Cayo District

Cayo District is a district in the west of the nation of Belize. The District capital is the town of San Ignacio.

Cayo District
District
Location of the district in Belize
Coordinates: 16°50′N 88°55′W
Country	Belize
Capital	San Ignacio
Population  (2009)
• Total	80,800
Website	www.gotocayobelize.com

Geography

The Cayo District is the largest in Belize. It is on the western side of the country which borders Guatemala. The nation's capital, Belmopan, is in the district.

The Cayo District has the Pre-Columbian Maya ruins of Xunantunich, Cahal Pech, Chaa Creek, and Caracol. Major rivers in the district include the Macal River and the Mopan River.

Importance and Location

The Cayo District is mostly an agricultural district. The chief crops are citrus, (oranges, grapefruit, and tangerine), as well as bananas. Recently oil was found in Spanish Lookout and is now in production. In addition to the ruins listed above there are several other important nature reserves including two National Parks, Blue Hole (park) and Guanacaste National Park. Ecotourism is also an important part of the region's economy.

According to the 2000 census, Cayo District had a population of 53,715 people.