Belize

Belize

Belize (before 1973 British Honduras) is located in Central America in the south-eastern part of the Yucatan Peninsula. Its shores are washed by the Caribbean Sea. The area of the country is approximately 23,000 sq. km, and it is bounded by Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the west and south. The administrative capital is Belmopan, but the major commercial centre is Belize City, situated on the east coast close to the major International airport.

The total population of Belize is about 200,000, of which about 60,000 live in Belize City. Much of the country’s population is ethnically diverse and includes descendants of the original Mayan culture, as well as people of Caribbean, Caucasian, Chinese and East Indian descent. The main population is made up of Negroes and Mulattos. The official and main spoken language is English.

Belize became a British Crown Colony in 1862 and achieved complete self-rule in 1981. Since that time it has enjoyed stable and democratic Government. Now Belize is an independent democratic Commonwealth country. Government policy is set by the Cabinet, under the leadership of the Prime Minister. The Cabinet is made up of the Prime Minister and Ministers appointed by him from an elected House of Representatives, and the 28-member Senate. Belize is also a member of the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement. The type of law is Common Law, based on English Common Law. Legislation is modelled on the earlier British Virgin Islands legislation.

Key Corporate Features

General

Type of entity: IBC
Type of law: Common
Shelf company availability: Yes
Time to establish a new company: 5 working days
Minimum government fees (excluding taxation): US$100
Corporate taxation: Nil
Double taxation treaty access: No

Share capital or equivalent

Standard currency: US$
Permitted currencies: Any
Minimum paid up: No minimum required
Usually authorised capital: US$50,000

Directors

Minimum number: One
Local required: No
Corporate Directors Permitted Yes
Publicly accessible records: No
Location of meetings: Anywhere

Shareholders

Minimum number: One
Publicly accessible records: No
Location of meetings: Anywhere

Company Secretary

Required: Optional
Local or qualified: No

Accounts

Requirement to prepare: Yes
Audit requirements: No
Requirement to file accounts: No
Publicly accessible accounts: No

Other

Requirement to file annual return: No
Change in domicile permitted: Yes