Which city became Belize's capital in 1970?

The city that became Belize's capital in 1970 is Belmopan. It replaced Belize City as the seat of government after officials sought a safer inland location away from the Caribbean coast.

The decision followed Hurricane Hattie, which devastated Belize City in 1961 and destroyed much of its housing and business district. Planners wanted a capital on higher ground that would be less exposed to storm surges and would not require expensive coastal land reclamation. Belmopan was built near the Belize River, roughly 80 kilometers inland.

Construction began in 1967, and the first phase was completed in 1970. The city was planned rather than gradually developed from an older settlement, making it one of the world's newer national capitals. Its name combines “Belize,” the country's longest river, with “Mopan,” another river in the region.

Belize City remains the country's largest urban center and an important commercial and cultural hub, so it is a frequent wrong answer. Belmopan, by contrast, is the smaller administrative capital and home to the National Assembly, whose building was designed with references to Maya architecture.