Ambergris Caye, pronounced /æmˈbɜːrɡrɪs ˈkiː/ am-BUR-gris KEE, is the largest island of Belize, located northeast of the country in the Caribbean Sea. It is about 40 kilometres (25 mi) long from north to south, and about 1.6 kilometres (1 mi) wide. Where it has not been modified by man, is mostly a ring of white sand beach around mangrove swamp in the centre. Though administered as part of the Belize District, the closest point on the mainland is part of the Corozal District.

A Maya community lived on the island in Pre-Columbian times, leaving behind distinctive polished red ceramics.[1] It is widely believed that maritime trade motivated the Mayans themselves to excavate “Boca Bacalar Chico”, the marine channel that separates the island from the Mexican mainland, but its origins could also have been natural (e.g. a hurricane).

San Pedro Town is the largest settlement and only town on Ambergris Caye. There are also a number of small villages and resorts that serve the island’s growing tourism industry, especially ecotourism and scuba diving. Although administered as part of the Belize District, the closest point on the mainland is part of the Corozal District.