San Ignacio Cayo
Encyclopedia
San Ignacio is a town
in western Belize
that serves as the capital of Cayo District
. It got its start from Mahogany
and chicle
production during British rule. It began to attract different people from the surrounding areas, which led to the diverse make up of the town at present day.
, and the Mopan River
, about 68.5 mile
s (115 kilometre
s) west of Belize City
and 22 miles (35 km) west of the country's capital, Belmopan
.
The population is largely Mestizo
and Kriol, with some Lebanese
and Mopan
. San Ignacio also boasts a fairly large Chinese
population, most of whom emigrated from Guangzhou
in waves in the mid-20th century. A sizable Mennonite
community resides near San Ignacio. In 2009 the combined population was estimated at 20,000 people but a new census in 2010 counted only 9,925 inhabitants in San Ignacio proper, of whom 4,856 are males and 5,069 are females. The total number of households is 2,593 and the average household size is 3.8.
, the one-lane Hawksworth Bridge
across the Macal river, built in 1949. The two are collectively referred to as the "Twin Towns" although San Ignacio has a larger population.
(UDP). The mayor
is John August Jr.
Town council elections are made every three years to elect a new town mayor, both, UDP(united Democratic Party) and the PUP (people united party)candidate participate in town elections.
was founded in 2003 and is located at Central Farm, a couple of minutes away from San Ignacio. The University of Belize also has an agricultural campus next to Galen.
ruins of Caracol
, Xunantunich
, Cahal Pech
, El Pilar
, Tikal
(Guatemala
). the cave Actun Tunichil Muknal
, Chaa Creek Nature Reserve
, and the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve
.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in western Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
that serves as the capital of Cayo District
Cayo District
Cayo District is a district in the west of the nation of Belize. The District capital is the town of San Ignacio.- Geography :The Cayo District is the largest district in Belize. It is located on the western side of the country which borders Guatemala. The nation's capital, Belmopan, is...
. It got its start from Mahogany
Mahogany
The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
and chicle
Chicle
Manilkara chicle is a tropical evergreen tree native to Mexico and Central America. The tree ranges from Veracruz in Mexico south to Atlántico in Colombia...
production during British rule. It began to attract different people from the surrounding areas, which led to the diverse make up of the town at present day.
Geography
San Ignacio is situated on the banks of the Macal RiverMacal River
The Macal River is a river running through Cayo District in western Belize. Sites along the river include the ancient Mayan town of Cahal Pech and the Belize Botanic Gardens. The Macal River discharges to the Belize River...
, and the Mopan River
Mopan River
Mopan River is a river in Guatemala and the Cayo district in western Belize near the border with Guatemala. The Mopan River discharges to the Belize River as the Mopan merges with the Macal River; the Belize River in turn terminates at the Caribbean Sea. The Belize River/Mopan River Catchment...
, about 68.5 mile
Mile
A mile is a unit of length, most commonly 5,280 feet . The mile of 5,280 feet is sometimes called the statute mile or land mile to distinguish it from the nautical mile...
s (115 kilometre
Kilometre
The kilometre is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousand metres and is therefore exactly equal to the distance travelled by light in free space in of a second...
s) west of Belize City
Belize City
Belize City is the largest city in the Central American nation of Belize. Unofficial estimates place the population of Belize City at 70,000 or more. It is located at the mouth of the Belize River on the coast of the Caribbean. The city is the country's principal port and its financial and...
and 22 miles (35 km) west of the country's capital, Belmopan
Belmopan
Belmopan , estimated population 20,000 is the capital city of Belize.Belmopan is located at , at an altitude of 76 metres above sea level. Belmopan was constructed just to the east of Belize River, inland from the former capital, the port of Belize City, after that city's near destruction by...
.
Demographics
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
and Kriol, with some Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and Mopan
Mopan
Mopan may refer to:*Mopan language, a Mayan language spoken in Belize and Guatemala*Mopan people, an indigenous Maya people, whose native language is Mopan*Mopan River, in Belize's Cayo district...
. San Ignacio also boasts a fairly large Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
population, most of whom emigrated from Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
in waves in the mid-20th century. A sizable Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
community resides near San Ignacio. In 2009 the combined population was estimated at 20,000 people but a new census in 2010 counted only 9,925 inhabitants in San Ignacio proper, of whom 4,856 are males and 5,069 are females. The total number of households is 2,593 and the average household size is 3.8.
Santa Elena
In recent years San Ignacio has absorbed the formerly separate village of Santa Elena. San Ignacio and its sister-town Santa Elena make up Belize's second largest urban area. The two towns are connected by Belize's only suspension bridgeSuspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
, the one-lane Hawksworth Bridge
Hawksworth Bridge
Hawksworth Bridge is a bridge in San Ignacio, Belize. It was built in 1949 and crosses the Macal River.-External links:*...
across the Macal river, built in 1949. The two are collectively referred to as the "Twin Towns" although San Ignacio has a larger population.
Government
San Ignacio is currently governed by a Town Council affiliated with the United Democratic PartyUnited Democratic Party (Belize)
The United Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in Belize, and currently the ruling party, having won the 2008 general elections. A centre-right conservative party, it is currently led by Dean Barrow.-Founding:...
(UDP). The mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
is John August Jr.
Town council elections are made every three years to elect a new town mayor, both, UDP(united Democratic Party) and the PUP (people united party)candidate participate in town elections.
Educational institutions
San Ignacio has three main colleges. Sacred Heart College of Catholic denomination is the biggest and largest institution with both a high school and a junior college division. Eden Seventh Day Adventist High School and Saint Ignatius High School (Catholic) is also found here. Galen UniversityGalen University
Galen University is an independent university in Belize, Central America, with Sustainable Development as one its core values. Its main campus is located on the outskirts of San Ignacio in Belize. The University offers educational programs at undergraduate and graduate levels in business, arts,...
was founded in 2003 and is located at Central Farm, a couple of minutes away from San Ignacio. The University of Belize also has an agricultural campus next to Galen.
Medicine
The city is served by the San Ignacio Hospital and the Loma Luz Adventist hospital in Santa Elena. It also has various clinics, doctors and pharmacies scattered around town.Attractions
The area around San Ignacio is one of the most popular parts of the country for tourism. Nearby attractions include the ancient MayaMaya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
ruins of Caracol
Caracol
Caracol is the name given to a large ancient Maya archaeological site, located in what is now the Cayo District of Belize. It is situated approximately 40 kilometres south of Xunantunich and the town of San Ignacio Cayo, and 15 kilometers away from the Macal River. It rests on the Vaca Plateau at...
, Xunantunich
Xunantunich
Xunantunich is a Maya archaeological site in western Belize, about 80 miles west of Belize City , in the Cayo District. Xunantunich is located atop a ridge above the Mopan River, within sight of the Guatemala border...
, Cahal Pech
Cahal Pech
Cahal Pech is a Maya site located near the Town of San Ignacio in the Cayo District of Belize. The site was a hilltop palacio home for an elite Maya family, and though most major construction dates to the Classic period, evidence of continuous habitation has been dated to as far back as far as 1200...
, El Pilar
El Pilar
El Pilar is an ancient Maya city center located on the Belize-Guatemala border. It can be accessed from the Cayo District in Belize, north-west of the town of San Ignacio, or from the department of El Petén in Guatemala, north of Melchor de Mencos....
, Tikal
Tikal
Tikal is one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centres of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. It is located in the archaeological region of the Petén Basin in what is now northern Guatemala...
(Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
). the cave Actun Tunichil Muknal
Actun Tunichil Muknal
thumb|200px|The Crystal Maiden.Actun Tunichil Muknal is a cave in Belize, near San Ignacio, Cayo District, notable as a Maya archaeological site that includes skeletons, ceramics, and stoneware. There are several areas of skeletal remains in the main chamber...
, Chaa Creek Nature Reserve
Chaa Creek
Chaa Creek is a tributary of the Macal River in the Cayo District in western Belize. One of the official gauging stations of the Macal is located near the confluence with Chaa Creek. There are also Maya ruins that remain largely unexcavated in the Chaa Creek catchment basin; certain early...
, and the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve
Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve
Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve is a nature reserve in the Cayo District of southern central Belize. It was established in 1944 to protect and manage the native pine forest...
.