Saint Catherine Parish

Saint Catherine
Capital	Spanish Town
county	Middlesex
Big cities	Portmore , Old Harbor , Linstead , Bog Walk ,
surface	1,192  km²
population	499,645 (2009)
Population density	419.2 / km²
economy	Tourism, agriculture, industry

Saint Catherine is a district ( parish ) in southeast Jamaica . The capital is Spanish Town , under the Spanish name Sante Jago De La Vega it was the island's first capital.

history

Shortly after the Spanish settlement began, the Sante Jago de La Vega settlement was built on the recommendation of the treasurer Pedro de Mazuela. Saint Catherine was created in 1534 and was later named after Catherine of Braganza , wife of King Charles II of England .

In 1524 Sante Jago De La Vega was officially declared the capital. Sugar cane mills had already been set up in the area. There were multiple attacks by English pirates . From 1655 the English conquered Jamaica. After five years of guerrilla warfare , the Spaniards gave up and in 1670 the island officially fell to England through the Treaty of Madrid . Sante Jago De La Vega was renamed Spanish Town, but remained the island capital.

Since 1755 various groups tried to move the capital to Kingston . Officially, the assignment was not made until 1872 by Governor Sir John Peter Grant. Saint Catherine received its current form in 1872 when it swallowed the former parishes Saint Dorothy, Saint John and Saint Thomas-in-the-Vale.

geography

Saint Catherine is bordered by Saint Andrew to the east, Clarendon to the west, and Saint Ann and Saint Mary to the north . 1,192 square kilometers, in 2001 about 500,000 people, most in Portmore and Spanish Town.

The south is flat while the middle and north are mountainous. The highest point is 686 meters above sea level. The southern level covers around 230 km². It is crossed by the Rio Cobre, which supplies the area with water and electricity.

economy

Agriculture is the main source of income. Many small farmers grow bananas, coconuts, pineapples, citrus fruits, pumpkins and pepper. The larger farms mainly produce sugar cane, bananas and citrus fruits for export.

Along with Kingston, Saint Catherine is Jamaica's most important industrial center. The largest salt producer in the Caribbean is located in Spanish Town, and there are also companies that process milk products. Batteries, cigarettes, carpets, plastic parts and pharmaceutical products are also manufactured in large quantities. This is also made possible by Jamaica's largest power station in Old Harbor.

In addition, tourism is playing an increasingly important role.

Web links

• Information about the parish

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Statistical Institute of Jamaica: Demographic Statistics - Population by Parish 2009 ( Memento of the original dated November 13, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Retrieved November 15, 2010. 

Coordinates: 18 ° 5 ′  N , 77 ° 2 ′  W