Although Spain claimed the territory and there were many skirmishes over sovereignty, Spain recognized the area as a British colony in 1763. Mayans fleeing repression from Guatemala and Mexico entered the country between 1940 and 1950 and today number some 12,000. Belize is a valuable country for the bio-diversity of its ecosystems. Off the coast lies the second largest barrier reef in the world. English is the official language, Creole is spoken by almost everyone, and Spanish is also very widely spoken.
Most inhabitants are bilingual, some are multilingual.
Belize City, with a population of 60,000, is the largest city and is where most of the internships take place. The Belize internships are intended to expose students directly to the questions that surround development. Placements are available in government and non-governmental organizations. A basic premise is that the experience should be valuable and beneficial both to the country and people of Belize and the student. The organizations listed below have developed internship opportunities for the program.