Belize is a leader in Protected Area designation and governance, with 36.6% of its terrestrial areas and 19.8% of its marine areas being managed as protected areas, as of 2017. Belize is comprised of three distinct physiographic regions; the flat lowland in the north, the southern coastal plain, and the Maya Mountains. In addition, the marine environments of Belize support the second largest coral reef in the world.
The Belize protected area system contains all IUCN governance types. These protected areas provide important ecosystem services to support the socio-economic health of Belize; with the forested mountains providing clean water for the majority of communities in Belize, as well as providing an important source of tourism income to the country.
There are several pressures on the natural system of Belize, including reduced rainforest connectivity, tourism infrastructure which is rapidly removing habitat, and an increasing level of fishing.
