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Rocky Point, within Bacalar Chico, is the only location in Belize where the barrier reef meets the shore. The point is ‘rocky’ because a fossilized Pleistocene reef lies exposed at the surface. Within the park, all five species of cats native to Belize have been recorded, including the jaguar and puma.
The majority of these reserves contribute to the conservation of Belize's Barrier Reef, which provides a protective shelter for pristine atolls, seagrass meadows and rich marine life. The preservation of the Barrier Reef system has been recognised as a global interest through the collective designation of seven protected areas, including four ...
The Belize Barrier Reef is a 300-kilometre (190 mi) long section of the 900-kilometre (560 mi) Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, which is continuous from Cancún on the north-eastern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula through the Riviera Maya and down to Honduras, making it the second largest coral reef system in the world after the Great Barrier ...
Name Image Location Criteria Year Description; Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System: Belize District, Stann Creek District, Toledo District. Natural (vii) (ix) (x) 1996 The coastal area of Belize is an outstanding natural system consisting of the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere, offshore atolls, several hundred sand cays, mangrove forests, coastal lagoons and estuaries.
The country of Belize has roughly 386 km of coastline, and has many coral reefs, cayes, and islands in the Caribbean Sea. Most of these form the Belize Barrier Reef, the longest in the western hemisphere stemming approximately 322 km (200 mi). The reef and its islands have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.
Tourism in Belize is a major industry in the country. The sector has grown in the 2020s, with international arrivals reportedly increasing 30% in 2024, the highest rate in the Caribbean . [ 3 ] Former Prime Minister Dean Barrow stated his intention to use tourism to combat poverty throughout the country.
Half Moon Caye is an island and natural monument of Belize located at the southeast corner of Lighthouse Reef Atoll. [1] [2] This natural monument was the first nature reserve to have been established in Belize under the National Park Systems Act in 1981 and first marine protected area in Central America.
Belize (/ b ɪ ˈ l iː z, b ɛ-/ ⓘ, bih-LEEZ, beh-; Belize Kriol English: Bileez) is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south.