A 1961 hurricane nearly destroyed Belize City, so the government was moved 45 mi/70 km inland, away from potential danger. Although it's a center of administration, Belmopan is no center of tourism: It holds little of interest and is not really worth a visit. If you are traveling by bus around Belize, you'll inevitably stop here en route to somewhere, so feel free to stretch your legs and check out the market adjacent to the bus station.
If you're a researcher, the Belize Archives, where the country's historic records are stored, is on Unity Boulevard. The archives also have a collection of 30,000 stamps, as well as photographs, postcards and maps from 1808-1990.
Belmopan is 45 mi/70 km southwest of Belize City.