General Information
Belize claims an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) and a territorial sea of 12 nautical miles (22.2 km; 13.8 mi). From the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's territorial sea is 3 nmi (5.6 km; 3.5 mi); according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act, 1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for the negotiation of a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala.
- Climate
- Tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (June to November); dry season (February to May).
- Terrain
- Flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
Belize's lowest elevation is at sea level. Its highest point is Doyle's Delight at 1,124 m (3,688 ft). This conclusion was the result of a recent survey, showing Doyle's Delight is slightly higher than Victoria Peak at 1,120 m (3,675 ft), which had long been regarded as Belize's highest point.
Natural hazards in Belize include hurricanes (mostly in the late Atlantic hurricane season, September to December) and coastal flooding, especially in the south.
Current environmental degradation issues in Belize include deforestation, water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, and agricultural runoff, and solid waste disposal.
Belize is party to the Basel Convention, Convention on Biological Diversity, Ramsar Convention, CITES, Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, Montreal Protocol, MARPOL 73/78, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Belize is the only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean.
Read more about this topic: Geography Of Belize
Famous quotes containing the words general and/or information:
“It has been the struggle between privileged men who have managed to get hold of the levers of power and the people in general with their vague and changing aspirations for equality, for justice, for some kind of gentler brotherhood and peace, which has kept that balance of forces we call our system of government in equilibrium.”
—John Dos Passos (1896–1970)
“Many more children observe attitudes, values and ways different from or in conflict with those of their families, social networks, and institutions. Yet today’s young people are no more mature or capable of handling the increased conflicting and often stimulating information they receive than were young people of the past, who received the information and had more adult control of and advice about the information they did receive.”
—James P. Comer (20th century)