Belize is a small country in Central America, on the Caribbean Sea, with Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the west and south. It was a British colony for a long time — English speakers used to call it British Honduras — and it became independent in 1981. The capital is Belmopan, inland; Belize City, on the coast, is older and still feels like the noisy heart of the country.

Belize是中美洲的一個小國， on the Caribbean Sea濱臨加勒比海， with Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the west and south北邊是墨西哥，西邊和南邊是瓜地馬拉。 It was a British colony for a long time它曾經長期是英國殖民地——English speakers used to call it British Honduras英語人士以前稱它為British Honduras——and it became independent in 1981並在1981年獨立。 The capital is Belmopan, inland首都是內陸的Belmopan； Belize City, on the coast, is older and still feels like the noisy heart of the country位於海岸的Belize City歷史較久，感覺起來仍然像這個國家熱鬧的核心。

English is the official language, which makes Belize the only Central American country where that is true, though many people also speak Belizean Creole, Spanish, and Maya languages. Outsiders know it for rainforest, Maya ruins, and a long coral reef.

English is the official language英語是官方語言， which makes Belize the only Central American country where that is true這讓Belize成為中美洲唯一如此的國家， though many people also speak Belizean Creole, Spanish, and Maya languages不過很多人也會說貝里斯克里奧語、西班牙語和馬雅語。 Outsiders know it for rainforest, Maya ruins, and a long coral reef外人認識它，大多是因為雨林、馬雅遺跡，還有一條很長的珊瑚礁。

The name is not settled. One old story said it came from a Scottish sailor, Peter Wallace, twisted by Spanish mouths into Belize; modern scholars mostly treat that as a colonial tale. A stronger guess is Maya: balix or belix, 'muddy waters,' for the Belize River, or perhaps Bel Itza, 'the road to the Itzá.' Early maps already show forms like Balesia and Belleze. So the state is young; the place-name is older, and still carries more than one story.

The name is not settled這個地名的由來並沒有定論。 One old story said it came from a Scottish sailor, Peter Wallace有個老說法認為它來自一位蘇格蘭水手Peter Wallace的名字， twisted by Spanish mouths into Belize經西班牙語的口音扭轉成了Belize； modern scholars mostly treat that as a colonial tale現代學者大多把這當成是殖民時期的傳說。 A stronger guess is Maya比較有力的猜測是來自馬雅語：balix or belix, 'muddy waters,' for the Belize Riverbalix或belix，意思是「混濁的水」，指的是Belize河， or perhaps Bel Itza, 'the road to the Itzá.'或者是Bel Itza，意思是「通往Itzá的路」。 Early maps already show forms like Balesia and Belleze早期的地圖上已經出現過Balesia、Belleze這類寫法。 So the state is young所以這個國家很年輕； the place-name is older, and still carries more than one story但這個地名更古老，而且說法不只一種。