fascinating 'The Mayan World' chapter written by a specialist author in-depth coverage of archaeological sites, including cross-border trips to Tikal, Guatemala discover hidden Belize with new itineraries, 40+ maps and insider tips tourist arrivals (over 220,000 annually) set record highs in 2004 English is the official language of Belize, although English Creole, Spanish and other tongues are commonly spoken Belize has 400+ islands in the Caribbean Sea the country (formerly British Honduras) achieved independence in 1981, although Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992 Guatemala still lays claim to over half of Belize's territory Belize's dive sites are famous for their beauty, visibility and variety Belize's jungle lodges are at the forefront of ecotourism the average temperature is a balmy 70[degrees]F year-round