Belize, formerly known as British Honduras during British colonization, is a country in Central America. The Mayan civilization lived in the area from 1500BCE to 300CE. European settlement began in the area in the 1638. A British colony from 1840–1981, Belize is culturally, linguistically and ecologically diverse. English is the official language, but Belizean Creole and Spanish are commonly spoken. Belize also boasts a 190-mile long coral reef, which Charles Darwin visited in 1842.