Belmopan

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Downtown Mendoza.jpg Belmopan (Template:PronEng), estimated population 16,400, is the capital of Belize.

Belmopan is located at Template:Coord,<ref>Cayo, Belize at tageo.com</ref> at an altitude of 76 metres (250 ft) above sea level.<ref name = "tvl">travel-central-america.net</ref> Belmopan was constructed just to the east of Belize River, 80 km (50 miles) inland from the former capital, the port of Belize City, after that city's near destruction by a hurricane in 1961.<ref>"The Hurricane With Three Names," at islandnet.com</ref><ref name = "tvl">travel-central-america.net</ref><ref name = "bmp">belmopanbelize.com</ref> The government was moved to Belmopan in 1970,<ref name = "bmp">belmopanbelize.com</ref> and its National Assembly Building is designed to resemble a Pre-Columbian Maya temple.<ref>Travel to Central America: Belize at travel-central-america.net</ref>

1 History
2 Geographic setting
3 Educational institutions
4 Culture
5 Economy
6 Government
7 References
8 External links

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History

After Hurricane Hattie, with winds of up to Template:Convert, and following the destruction of approximately 75% of the houses and business places in Belize City, the government of the day proposed to encourage and promote the building of a new capital city.<ref name = "bmp">belmopanbelize.com</ref> This new capital would be situated on better terrain, would entail no costly reclamation of land, and would also provide for an industrial area. In 1962, a committee chose the site now known as Belmopan, located 82 kilometres (51 miles) west of the old capital of Belize City.<ref name = "bmp">belmopanbelize.com</ref> In 1964, since Belize was still a colony (known as British Honduras), Premier George Cadle Price led a delegation to London in the United Kingdom to seek funds to finance the new capital.<ref>"Exhibition highlights history of Belmopan" at channel5belize.com</ref> Although they were not ready to commit to funding such a large project, the British government showed interest due to the logic of locating the capital on high ground safe from tidal waves. In order to encourage financial commitment from the British Government, Premier Price and the PUP government invited Mr. Anthony Greenwood, Secretary of State for the Commonwealth and Colonies to visit Belize.

One of the highlights of this visit was the unveiling of a monument at mile 49 on the Western Highway. The monument records that Lord Greenwood dedicated the site for the new capital on October 9, 1965. Thus in a fashion there was a commitment. The name chosen for the new capital, Belmopan, is derived from union of two words: "Belize," the name of the longest river in the country, and "Mopan,"<ref>Belmopan at mybelizeadventure.com</ref> one of the rivers in this area, which empties into the Belize River. The initial estimated cost for building this new city was forty million Belize dollars (twenty million U.S. dollars), however, only twenty million Belize dollars (ten million U.S. dollars) were available, but the momentum was not to be lost.<ref>"Belmopan: Perspective on a New Capital," Kevin C. Kearns, Geographical Review, p. 153 (footnote #13), © 1973 American Geographical Society</ref> In 1967, work began; the first phase of the new city was completed in 1970 at a cost of 24,000,000 Belize dollars (12,000,000 U.S. dollars). From 1970 to 2000 the administration of Belmopan was managed by the Reconstruction and Development Corporation, known as "Recondev."<ref name = "rd">Casa Cayo Real Estate: About Belize</ref> Recondev was vested with the power and authority to provide, or cause to be provided, the municipal functions necessary for the smooth running of the city's business and infrastructure.

Belmopan Parliament House

There was a reluctance initially amongst foreign governments to relocate their embassies to Belmopan,<ref>"Belmopan: Perspective on a New Capital," Kevin C. Kearns, Geographical Review, p. 159, © 1973 American Geographical Society</ref> as there was some doubt as to whether this inland area would really become the functioning capital of Belize. In February 2005, the United States government broke ground and started building a new United States Embassy in Belmopan, 43 years after Belmopan was chosen as the new capital city.<ref>"Groundbreaking Ceremony for New U.S. Embassy Compound," at belize.usembassy.gov</ref> The Embassy was officially opened on Monday, December 11, 2006.<ref>"U.S. Embassy Belmopan Officially Opens," at belize.usembassy.gov</ref>

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Geographic setting

Belmopan is Template:Convert inland from the Caribbean Sea and 76 metres (250 ft) above sea level, located near the Belize River Valley with a view of the Mountain Pine Ridge foothills. The climate at night is cool. The city is located off of the Hummingbird Highway. Two and a half hours south of Belmopan, by road, is the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary.<ref>"Description of birding in Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Reserve," at exoticbirding.com</ref>

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Educational institutions

The City of Belmopan has three Pre-Schools, three Primary Schools and two Secondary Schools <ref>Schools at gradfinder.com</ref> as well as a modern Regional Language Centre (RLC), located on the central campus of the University of Belize,<ref>Regional Language Centre website</ref> where students from neighbouring Spanish-speaking countries come to study English. University of Belize's campus in Belmopan comprises the following faculties: Education and Arts, Management and Social Sciences, Science and Technology, and Nursing and Allied Health.<ref>Belmopan Campus at the University of Belize website</ref> The Church/State system prevails in Belizean education <ref>Belize at the Mexico State University website</ref> especially where Pre-School, Primary and Secondary School education is concerned,<ref>Penados, Filiberto, "Teacher Education and Professional Development in Belize: Developments and Challenges," ICMI (The International Commission on Mathematical Instruction) Bulletin No. 49, December 2000</ref> and nearly all schools in Belmopan are sustained by churches.<ref name = "bmp">belmopanbelize.com</ref>

Local missionaries and non-profit organizations also provide practical educational opportunities for Belizeans.

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Culture

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Ethnic composition

Image:Belmopan map.png

Map of Belmopan

Belmopan proper is a mix of ethnicities including Kriols, Garifuna, Mestizo, Maya and more historically recent immigrants from Asian countries such as the People's Republic of China and Republic of China.<ref>History of Belize at the Regional Language Centre website</ref>

There are five zones around Belmopan proper:<ref>Cayo South Electoral Division at the Belize Elections and Boundaries Department website</ref>

Salvapan - population 3,000 - mostly of Central American origin.<ref>"Salvapan comes of age as part of capital," January 10, 2002 archive of channel5belize.com</ref>
San Martin - population 1,694 - mixed origins (Kriol & Central American Mayan).
Las Flores - population 453 - mostly Central American origin.
Maya Mopan - population 241 - mostly Ketchi/Mopan Maya.
Riviera - population unknown - mix of Central American immigrants and locals.

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Local and regional events

Some of Belmopan's noteworthy events include presentations by the Belmopan Choral Society, the Festival of Arts for school children, and National Day Activities.

The University of Belize's Black Jaguars squad has won two national championships playing out of Belmopan. Nearby communities including Roaring Creek, Camalote, Esperanza, and Georgeville play a softball tournament in the early part of the year.

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Social and community activities

The City Council promotes Belmopan as "The Garden City." A Crime Prevention Initiative has recently been introduced by the Council in conjunction with the Belize Police Department, which introduced a Special Constable/Community Policing Programme. The Council cooperates with social organizations like the Lions Club, the Belize Scout Association, Rotary International, and other NGOs.

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Economy

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Government

Since Belmopan is the seat of government many of its inhabitants work for the national government in various administrative or technical roles. Many are based in the large cluster of government buildings located around the National Assembly building.

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Commercial

Belmopan currently has approximately 589 business establishments (the 1997 census revealed the presence of 373). Five international banks are located in the city, as are several local financial institutions. A modern bus terminal and market complex was constructed in 2003.

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Industrial

Within the zoning regulations, Belmopan has set aside approximately 200 acres (81 ha) of land made up mostly of one-acre (4,000 m²) parcels within city limits. While there is very little industrial activity at present, the council has embarked on a scheme to attract local and foreign investment to the city. Plans are underway to create a 100-acre (40 ha) industrial park close to the municipal airstrip, a paved strip with no control tower or hangars.

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Government

From its inception, Belmopan was governed by a corporation answering to the government, called RECONDEV (Reconstruction and Development Corporation).<ref name = "rd">Casa Cayo Real Estate: About Belize</ref>

Residents of Belmopan voted in a referendum in 1999 to switch to direct election of a city council. In 2000, Belmopan was incorporated as a city and held its first City Council election.<ref name = "bmp">belmopanbelize.com</ref> Anthony Chanona of the People's United Party was elected mayor with a six-man slate, and reelected in 2003.<ref>April 2003 Report on The Elections: Parliamentary, City and Town Council</ref> Following the UDP's municipal victory of 2006, the Mayor of Belmopan is Simeon López.<ref>Three More Years! UDP Dominates Municipal Elections at The San Pedro Sun</ref>

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