Belmopan, estimated population 12,300, is the capital of Belize.

Belmopan is located at , at an altitude of 76 meters (250 ft) above sea level. 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. The government was moved to Belmopan in 1970. The National Assembly Building is designed to resemble a Pre-Columbian Maya temple. Belmopan is located off of the Hummingbird Highway, one of the most picturesque highways in all of Central America. Belmopan is one of the world's smaller capital cities.

History

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After Hurricane Hattie, with winds of up to 300 km/h, and following the destruction of approximately 75% of the houses and business places in Belize City, the government of the day in its manifesto for the year 1961, entitled "PUP for Progress" (PUP is the People's United Party), proposed to encourage and promote the building of a new capital city. 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. Belmopan is 76 metres (250 ft) above sea level, near the Belize River Valley, with an imposing view of the majestic Mountain Pine Ridge foothills. It boasts cool climate conditions at night. In 1964, since Belize was still a colony (known as British Honduras), Premier George Price led a delegation to London in the United Kingdom to seek funds to finance the new capital. 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.

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