Santa Cruz, Jamaica

Parish

Santa Cruz is a Jamaican small town in the south of the Parish of Saint Elizabeth in the County of Cornwall. In 2012, Santa Cruz had a population of 7877 people. The city's name is derived from the same Santa Cruz Mountains, the mountains determine the panorama of the region.

History

Santa Cruz was up in the 1950s, only a small village. After rich deposits of bauxite was found in the 50s and 60s of the previous century, the city grew rapidly. Still, one gets the impression of an ever-changing urban landscape in Santa Cruz.

Geography

Santa Cruz is located about 15 kilometers in a straight line from the coast. North of the city runs the Braes River. Southwest extend the same Santa Cruz Mountains, which separate the town from the sea. The mountain range forms the so-called Lover 's Leap towards a 487 meter high hill to the sea.

Located along the city divided the settlement Albert Arms. The nearest villages are Seven Corners in the south with just 3 kilometers away and about 4 kilometers north location Bybrook. In the immediate vicinity located are many small towns.

Infrastructure

By Santa Cruz leads the A2 highway, which runs between the two Parish capitals Black River and Mandeville.

The city has the longest and best -developed road network of Saint Elizabeth and forms one of the main transport hubs in Jamaica's south coast.

Economy

Santa Cruz benefited particularly from the mining of bauxite. But there are also mined other minerals and metals.

Although Black River is the capital city of Saint Elizabeth, Santa Cruz is the economic hub and largest city of the Parish. The place is known that you can buy all kinds of goods there. Santa Cruz is the fastest growing city in Saint Elizabeth and has a strong attraction for young people in the area.

Train

In Santa Cruz, there are several schools, secondary schools and vocational schools. Particularly noteworthy is the internationally renowned St. Elizabeth Technical High School which was founded in 1958 and opened in 1961.