Belmopan is Belize’s capital, established inland after Hurricane Hattie devastated Belize City.
Hurricane Hattie struck British Honduras, now Belize, on October 31, 1961. Belize City, the former capital, suffered catastrophic flooding and widespread destruction from powerful winds and storm surge. Because the coastal city was low-lying and vulnerable to future hurricanes, the government decided to create a new capital on higher ground inland.
The chosen site was about 80 kilometers southwest of Belize City in the Cayo District. Construction began in the 1960s, and the first phase of Belmopan was completed in 1970, when the government moved there. The name combines “Belize,” the country’s longest river, with “Mopan,” a nearby river.
Belize City remains the country’s largest urban and commercial centre, so it is a common mix-up. Belmopan is a planned administrative capital, and its National Assembly Building was designed with a form inspired by a pre-Columbian Maya temple.