Exploring GIS: Boundaries of Belize

EXPLORIN

G GIS:

Boundaries

of

Belize

A U T H O R : AD E L E O

. RA M O S

8,867

squa

re

miles

plus t

errit

orial

sea

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DEFINING the boundaries of BELIZEThe Constitution of

Belize defines the national territory

Section 1, Schedule 1, Chapter 4 of the Laws of Belize

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Reference to 1859 Treaty“the frontier with Guatemala is the line

prescribed by the Treaty between the United Kingdom and Guatemala signed on

30 April 1859”

• LAND• SEA

BELIZE’S BORDERS

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BEFORE

1859Som

e old m

aps

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PRE-20TH CENTURY1787 1855

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Does not reflect the 1786 concession from Spain to Britain extending to the Sibun River

Does not properly reflect the fact that Belize’s border had spanned Hondo to Sarstoon even prior to 1850, according to 1859 Treaty

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THE 1859 TREATY

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Photo: Louis Diaz

TODAY

1859

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THE 1859 TREATY

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Sarstoon Island on the Belize side

TODAY

1859

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THE

GUATEMALAN

RENDITIO

N

Source: Guatemala Ministry of Foreign Affairs

• 1783: Treaty of Versailles

• 1786: Second Concession

• 1859: No reference to 1859 Treaty, which covers the portion shaded in blue

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Belize in 2016

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Exploring the Boundaries of Belize

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ArcScene App

Click the image below to navigate the map

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WHY DO

BORDERS

MATTER?

Discuss

thoughts an

d idea

s

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Know where we have the RIGHT to exploit resources and where our national

laws applyOFFSHORE/EEZ

2010 ban on trawling includes the EEZ

2011 Map

Petroleum concessions:

Coastal zone planning

Legal versus IUU fishing

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An issue of sovereignty

“Borders frame states, and states are the constituents of the international system and order. Borders bound sovereignty. Their recognition implies acceptance of power within boundaries:” Foreign Policy Research Institute (US)

Source: http://www.fpri.org/2015/07/why-borders-matter/

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THE ROLE OF GIS Helps us to know where we are. Is the BDF patrol in Belize, or is it in Guatemala?

Enables verification of border incidents. These exercises use GPS locations to determine where an incident occurs.

Empowers surveillance within national parks and other protected areas. GIS or GPS locations help to determine areas covered by patrols to check illegal activities.

Builds public awareness about Belize’s geography and scope of sovereignty.

We can use maps and apps to show site locations or places where incidences of interest occur.

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DISCOVERING WITH GISIn preparing this presentation, I found out that Sarstoon Island is

within the Sarstoon-Temash National Park – something that even members of Belize’s Conservation Community did not realize.

I spent a day checking this out and used the Statutory Instruments of 1994 and 2000 and the UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) readings to verify information displayed on an official protected areas shape file I uploaded to ArcGIS Online.

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QUESTIONS

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THANK YOU!