Cayo District is a
district located in the west part of
Belize. It is the most extensive, second-most populous and third-most densely populated of the six districts of Belize. The district's capital is the town of
San Ignacio San Ignacio (the Spanish language name of St. Ignatius (disambiguation), St. Ignatius) is a common toponym in parts of the world where that language is or was spoken:
Argentina
* San Ignacio, Argentina, Misiones Province
* San Ignacio MinÃ, a ...
.
Geography
Being the largest district, it borders
Guatemala
Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...
to the west,
Orange Walk district to the north,
Belize district to the northeast,
Stann Creek district
Stann Creek District is a district in the south east region of Belize. According to the 2010 census, the district had a population of 32,166 people. Its capital is the town of Dangriga, formerly known as "Stann Creek Town." Stann comes from "stan ...
to the southeast and
Toledo district
Toledo District is the southernmost district in Belize, and Punta Gorda is the District capital. It is the second most developed region in the country (according to the Human Development Index (HDI)). The district has a diverse topography whic ...
to the south. The nation's capital,
Belmopan, is located within the district.
Other important towns and cities in the district include
Benque Viejo del Carmen, twin towns of
San Ignacio San Ignacio (the Spanish language name of St. Ignatius (disambiguation), St. Ignatius) is a common toponym in parts of the world where that language is or was spoken:
Argentina
* San Ignacio, Argentina, Misiones Province
* San Ignacio MinÃ, a ...
and Santa Elena (District's Capital), Seven Miles (El Progreso),
San Antonio,
Valley of Peace,
St. Margaret,
Roaring Creek,
Armenia,
San Jose Succotz
San Jose Succotz is a Maya village in Cayo District, Belize, consisting mainly of people of Yucatec Maya descent. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 2,322 people in 472 households. San Jose Succotz was founded in the 1860s and m ...
,
Arenal,
Buena Vista,
Bullet Tree Falls,
Calla Creek Calla Creek is a village in the Cayo District of central interior Belize. It is situated along the Mopan River near the border with Guatemala
Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), ...
,
Esperanza,
Cristo Rey, Georgeville,
Unitedville,
Blackman Eddy
Blackman Eddy is a village located on the banks of the Belize River in the Cayo District, Belize.[SIB](_blank)
, ...
,
Ontario,
Camalote,
Los Tambos
LOS, or Los, or LoS may refer to:
Science and technology
* Length of stay, the duration of a single episode of hospitalisation
* Level of service, a measure used by traffic engineers
* Level of significance, a measure of statistical significance ...
,
More Tomorrow and
Spanish Lookout
Spanish Lookout is a settlement in the Cayo District of Belize in Central America. According to the 2010 census, Spanish Lookout had a population of 2,253 people in 482 households. Spanish Lookout is a community of Mennonites.
The Mennonite commu ...
.
Major rivers in the district include the
Macal River and the
Mopan River.
Economy and Infrastructure
Cayo District is primarily an agricultural district, with the chief crops being
citrus fruit (more specifically, oranges, grapefruit, and
tangerine), as well as bananas. Recently, oil was found in
Spanish Lookout
Spanish Lookout is a settlement in the Cayo District of Belize in Central America. According to the 2010 census, Spanish Lookout had a population of 2,253 people in 482 households. Spanish Lookout is a community of Mennonites.
The Mennonite commu ...
and it is now in production.
There are two major highways in the District, the
George Price Highway, that runs from
Belize City to the
Guatemala
Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...
n border, and the
Hummingbird Highway which starts in Belmopan and ends at the juncture of the Coastal Road and the
Southern Highway
In Belize, the TV Ramos Highway takes up where the Hummingbird Highway ends and runs from Dangriga to Punta Gorda, Belize, Punta Gorda. It is entirely paved, with the completion of a 10-mile segment between Golden Stream and Big Falls circa 2008†...
that ends in the
Stann Creek District
Stann Creek District is a district in the south east region of Belize. According to the 2010 census, the district had a population of 32,166 people. Its capital is the town of Dangriga, formerly known as "Stann Creek Town." Stann comes from "stan ...
. In addition to the ruins listed above there are several other important
nature reserves including two National Parks,
Blue Hole and
Guanacaste National Park.
Ecotourism is also an integral part of the region's economy.
Political divisions
Politically, Cayo is divided into six
constituencies, described in detail here:
*
Belmopan: Current representative
John Saldivar
John Saldivar is a Mexican-American fashion designer originally from Monterrey, Mexico.
Collection
John Saldivar began his fashion career in 2001 while apprenticing with Oscar de la Renta and his design team. Through de la Renta, Saldivar met ...
(UDP)
*
Cayo Central
Cayo Central is an electoral constituency in the Cayo District represented in the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belize since 2020 by Alex Balona of the People's United Party (PUP).
Profile
The Cayo Central constituency w ...
: Current representative
Rene Montero
Rene Jaime Montero is a Belizean politician who represents the Cayo Central constituency in the Belize House of Representatives. He was the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Cooperatives in Belize from 2008 to 2012. Currently, he holds offic ...
(UDP)
*
Cayo North: Current representative
Omar Figueroa (UDP)
*
Cayo North East
Cayo North East is an electoral constituency in the Cayo District represented in the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belize since 2015 by Orlando Habet of the People's United Party.
Profile
Cayo North East includes the nort ...
: Current representative
Orlando Habet
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rel ...
(PUP)
*
Cayo South: Current representative
Julius Espat
Julius Espat (born February, 1968) is a Belizean Politician who was born in Belize City. He was first elected as Cayo South area representative on March 7, 2012. and was reelected in November 2015. He is currently the Chairman of the Public Acco ...
(PUP)
*
Cayo West: Current representative
(UDP)
Archaeological sites
Cayo District contains several pre-Columbian mayan ruins and sites, among these are
Caracol,
Xunantunich,
Cahal Pech,
Baking Pot
Baking Pot is a Maya archaeological site located in the Belize River Valley on the southern bank of the river, northeast of modern-day town of San Ignacio in the Cayo District of Belize; it is downstream from the Barton Ramie and Lower Dover ...
,
Lower Dover
Lower Dover is a Maya archaeological site in the Belize River Valley. It is located on the grounds of the Lower Dover Field Station & Jungle Lodge, in Unitedville, Cayo District, Belize. The site is bordered by the Belize River to the north, Upp ...
and
El Pilar.
Demographics
According to the 2010 Population and Housing Census, Cayo District's total population is of 73,202 residents (compared to the district's 2000 population of 53,715); of whom 36,803 are males and 36,399 are females. The total number of households is 15,497 and the average household size is 4.7.
The southern half of Cayo District is very low densely populated. A large majority of the district's population lives north of the
17th parallel.
Rural and urban development
In 2010, the total population of Cayo's urban areas was of 36,455; 17,939 males and 18,516 females. 7,468 total households and a 4.9 average household size. The total population of Cayo's rural areas was of 36,747; 18,864 males and 17,883 females. 8,029 total households and a 4.6 average household size.
References
External links
MapCayo SouthGoToCayoBelize.comBest of Cayo
{{Authority control
Districts of Belize