Orange Walk District | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Country |  Belize |
| Capital | Orange Walk Town |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4,737 km2 (1,829 sq mi) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 55,622 |
| • Density | 12/km2 (30/sq mi) |
| ISO 3166 code | BZ-OW |
| Website | www |
Orange Walk District is a district in the northwest of the nation of Belize, with its district capital in Orange Walk Town.
The Orange Walk District, with an area of 1,829 square miles (4,636 square km), is located north-northwest of the Belize District. This is the second largest district in terms of total area in comparison to other districts in Belize, and lies between the Belize and Corozal districts to the east, Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the west. Villages in Orange Walk District include August Pine Ridge, Blue Creek, Carmelita, Chan Pine Ridge, Douglas, Indian Church, Guinea Grass, San Antonio, San Carlos, San Estevan, San Felipe, San José, San Jose Palmar, Nuevo San Juan, San Lazaro, San Luis, San Pablo, San Román, Santa Cruz, Santa Martha, Shipyard, Trial Farm, Trinidad and Yo Creek. Other settlements with smaller numbers of inhabitants may also be found, as well as ancient Mayan sites such as Cuello, Lamanai, Noh Mul and Chan Chich. The Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area, a large private nature reserve in the Yalbac Hills, is also located in this district. The land is highly cultivated with sugar cane, sorghum, rice, corn and vegetables, with a significant amount of this agriculture done by Mennonite farmers.
According to the [3] Statistical Institute of Belize, the Orange Walk District had an estimated population of 45,419 persons for the 2010 population and housing census; 13,400 of these persons lived in the urban area of Orange Walk Town while 32,019 lived in rural areas.
The capital of the district is Orange Walk Town, with an estimated population of 13,400. [4] The district is home to mostly Maya mestizo descendants of Mexican refugees who fled from the 1840 Caste War. The district's main economic base is drawn from agriculture, with sugar cane being the primary crop. This is slowly being replaced by a combination of alternative crops such potatoes, onions and soya beans. Orange Walk is also important for its production of dairy products, citrus fruits, beef and rum production. Another emerging industry is tourism due to healthy populations of tropical wildlife and the rich archaeological sites now coming to light. There are over 400 recorded bird species in the district, making Orange Walk a birdwatcher's paradise. Several settlements in the district are also home to German speaking Amish Mennonites. The district is also the home of two rivers, the Rio Hondo, which also forms part of the border with Mexico, and the New River, which has as its source Belize's largest body of water, the New River Lagoon.
Industry in Orange Walk was previously dominated by logging for over a hundred years until the refugees of the Caste War arrived in the late 19th century. At the time of logging, all the timber was floated down the New River into the Corozal Bay, then to Belize City and shipped abroad. At the time of the arrival of the Caste War refugees, the logging industry was in decline and eventually the sugar industry was established. There has been evidence that some Yucatec Maya were still living in a remote area of Yalbac hills of the district when the British arrived in the Orange walk District.
Although the Orange Walk District has no coast because it is locked inland, it boasts the remains of two forts, Forts Mundy and Cairns, built by soldiers of the British Honduras West India Regiment. The forts were built in the 19th century after battles between earlier Mayan inhabitants of the district, most notably Marcus Canul and his Icaiche Indians, and settlers. [5] [6]
Politically, Orange Walk is divided into 4 constituencies, three currently under the People's United Party (PUP) and one under the United Democratic Party (UDP).
In the Orange Walk District, Spanish, Kriol and English are the most spoken languages. The Mennonite community, which is around 37.5% of the district's population, speaks primarily German. In many villages Yucatec Maya is still spoken by elders.
Demographics of the population of Belize include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects.
Corozal Town is a town in Belize, capital of Corozal District. Corozal Town is located about 84 miles north of Belize City, and 9 miles from the border with Mexico. The population of Corozal Town, according to the main results of the 2010 census, is 9,871.
Orange Walk Town is the fourth largest town in Belize, with a population of about 13,400. It is the capital of the Orange Walk District. Orange Walk Town is located on the left bank of the New River, 53 miles (85 km) north of Belize City and 30 miles (48 km) south of Corozal Town. Despite the English name of the city, its residents are primarily Spanish-speaking mestizos.
Corozal District is the northernmost district of the nation of Belize. The population was 46,071 in 2024. The district capital is Corozal Town.
Cayo District is located in the west part of Belize, and it contains the capital, Belmopan. 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 and Santa Elena are towns in western Belize. San Ignacio serves as the cultural-economic hub of Cayo District. It got its start from mahogany and chicle production during British colonisation. Over time it attracted people from the surrounding areas, which led to the diverse population of the town today. San Ignacio is the largest settlement in Cayo District and the second largest in the country, after Belize City.
Guinea Grass is a village in the Orange Walk District of the nation of Belize. It is 38 metres above sea level. According to the 2000 census, Guinea Grass had a population of 2,510 people; by 2010 the census figures showed a population of 3,500. The population is made up of mostly Mestizos, Creoles, and East Indians. There are a number of Mennonites, Taiwanese and other Central American immigrants living near or immediately in the village.
Xaibe is a small rural settlement in the country of Belize mainly consisting of people from the Yucatec Maya ethnicity. It is located in Corozal District. The name Xaibe literally means 'crossroads'. The people of the Maya civilization often traversed across the village to reach other Maya villages. The population of the village is very small. The last available data of the population of Xaibe in 2010 revealed that it had a modest population of approximately 1,575 people. There is, however, evidence of the fact that the people belonging to the Maya civilization resided in the Xaibe village. These people then gradually shifted to Mexico, just across the border at the time of the Caste War of Yucatán. The village is known for celebrating the Maya tradition Hanal Pixan which means "food for the souls" also known as Day of the Dead.
San José is a village in the Orange Walk District of Belize. In the 2000 census, San José had a population of 2,254 people. The village is the fourth largest in the Orange Walk district and is estimated to have almost 3,000 residents as of 2016 mainly of Yucatec Maya-Mestizo ancestry. San José is adjacent to San Pablo and is only divided from the latter by a speed bump. Combined, the two villages make up the third largest population center in the Orange Walk District with approximately 4,000 residents.
The major languages spoken in Belize include English, Spanish and Kriol, all three spoken by more than 40% of the population. Mayan languages are also spoken in certain areas, as well as German.
The House of Representatives of Belize is the lower chamber of the National Assembly, the other being the Senate. It was created under the 1981 constitution. Members are commonly called "Area Representatives".
San Joaquín is a village in the Corozal District of Belize. It is one of the largest villages in Corozal. The town was formed as a result of Mestizos migrating to escape the 1847–1901 Caste War of Yucatán.
Copper Bank is a fishing village in the Corozal District of Belize. It is situated on the west bank of Laguna Seca, a shallow lagoon that empties into Chetumal Bay just north-east of the village. The closest settlement is Chunox, located approximately 1.25 miles away on the east bank of the Laguna Seca.
San Jose Palmar is a village in the Orange Walk District of the nation of Belize. The official name of the village is San Jose "Nuevo" Palmar. The village has a unique and colorful history that dates back to the colonial era. The village was first settled on October 12, 1936 after the settlers were being relocated from their original village San Jose in the Yalbac Hills of Belize. The village was settled by some 200 inhabitants from the Yucatec Maya ethnicity who came originally from San Jose Viejo. Today this settlement has grown to approximately two thousand five hundred inhabitants. The village is about five minutes drive from the center of Orange Walk Town. The village is located about two miles south east from downtown Orange Walk. Its first chairperson, also known as "alcalde", was Maximo Perez. Today the newly elected chairperson is Orlando Balam, a native of the village.
General elections were held in Belize on 7 March 2012 to elect all 31 members of the Belize House of Representatives as well as offices in the various local governments. The election was run by the Elections and Boundaries Commission's Elections and Boundaries Department. Dean Barrow and his United Democratic Party (UDP) were re-elected, but lost eight seats to the opposition People's United Party (PUP) to maintain a slim 17-14 majority in the Belize House. The upper house of the Belize National Assembly, the Senate, was appointed after the election by the UDP-led government in accordance with the Constitution of Belize.
Hispanic and Latin American Belizeans are Belizeans of full or partial Hispanic and Latin American descent. Currently, they account for around 52.9% of Belize's population.
Municipal elections were held in Belize on 4 March 2015. Voters elected 67 representatives, 18 on city councils and 49 on town councils. The elections were a decisive victory for the ruling United Democratic Party, which won 62 out of the 67 seats nationwide. The opposition People's United Party won the remaining seats, losing control of town councils in Dangriga and Punta Gorda, maintaining a majority only in Orange Walk Town.
Municipal elections were held in Belize on 7 March 2012 at the same time as the Belizean general election. The United Democratic Party (UDP) won six municipalities, while the People's United Party (PUP) won three municipalities.
