Hole is more than 300 meters deep, and it is surrounded by coral reefs.

The Belize Barrier Reef is a series of coral reefs straddling the coast of Belize, roughly 300 metres offshore in the north and 40 kilometres in the south. The Reef is a 300-kilometre-long (190 mi) section of the 900-kilometre-long (560 mi) Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, which is continuous from Cancún on the northeast tip of the Yucatán Peninsula through the Riviera Maya up to Honduras making it one of the largest coral reef systems in the world.

Belize became the first country in the world to completely ban bottom trawling in December 2010. In December 2015, Belize banned offshore oil drilling within 1 km (0.6 mi) of the Barrier Reef and all of its seven World Heritage Sites.