Saint Ann is the largest

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one o ...

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

. It is situated on the north coast of the island, in the

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a historic county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbour ...

, roughly halfway between the eastern and western ends of the island. It is often called "the Garden Parish of Jamaica" on account of its natural

flora Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' ...

l beauty. Its capital is

Saint Ann's Bay Saint Ann's Bay is a settlement in Jamaica, the capital of Saint Ann Parish. It had a population of 10,961 at the 1991 census. Musicians Floyd Lloyd and Burning Spear, and Marcus Garvey were born in the town. History When Christopher Columbus ...

. Saint Ann comprises New Seville, the first Spanish settlement in

. Saint Ann is the birthplace of

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...

singers Floyd Lloyd,

Burning Spear Winston Rodney OD (born 1 March 1945), better known by the stage name Burning Spear, is a Jamaican roots reggae singer-songwriter, vocalist and musician. Burning Spear is a Rastafarian and one of the most influential and long-standing roots ...

Busy Signal Reanno Devon Gordon (born 24 January 1979), better known by his stage name Busy Signal, is a Jamaican dancehall reggae artist. Biography Reanno Devon Gordon p/k/a Busy Signal was born in Saint Ann Parish,Johnson, Carolyn (2006)A Very Busy Chi ...

, Bryan Art,

Romain Virgo Romain Virgo (born 24 January 1990) is a Jamaican singer, specializing in the lovers rock style of reggae music and past competitor of local music competition called Rising Stars. Biography Virgo hails from Stepney in Saint Ann Parish. At Aabu ...

, Rashawn Dally, Chezidek,

Shabba Ranks Shabba Ranks (born Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon; 17 January 1966) is a Jamaican dancehall musician. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was one of the most popular Jamaican musicians in the world. Throughout his prominence in his home cou ...

Justin Hinds Justin Hinds (7 May 1942 – 16 March 2005) was a Jamaican ska vocalist, with his backing singers the Dominoes. He is best known for his work with Duke Reid's Treasure Isle Records, where his most notable song, "Carry Go Bring Come" recorde ...

, Perfect, and

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...

. Marcus Mosiah Garvey, one of the seven recipients of Jamaica's Order of National Hero, was also born there.

History

Saint Ann is one of the oldest populated areas in the island of Jamaica tracing back to 600–650

A.D. The terms (AD) and before Christ (BC) are used to label or number years in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The term is Medieval Latin and means 'in the year of the Lord', but is often presented using "our Lord" instead of "the Lord", ...

It is believed to be the earliest Taino/

Arawak The Arawak are a group of indigenous peoples of northern South America and of the Caribbean. Specifically, the term "Arawak" has been applied at various times to the Lokono of South America and the Taíno, who historically lived in the Great ...

settlement in Jamaica. When

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...

first came to Jamaica in 1494, he landed on the shores of Saint Ann at

Discovery Bay, Jamaica Discovery Bay is a town in Saint Ann Parish on the northern coast of Jamaica. The city is also known locally as Dry Harbour, and gives its name to the Dry Harbour Mountains in St. Ann. There is a dispute as to whether Christopher Columbus first l ...

. He returned to Jamaica on his fourth voyage and was eventually marooned for one year at Saint Ann's Bay (June 1503 – June 1504), which he called Santa Gloria. The first

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

settlement in Jamaica was also at Sevilla la Nueva, now called Seville, just to the west of Saint Ann's Bay. Established by Juan de Esquivel, the first Spanish Governor of Jamaica, Saint Ann's Bay became the third capital established by

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

in the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

. The first sugar mills were established by the Spaniards in Sevilla la Nueva before 1526. After 1655, when the English captured Jamaica, Saint Ann's Bay gradually developed as a

fishing port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ha ...

with many

warehouses A warehouse is a building for storing goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial parks on the outskirts of cities, town ...

and

wharves A wharf, quay (, also ), staith, or staithe is a structure on the shore of a harbour or on the bank of a river or canal where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more berths (mooring location ...

. The parish of Saint Ann was later named after Lady Anne Hyde the first wife of

King James II of England James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Glorious Re ...

Ocho Rios Ocho Rios (Spanish for "Eight Rivers") is a town in the parish of Saint Ann on the north coast of Jamaica, and is more widely referred to as ''Ochi'' by locals. Beginning as a sleepy fishing village, Ocho Rios has seen explosive growth in the ...

began to develop as a modern town and a favourite

tourist Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...

destination in Jamaica. Its development commenced when Reynolds Jamaica Mines built a deep-water

pier Seaside pleasure pier in Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th century.">England.html" ;"title="Brighton, England">Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th ...

, west of the town to ship

bauxite Bauxite is a sedimentary rock with a relatively high aluminium content. It is the world's main source of aluminium and gallium. Bauxite consists mostly of the aluminium minerals gibbsite (Al(OH)3), boehmite (γ-AlO(OH)) and diaspore (α-AlO ...

ore Ore is natural rock or sediment that contains one or more valuable minerals, typically containing metals, that can be mined, treated and sold at a profit.Encyclopædia Britannica. "Ore". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 7 Apr ...

from the mines. In the 1960s the Saint Ann Development Council began the systematic development of Ocho Rios creating a modern town.

Geography

The parish is located at latitude 18°12'N, longitude 77°28'W. It is bordered by Clarendon and Saint Catherine in the south, Saint Mary in the east, and Trelawny in the west. As with all but one parish, its coast is washed by the

Caribbean Sea The Caribbean Sea ( es, Mar Caribe; french: Mer des Caraïbes; ht, Lanmè Karayib; jam, Kiaribiyan Sii; nl, Caraïbische Zee; pap, Laman Karibe) is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico ...

. Saint Ann covers an area of 1,212.6 km², making it the largest parish, before Saint Elizabeth's 1,212.4 km². The population was an estimated at 173,232 in 2012. Besides Saint Ann's Bay, other important towns located in Saint Ann are

Discovery Bay Discovery Bay (DB) is a resort town on Lantau Island, Hong Kong. It consists of mixed, primarily residential, development, in particular upmarket residential development and private and public recreational facilities, including garden houses, ...

, Brown's Town, and

. The highest elevation in the parish is in the Dry Harbour Mountains at 762 metres above sea level. Because of its limestone formation, the parish is noted for its 59 caves and numerous sinkholes. The Moneague Lake, which varies considerably in size, is one of the few large intermittent lakes in the island. The boundary between Saint Ann and Saint Mary is formed by the White River, which flows for 27.4 kilometres. Other rivers like the Dunn's River appear intermittently, rising a few kilometres from the coast. The names of the main rivers are Negro, Saint Ann, Great, Roaring, Cave and Pedro (see

List of rivers of Jamaica This is a list of rivers of Jamaica, arranged from west to east, with respective tributaries indented under each larger stream's name. North Coast * South Negril River **Unnamed *Middle River **Unnamed **Unnamed *North Negril River *Orange River ...

Economy

Agriculture

The agricultural products are mainly bananas, allspice/pimento, sugar, coconuts, coffee, limes, corn, ginger, sweet potatoes, sensimilia yam, and

annatto Annatto ( or ) is an orange-red condiment and food coloring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree ('' Bixa orellana''), native to tropical America. It is often used to impart a yellow or orange color to foods, but sometimes also for its f ...

. The soil is also suitable for citrus and,

sisal Sisal (, ) (''Agave sisalana'') is a species of flowering plant native to southern Mexico, but widely cultivated and naturalized in many other countries. It yields a stiff fibre used in making rope and various other products. The term sisal may ...

is cultivated in the drier areas. The parish is also noted for cattle rearing, horses and hogs (swine). Recently, however, agriculture has been on the decline as farmland is being used for housing and other developments and the cultivated area has decreased.

Tourism

The major economic activity in the parish is tourism. Saint Ann is one of the major tourist destinations of Jamaica, given that

Dunn's River Falls Dunn's River Falls is a famous waterfall near Ocho Rios, Jamaica and a major Caribbean tourist attraction that receives thousands of visitors each year. Appearance At about high and long, the waterfalls are terraced like giant natural stairs t ...

and many popular beaches, like Puerto Seco Beach, are located there. There is a cruise ship dock (maritime) on the west shore of Ocho Rios Bay, and numerous hotels and resorts (including a Sandals Resort) are located in and around the city. It is also the birthplace/resting place for

(6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981).

Commerce

Banks and supermarkets along with some restaurants make up the rest of the economy. The farmers market where small farmers and food vendors operate is also a source of employment for the locals.

Education

High schools

* Ferncourt High School * York Castle High School *St. Hilda's High School *Ocho Rios High School *Marcus Garvey Technical High School *Brown's Town High School *Aabuthnott Gallimore High School *Saint Ann's Bay High School (Private) *Prospect College (private semi-military) *The NorthGate High School(Private) *Steer Town Academy *Mount Pleasant Academy (Private)

Community Colleges

*Brown's Town Community College *

Moneague College Moneague College is a multidisciplinary institution located in Moneague, Saint Ann, Jamaica on the main road between Kingston and Ocho Rios. The college is partly situated in the former colonial-era Moneague Hotel. History The Moneague Hotel ...

Correctional centres

The

Hill Top Juvenile Correctional Centre __NOTOC__ Hill Top Correctional Centre was built to accommodate ninety eight boys.Project 2005
...

, operated by the

Department of Correctional Services, Jamaica The Department of Correctional Services, Jamaica (DCSJ) is a department of the Ministry of National Security of Jamaica, headquartered in Kingston. The department operates prisons and jails in Jamaica. The current Commissioner of Corrections is In ...

, is located in

Bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, ...

and has a capacity for 98. The

Armadale Juvenile Correctional Centre __NOTOC__ Armadale Juvenile Correctional Centre was built to accommodate 40 girls.Project 2005
...

for girls was located in

Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandri ...

but on 22 May 2009 a fire went through the facility, killing 5 girls and injuring 13 more. The replacement facility is located in Diamond Crest Villa near

Alligator Pond Alligator Pond is a fishing village on the southwestern coast of Jamaica in the parish of Manchester. Unlike the tourist-oriented coasts in the northern part of the country, Alligator Pond's shoreline is as much about work as play; here fisher ...

in Manchester Parish. The Parish also contains the historic

Saint Ann's Bay Old Jail __NOTOC__ The Old Jail in Saint Ann's Bay is said to have been the very first prison in Jamaica. Built as a fort , it was declared useless in 1795 as the sea was encroaching. It was then converted into a jail and house of correction. The jail had ...

, perhaps the first prison in Jamaica.

Politics

Saint Ann Parish is represented in the

Parliament of Jamaica The Parliament of Jamaica is the legislative branch of the government of Jamaica. It consists of three elements: The Crown (represented by the Governor-General), the appointed Senate and the directly elected House of Representatives. The S ...

by four

single-member constituencies A single-member district is an electoral district represented by a single officeholder. It contrasts with a multi-member district, which is represented by multiple officeholders. Single-member districts are also sometimes called single-winner vot ...

: *

Saint Ann North Eastern Saint Ann North Eastern is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Representatives of the Jamaican Parliament. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. The constituency consists of the north ...

* Saint Ann North Western * Saint Ann South Eastern * Saint Ann South Western

Attractions

Natural

*Green Grotto Caves *Ocho Rios Marine Park *Fern Gully *Shaw Park Gardens *Coyaba River Garden *Puerto Seco Beach *Chukka Cove Adventures *White River Rafting *Dolphin Cove *Bob Marley Mausoleum *Cranbrook Flower Forrest *Seville heritage park *Mystic MountainJamaican Attraction Among 50 Essential Travel Experiences
/ref>

Historic

Seville Heritage Park The Seville Heritage Park was once a Taíno village, 16th-century Spanish colonial settlement and a 17th-century British plantation, located in what is now Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica.Nine Mile *Columbus Park *Marcus Garvey Statue, Saint Ann's Bay * Edinburgh Castle (ruins) * Roaring River

Notes

References

External links

StatisticsStatistical Institute of JamaicaJamaica Heritage Trust
{{Authority control Parishes of Jamaica