Belize is a country of barely 400,000 inhabitants; it is situated in Central America, bordering the Carribean on its east, squeezed between Guatamala to the west and south and Mexico to its north. In its colonial days, Belize was known as British Honduras, which makes it the only English speaking country in Central America. It was colonized by Britain for its timber, and it is still a source of many tropical woods including mahogany. In spite of its poverty, Belize has quite a strong conservation ethic; so, for example, for every mahogany tree harvested, the law requires that four new ones are planted.
The ethnic mix of the population is very varied; there are Mayan indians - descendants of one of the great pre-Columbian civilizations of central america; there are mestizos - people of mixed hispanic and indian descent, and Afro-Carribbeans, the descendants of slaves. In addition, nearly 10% of the population are Mennenites, a religious sect originating in 19th century Germany and related to the Amish. These latter arrived in the then British Honduras in the 1950's by way of Mexico and Canada, to where they had migrated from Germany. They were granted large tracts of land for farming in Belize. Like the Amish, the Mennenites do not believe in televisions and computers for their personal use; however - unlike the Amish - they do use technology for farming, in a big way. The areas which are farmed by this community provide a startling contrast to the distinctly third world-like small-holdings you see elsewhere in Belize. In fact, the Mennenites produce 70-80% of the food consumed in the country. To complete the mix, there are now whole communities of Taiwanese living here. Because the US does not officially recognize the Taiwan republic of China, it is not possible fot Taiwanese to obtain a US visa. Belize is quite generous with its citizenship qualifications - come and live here for 5 years bringing a relatively modest income with you, and you are rewarded with Belizean citizenship. Then, in common with most of the Carribean nationals, it is a relatively easy step to get a US visa. Many of the Taiwanese made this move so that their children could obtain a US education; the children typically remain in the US after attending university, while many of the older generation stay behind in Belize. All the various ethinicities and communities in Belize seem to coexist very harmoniously.
From the tourist point of view, the main attraction of Belize is the barrier reef which runs parallel to the coast; it is the second longest barrier reef in the world, after the Austraian one. So Belize is a mecca for people who like to dive or snorkel. There are actually very few beaches on the mainland coast, which is largely mangrove swamp. So most of the action takes place on the many offshore islands that lie between the reef and the mainland. These vary from privately owned islands or exclusive golfing resorts to the more accessible - but expensive - island of San Pedro, and the decidedly laidback and more economical Caye Caulker.
The interior of the country itself also holds many attractions. Like most of tropical central america, it is a country of many lakes and rivers. The rainy season does last for nearly nine months of the year, but don't think monsoons; during the season, it will rain most days, but not all day, and not enough to prevent you enjoying yourself. 
You can go caving, floating on rubber tubes on underground rivers, or "ziplining" - flying at speed between the jungle treetops, suspended from a cable.
