Map of  Belmopan

Belmopan is the capital of Belize. Belmopan was constructed just to the east of Belize River, 80 km (50 miles) inland from the former capital, the port of Belize City, after that city's near destruction by hurricane Hattie in 1961.

Link: Large Birthview of Belmopan

The government was moved to Belmopan in 1970, and its National Assembly Building is designed to resemble a Pre-Columbian Maya This new capital would be situated on better terrain, would entail no costly reclamation of land, and would also provide for an industrial area, and in 1962, a committee chose the site now known as Belmopan.

There was a reluctance initially amongst foreign governments to relocate their embassies to Belmopan, as there was some doubt as to whether this inland area would really become the functioning capital of Belize. In February 2005, the United States government broke ground and started building a new United States Embassy in Belmopan, 43 years after Belmopan was chosen as the new capital city.