The Belize Act 1981 (c. 52) was an

Act of Parliament Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the Legislature, legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. It came into operation on 28 July 1981. The Act made provisions for the nation of

Belize Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wate ...

(formerly

British Honduras British Honduras was a British Crown colony on the east coast of Central America, south of Mexico, from 1783 to 1964, then a self-governing colony, renamed Belize in June 1973,

) to gain full independence and become a member of the

Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the ...

as a Commonwealth realm; prior to this, Belize had been a fully self-governing British colony from 1973. Belize became independent on 21 September 1981.

References

*''Whitaker's Almanack: for the year 1982'', complete edition, p. 364. J. Whitaker & Sons, London, 1981 *''Chronological table of the statutes''; HMSO, London. 1993. Belize and the Commonwealth of Nations Independence acts in the Parliament of the United Kingdom United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1981 1981 in Belize Belize–United Kingdom relations Monarchy in Belize {{UK-statute-stub