Belmopan

City

City of Belmopan

Belmopan centre

Flag

Nickname(s): The Garden City, 'Pan

Motto: City of Promise

Belmopan

Location of Belmopan in Belize

Coordinates: 17°15′5″N 88°46′1″W / 17.25139°N 88.76694°WCoordinates: 17°15′5″N 88°46′1″W / 17.25139°N 88.76694°W

Country

Belize

Foundation

August 1, 1970

Government

• Mayor

Khalid Belisle (UDP)

Area

• Total

32.78 km² (12.66 sq mi)

Elevation

76 m (250 ft)

Population (2010)

• Total

16,451

• Estimate (2015)

19,458

Time zone

Central (UTC-6)

Area code(s)

501 +8

Climate

Belmopan (/ˌbɛlmoʊˈpæn/) is the capital city of Belize. Its population in 2010 was 16,451. Although the smallest capital city in the continental Americas by population, Belmopan is the third-largest settlement in Belize, behind Belize City and San Ignacio. Founded as a planned community in 1970, Belmopan is one of the newest national capital cities in the world. Since 2000 Belmopan has been one of two settlements in Belize to hold official city status, along with Belize City.

Belmopan is located in Cayo District at an altitude of 76 metres (249 feet) above sea level. Belmopan was constructed just to the east of the Belize River, 80 km (50 mi) inland from the former capital, the port of Belize City, after that city's near destruction by Hurricane Hattie in 1961. The government was moved to Belmopan in 1970. Its National Assembly Building is designed to resemble a Pre-Columbian Maya temple.

After Hurricane Hattie in 1961 destroyed approximately 75% of the houses and business places in low-lying and coastal Belize City, the government proposed to encourage and promote the building of a new capital city. This new capital would be on better terrain, would entail no costly reclamation of land, and would provide for an industrial area. In 1962, a committee chose the site now known as Belmopan, 82 kilometres (51 mi) west of the old capital of Belize City.

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