Saint Catherine Parish

Saint Catherine
Saint Catherine
Portmore, Old Harbour,; Ewarton, Linstead
Area
• Total	1,192 km2 (460 sq mi)
• Rank	2
Population (2012)
• Total	518,345
• Density	430/km2 (1,100/sq mi)

Saint Catherine (

capital of Jamaica, Spanish Town

, originally known as San Jago de la Vega or Santiago de la Vega (St. James of the Plain).

History

The modern boundaries of St. Catherine were decided in 1867 when four smaller parishes were amalgamated.[3] The historic parishes of Saint Dorothy Parish, Saint John Parish and Saint Thomas in the Vale Parish, Jamaica were merged with the historic parish of Saint Catherine.^[4]

Geography and People

St Catherine is located at 18°N 77°W / 18°N 77°W / 18; -77. It is bordered by

St Ann

, the highest point being 686 metres (2,251 ft).

A plain of approximately 230 square kilometres (57,000 acres) occupies the southern part of the Rio Cobre basin. The Rio Cobre is the only river that runs along the southern plain. It provides water to irrigate over 73 square kilometres (18,000 acres) on the plain.

Commerce

Development

Out of all the parishes (with the exception of Kingston Parish and Saint Andrew Parish) Saint Catherine shows the most potential for urban development. With its good water resources, virtually flat landscape, and nearness to the capital, it could possibly be one of the Caribbean's major urban areas in the next few years.

Agriculture

Agriculture remains the main source of

sugar cane, bananas and citrus mainly for export. Dairy farms are also found in the parish. One of these is a 4.0 square kilometres (1,000 acres) farm

in Old Harbour. The Salt Ponds District between Spanish Town, Port Henderson and Passage Fort is noted for the fine fish especially calipera.

Manufacturing

St Catherine is second only to Kingston as an industrial center. Industrial plants are some of the biggest employers in the parish.

Tourist sites

Jamaica's

armory

with the Town Hall upstairs.

The Rio Cobre River and

ghosts

of all the slaves who drowned in the river can be seen.

Caymanas Race Track, Jamaica's most famous race track, is in St Catherine.

St Clair Cave, one of Jamaica's more famous caves, is found in the parish. This large, complex cave contains one of the most notable bat roosts on the island, and is one of the few known historical sites for the possibly extinct bat,
Phyllonycteris aphylla. Because of the biological importance of the system, and the inherent dangers involved in exploring it (i.e. noxious gases, histoplasmosis, Cutaneous larva migrans
, difficult footing), casual visitation is discouraged.

Hellshire Beach is located on the south coast of Jamaica in St. Catherine Parish about 20 minutes away from Kingston. Not a tourist spot due to its distance from major hotels.

Government and infrastructure

The Rio Cobre Correctional Centre of the Department of Correctional Services, Jamaica is located in Spanish Town, Saint Catherine Parish.^[5]

Politics

Saint Catherine Parish is represented in the Parliament of Jamaica by eleven single-member constituencies:

References

^ ^a ^b The title of largest parish in Jamaica has caused some confusion. The parishes of St. Catherine, Saint Elizabeth or St. Ann are usually ranked as the largest, depending on the source. The Gleaner, one of the nations most reputable newspapers, lists St. Catherine as the largest with an area of 1,260 sq km, St. Ann as the second largest with 1200 sq km, and St. Elizabeth third with 1,185 sq km (Geography and History of Jamaica. The Jamaica Gleaner. Retrieved 9 April 2009). However, The Jamaica Library Service database ranks St Ann the largest with an area of 1212.6 sq km (Saint Ann Archived 4 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Jamaica Library Services. Retrieved 9 April 2009), St. Elizabeth second with 1212.4 sq km (St. Elizabeth Archived 4 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Jamaica Library Services. Retrieved 9 April 2009), and St. Catherine third with 1192.4 sq km (Saint Catherine Archived 4 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Jamaica Library Services. Retrieved 9 April 2009).
^ "Population by Parish". Statistical Institute of Jamaica. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
^ "Parish Profile: St. Catherine". Jamaica Information Service. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
^ "Jamaican Parish Reference". Prestwidges of Jamaica. 30 October 2009. Archived from the original on 30 October 2009. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
^ "JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL CENTRES Archived 14 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine." Department of Correctional Services, Jamaica. Retrieved on 2 October 2010.

Parish Information
Statistical Institute of Jamaica
Robertson, James, 2005, Gone is the Ancient Glory, Spanish Town Jamaica 1534-2000, Kingston, Jamaica: Ian Randle Publishers,
ISBN 976-637-197-0

External links

[cathe-1] The title of largest parish in Jamaica has caused some confusion. The parishes of St. Catherine, Saint Elizabeth or St. Ann are usually ranked as the largest, depending on the source. The Gleaner, one of the nations most reputable newspapers, lists St. Catherine as the largest with an area of 1,260 sq km, St. Ann as the second largest with 1200 sq km, and St. Elizabeth third with 1,185 sq km (Geography and History of Jamaica. The Jamaica Gleaner. Retrieved 9 April 2009). However, The Jamaica Library Service database ranks St Ann the largest with an area of 1212.6 sq km (Saint Ann Archived 4 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Jamaica Library Services. Retrieved 9 April 2009), St. Elizabeth second with 1212.4 sq km (St. Elizabeth Archived 4 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Jamaica Library Services. Retrieved 9 April 2009), and St. Catherine third with 1192.4 sq km (Saint Catherine Archived 4 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Jamaica Library Services. Retrieved 9 April 2009).

[population-2] "Population by Parish". Statistical Institute of Jamaica. Retrieved 16 September 2015.

[3] "Parish Profile: St. Catherine". Jamaica Information Service. Retrieved 27 September 2019.

[JPR-4] "Jamaican Parish Reference". Prestwidges of Jamaica. 30 October 2009. Archived from the original on 30 October 2009. Retrieved 13 February 2022.

[5] "JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL CENTRES Archived 14 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine." Department of Correctional Services, Jamaica. Retrieved on 2 October 2010.

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v t e Counties and Parishes of Jamaica
Cornwall County	Hanover Saint Elizabeth Saint James Trelawny Westmoreland	Jamaica portal
Middlesex County	Clarendon Manchester Saint Ann Saint Catherine Saint Mary
Surrey County	Kingston Portland Saint Andrew Saint Thomas
Historic Parishes	Metcalfe Port Royal Saint David Saint Dorothy Saint George Saint John Saint Thomas in the East Saint Thomas in the Vale Vere