Rivera Area, Belmopan City, Belize • Phone: 822-3548

The nation’s capital, Belmopan, is located in the geographical heart of the country. It is one of the few planned cities in the entire country with the well-planned neighborhoods, sidewalks and large green spaces that give it the name “the Garden City”. In 1970 after Hurricane Hattie destroyed much of Belize City, the capital was relocated to Belmopan because it is on high ground and has no rivers that pass through the area. Belmopan is one of the most ethnically diverse areas of Belize.

The city is comprised of government buildings, foreign embassies and non-government organizations. The intellectual center continues to expand as the University of Belize main campus has been relocated here. During the day, the population of the town doubles with commuters who work for the government but in the evenings and on weekends, the city has a small-town, suburban feeling.