Punta Gorda, Belize facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Punta Gorda
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Town
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| Punta Gorda Town, | |
Punta Gorda Town Square
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| Nickname(s):
P.G.
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 Punta Gorda
Location in Belize
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| Country |  Belize |
| District | Toledo |
| Constituency | Toledo East |
| Founded | 1802 |
| Elevation | 4.5 m (14.8 ft) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 5,351 |
| • Estimate
(2016)
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6,027 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central) |
| Climate | Af |
Punta Gorda, also known as P.G., is an important town in southern Belize. It is the capital and largest town of the Toledo District. Punta Gorda is the southernmost big town in Belize, with about 5,000 people living there.
Even though its name is Spanish, most people in Punta Gorda speak Kriol or English. The town is home to many different groups of people. These include Garifuna, East Indian, Kriol, and Maya people.
Punta Gorda is a seaport and fishing town located on the Caribbean Sea. It started as a small fishing village. In 1823, many Garifuna people from Honduras came to live here. The Garifuna people call the town Peini. The town is about 15 feet (4.5 meters) above sea level.
Contents
People Who Live in Punta Gorda
Punta Gorda is a town with many different cultures. In 2010, the town had 5,351 people. The largest groups were Garifuna (24.2%) and Mestizo (17.2%).
Other groups included Ketchi Maya (14.2%) and Mixed people (13.8%). There were also Creole (10.5%), East Indian (8.3%), and Mopan Maya (8.1%).
Weather in Punta Gorda
Punta Gorda has a tropical rainforest climate. This means it is warm all year round. The average temperature is always above 25°C (77°F) every month.
It also rains a lot in Punta Gorda. This type of climate is similar to what you would find in the Amazon Basin.
| Climate data for Punta Gorda, Belize (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28.2 (82.8) |
29.5 (85.1) |
30.6 (87.1) |
32.0 (89.6) |
32.2 (90.0) |
31.9 (89.4) |
31.3 (88.3) |
32.0 (89.6) |
32.3 (90.1) |
31.4 (88.5) |
29.9 (85.8) |
29.1 (84.4) |
30.9 (87.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 23.4 (74.1) |
24.7 (76.5) |
25.3 (77.5) |
26.9 (80.4) |
27.5 (81.5) |
27.5 (81.5) |
27.1 (80.8) |
27.3 (81.1) |
27.4 (81.3) |
26.7 (80.1) |
25.1 (77.2) |
23.8 (74.8) |
26.1 (79.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 18.6 (65.5) |
19.8 (67.6) |
20.1 (68.2) |
21.9 (71.4) |
22.8 (73.0) |
23.1 (73.6) |
22.9 (73.2) |
22.5 (72.5) |
22.6 (72.7) |
22.1 (71.8) |
20.3 (68.5) |
18.6 (65.5) |
21.3 (70.3) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 170.6 (6.72) |
94.7 (3.73) |
73.4 (2.89) |
82.0 (3.23) |
205.1 (8.07) |
447.0 (17.60) |
709.8 (27.94) |
629.7 (24.79) |
528.8 (20.82) |
361.4 (14.23) |
264.8 (10.43) |
178.5 (7.03) |
3,745.8 (147.48) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 12 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 18 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 13 | 12 | 161 |
| Source: National Meteorological Service of Belize | |||||||||||||
Getting Around Punta Gorda
Punta Gorda is a key place for travel in the Toledo district. Many people use it to visit the southern islands, called cayes.
- By Air: There is a small airport for flights within Belize. Maya Island Air and Tropic Air offer these flights.
- By Bus: James Bus Line is based here. They have regular bus services to towns like Independence, Dangriga, Belmopan, and Belize City.
- By Boat: Water taxis travel daily to Puerto Barrios in Guatemala. They also go twice a week to Livingston, Guatemala. These water taxis are small, open boats.
There are also plans to build railway lines from Punta Gorda to Dangriga and Belize City.
Things to Do in Punta Gorda
Punta Gorda attracts tourists with its beautiful ocean views. There are several hotels that offer great places to stay. It is also a starting point for visiting jungle lodges nearby. Some popular ones are The Lodge at Big Falls, Copal Tree Lodge, and Hickatee Cottages.
Every May, Punta Gorda hosts the Toledo Cacao Festival. This festival celebrates the area's long history with cacao and chocolate. It is held during the Commonwealth Day holiday weekend.
Famous People from Punta Gorda
Punta Gorda is home to some well-known people:
- Paul Nabor: A famous musician known for paranda music.
- Leela Vernon: Known as Belize's "Queen of Brukdown" music.
- Destiny Wagner: She won the Miss Earth 2021 title. She was the first woman from Belize to win this international beauty pageant.
Schools in Punta Gorda
Punta Gorda has several schools for different age groups:
- Primary Schools:
- St. Peter Claver School
- Bethel Seventh Day Adventist School
- Punta Gorda Methodist School
- High School:
- Toledo Community College
- University:
- The Punta Gorda campus of the University of Belize
Religion in Punta Gorda
The St. Peter Claver Catholic parish serves the town. Most people in Punta Gorda are Catholic. The parish also runs a large elementary school.
Images for kids
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Punta Gorda Town from Fisherman's Pier.
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Punta Gorda town market
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Boats rest on the shore in Punta Gorda, Belize.
See also
In Spanish: Punta Gorda (Belice) para niños
