colony · Mesoamerica and the Caribbean

British Honduras

1862 CE – 1981 CE · capital Belize City; later Belmopan

Britain's only colony on the Central American mainland, a mahogany and chicle territory claimed by Guatemala that became independent Belize in 1981.

Origins

In 1862 Britain formally declared the Belize Settlement a colony, under the name British Honduras, subordinate to the governor of Jamaica. Treaties with Guatemala in 1859 and with Mexico in 1893 fixed its borders, though Guatemala later claimed the whole territory, arguing that Britain had not kept a promise to build a road.

Rule and society

The settlers' assembly gave up its powers in 1871, making British Honduras a crown colony, and in 1884 it received its own governor. Mahogany, logwood and later chicle for chewing gum were the main exports, controlled by a few British firms, notably the Belize Estate and Produce Company. The population mixed Creoles, Garifuna, Maya and Mestizo refugees from the Caste War. A hurricane devastated Belize City in 1931.

Decline and legacy

Currency devaluation in 1949 sparked the nationalist People's United Party, led by George Price. Self-government came in 1964, and the colony was renamed Belize in 1973. After Hurricane Hattie, the capital moved to Belmopan in 1970, and Belize became independent on 21 September 1981, with British troops guarding it against Guatemala.

Lineage

Belize Settlement 1638 CE – 1862 CEBritish HondurasBelize 1981 CE – present

Connections (1)

British Honduras was a colony of British Empire1862 CE – 1981 CE

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Cite this page

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). British Honduras. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/british-honduras
MLA: “British Honduras.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/british-honduras. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “British Honduras.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/british-honduras.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘British Honduras’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/british-honduras (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻