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STANN CREEK DISTRICT(Stop 13 of 18)
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The Belize Virtual Guide STANN CREEK DISTRICT(Stop 13 of 18) |
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The Stann Creek District is Belize's second largest district, with an area of 986 square miles. Here exists the heart of the Garifuna culture in Belize. This culture evolved over a period of 350 years from an isolated mixture of Caribbean Indians and Africans. The Garifuna came to Belize from Roatan in 1832 and have been here ever since. |
| The majority of the population of the Stann Creek District is Garifuna, the remainder made up of Maya Indians , Creoles and Guatemalan and Salvadoran refugees. | |
| The economy of the Stann Creek District revolves around citrus and banana. Citrus fruit is to Stann Creek what steel once was to Pittsburgh. A few visionaries gave birth to the industry in the mid 1920's by planting 13 trees a few miles west of Dangriga in the rich alluvial soils of the North Stann Creek River. This was followed in 1924 by serious commercial production of citrus marking the beginning of the industry in Belize. |
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| Today the citrus industry is one of Belize's top three foreign exchange earners as well as the second most important agricultural activity. The country's two modern processing plants are located in the Stann Creek District - Belize Food Products at Salada some thirteen miles out of Dangriga and The Citrus Company of Belize located in Pomona. These two factories service 50,000 acres of citrus groves in Belize, transforming over a million boxes of fruit a year into concentrate and juice. | |||
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Although the local economy is dominated by citrus, banana once had that place. The banana industry goes back to 1880 when banana enclaves were created by US and British investors. In 1917, banana production was at a peak until the Panama Disease struck reducing the production until 1923. But by 1930's the industry was again damaged by the Stikatoka disease. The industry was continuously attacked by diseases and hurricanes affecting the country's potential as an exporter. | ||
| Disease resistant trees were introduced in 1971 by the government. In the early 1980's banana prices remained stagnant, but by end of the decade had increased. Belize's bananas, under contract with Fyffes Group, are produced for export to Britain. Shipping takes place at the deep water port in Big Creek. | |||
| Stann Creek District is the passageway to the largely undisturbed southern section of the Barrier Reef including some 35 Cayes which are ideal for fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling and kayaking. Although Belize is not known for its mainland beaches, the few that exist are located in the Stann Creek District. |
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| Much of the western part of this district is covered by tropical forests. The foothills of the Maya Mountains rise from the flat coastal plain to one of the highest points in the country, Victoria Peak. This distinctive peak overlooks the Cockscomb Basin, the world's first reserve set aside for the protection of the jaguar. | |||
| District Attractions: | |||
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| MayFlower Mayan Ruin | Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary | 5 Blues Lake National Park | |
| Glover's Reef | Southwater Caye Reserve | Laughing Bird Caye National Park | |
 
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