Orange Walk Town
|
|
Orange Walk Town is the second largest town in the nation of Belize, with a population of about 14,000. It is the capital of the Orange Walk District. Orange Walk Town is located on the left bank of the New River, 66 miles (106.2 km) north of Belize City and 30 miles (48.3 km) south of Corozal Town.
In the days of the Mayas, the area was known as Holpatin. The district is home to the biggest Mayan temple of the pre-classic period. The Mayas of the area came in contact with the Europeans in the 1530s and right after that the indigenous started to fight back for the invasion of the land. In 1848, there was a massive influx of Maya-mestizo people fleeing from the caste war in the neighbouring states of Mexico. This created a overnight growth of population.
With the mestizos came their many traditions that today abound in the region. One such thing that they brought was the sugar cane which in the years to come became the leading industry that sustained the nation's economy. Today, this industry continues to strive in the region, and the region is highly populated by mestizos, Creoles, Mennonites, Chinese, Taiwanese, East Indians, and people from Central America. The economy diversifies today in all directions from farming to the tourism industry.