BELIZE
Belize, former British Honduras, is an independent state in the Caribbean, on the eastern coast of Central America. It borders Mexico on the north-west and Guatemala on the south-west. Since the beginning of the 16th century a lot of Spanish settlements were established here, and the northern part of Belize became part of the Kingdom of New Spain. English, and especially piratical settlements, started to be established in the middle of the 17th century. In the second half of the 18th century the whole territory was colonized by the Brits. Belize was called British Honduras untill the the 1970s. In 1981 it became an independent state in the framework of Commonwealth. In the recent years it has started to become a very popular tourist destination, particularly for the lovers of tropical wild nature and Maya sites.
The population of Belize is comprised of approx. 250 000 inhabitants and it is the smallest (in terms of population) non-island state in America. Also, it is the only English speaking state of Central America with English being the official language. Spanish is also used, as well as Indian dialects. The capital is Belmopan. The currency is the Belize dollar. Belize is member of several international organizations, namely UN, OAS, CARICOM, and Commonwealth.
Belize has one of the best jurisdictions, with a very flexible legislation governing administration of offshore companies, banks, trusts and insurance companies. It is particularly used for the registration of vessels. Foreign investors have a chance to apply for Belize citizenship and passport. Belize has agreements on avoidance of double-taxation with Denmark, Sweden and Great Britain. The basic capital of a company is 50 000 USD and repayment is not necessary. Foreign companies established according to the International Business Companies Act and which do not do business on the territory of Belize, are not subject to taxation. IBC companies established under a different jurisdiction can reregister in Belize and they will be governed by the same laws as the companies originally set up on Belize.
