Pronunciation: [bɛlˈiːz dˈɒlə] (IPA) 
The official currency of Belize is the Belize Dollar. It is spelled with the letter "z" and pronounced as [bəˈliːz ˈdɒlər] in IPA phonetic transcription. The letter "z" is pronounced as /z/ which is a voiced alveolar fricative sound. This differs from the spelling of the name of the country, which is spelled with an "s". The Belize Dollar is divided into 100 cents and is commonly represented with the symbol "BZ$".
The Belize Dollar is the official currency of Belize, a small Central American country located on the eastern coast of Central America. It is designated by the currency code BZD and is abbreviated with the dollar sign ($). The Belize Dollar is subdivided into 100 cents.
Introduced in 1973, the Belize Dollar replaced the British Honduras Dollar at a rate of 2 to 1. The currency is freely convertible, meaning it can be exchanged for other major currencies like the US Dollar, but is primarily used in Belize for all transactions within the country.
The Belize Dollar is issued by the Central Bank of Belize, which is responsible for maintaining the stability and integrity of the currency. The bank regulates the money supply to control inflation and ensure the smooth functioning of the country's financial system.
The currency features various denominations, including coins in the values of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 cents, as well as banknotes in the denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 dollars.
The Belize Dollar plays a vital role in the Belizean economy, supporting domestic trade, tourism, and international transactions. Its value fluctuates according to various economic factors, including inflation, interest rates, and foreign exchange rates.
The word Belize is derived from the indigenous Maya word belix, which means muddy water. It refers to the Belize River, one of the country's major waterways. The term dollar originates from the German word Thaler, which was a silver coin used as a standard currency in many European countries since the 16th century. The name dollar was applied to the currency of various countries, including the United States. Thus, the term Belize Dollar combines the name of the country with the international currency term dollar.
