Belize gained independence from UK on this day in 1981; all about former British Honduras

On this day in history, 21 September 1981 Belize, formerly known as British Honduras the most sparsely populated nation in Central America gained independence from the United Kingdom and elected a Prime Minister and the Parliament’s Cabinet and adopted a new Constitution and emblems. Further, the nation formed its own army and issued separate passports for its citizens. Having signed the treaties as an independent nation with international organizations, Belize also appointed its international Ambassadors overseas. The country elected George Price as its first Prime Minister and Dame Elimira Gordon as the first Governor-General and organized the ceremony where it handed Instruments of the Independence Constitution in Belmopan on 21 September 1981. 

Since 1950, the country had aimed for self-government and independence, while it was a British colony with large parts controlled by the government of Guatemala. However, in the year 1960, the United Nations passed a resolution for the independence of the colonial territories. Under Premier George Price’s Peoples United Party, the country decided to fight the battle for independence in a campaign titled ‘the internationalization effort’.

[George Price as Belize first Prime Minister. Credit: The National Students' Union of Belize]

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While between the years 1975 to 1979, the US vetoed the United Nations resolutions for Belize's sovereignty, in 1980, the US policy of neutrality led to a UN resolution in November 1980 that resulted in the independence of Belize. The document "The Heads of Agreement” was signed by Britain, Guatemala, and Belize in the year 1981 wherein the countries recognized the independence of Belize with its border demarcation. 

Belize,136th Member of UN

Later, the UN Security Council and the General Assembly enrolled Belize as the 136th Member of the United Nations on  25 September1981, according to historical accounts. To this date, about 48.7 percent of the population in Belize comes from European descent (Mestizo), while Spanish is the native language with over 50 percent of the population speaking in it. Belize adopted parliamentary democracy and is also a member of the Commonwealth with a National Assembly that comprises of the House of Representatives and a Senate. 

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