Belmopan is one of the newest capital cities in the world, established in 1970. It was built from scratch in the country's interior after the previous capital, Belize City, was nearly destroyed by the catastrophic Category 5 Hurricane Hattie in 1961. Located 80 km (50 miles) inland and at a higher elevation, Belmopan was designed to be a safe haven for the government. Its name is a portmanteau of the 'Belize' and 'Mopan' rivers. A unique architectural feature of the city is the National Assembly building, which was designed to resemble a Maya temple, paying homage to the nation's indigenous heritage. Despite being the capital, it remains one of the smallest capital cities in the world by population, often referred to as the 'Garden City' due to its abundance of green spaces and surrounding jungle.