Saint Ann is one of the oldest populated areas in the island of Jamaica tracing back to 600–650 A.D. It is believed to be the earliest Taino/Arawak settlement in Jamaica. When Christopher Columbus first came to Jamaica in 1494, he landed on the shores of Saint Ann at Discovery Bay, Jamaica. He returned to Jamaica on his fourth voyage and was eventually marooned for one year at Saint Ann's Bay, which he called Santa Gloria. The first Spanish settlement in Jamaica was also at Sevilla la Nueva, now called Seville, just to the west of Saint Ann's Bay. Established by Juan de Esquivel, the first Spanish Governor of Jamaica, Saint Ann's Bay became the third capital established by Spain in the Americas. The first sugar mills were established by the Spaniards in Sevilla la Nueva before 1526. After 1655, when the English captured Jamaica, Saint Ann's Bay gradually developed as a fishing port with many warehouses and wharves. The parish of Saint Ann was later named after Lady Anne Hyde the first wife of King James II of England. Ocho Rios began to develop as a modern town and a favourite tourist destination in Jamaica. Its development commenced when Reynolds Jamaica Mines built a deep-water pier, west of the town to ship bauxiteore from the mines. In the 1960s the Saint Ann Development Council began the systematic development of Ocho Rios creating a modern town.
Geography
The parish is located at latitude 18°12'N, longitude 77°28'W. It is bordered by Clarendon and Saint Catherine in the south, Saint Mary in the east, and Trelawny in the west. As with all but one parish, its coast is washed by the Caribbean Sea. Saint Ann covers an area of 1,212.6 km², making it the largest parish, before Saint Elizabeth's 1,212.4 km². The population was an estimated at 173,232 in 2012. Besides Saint Ann's Bay, other important towns located in Saint Ann are Discovery Bay, Brown's Town, and Ocho Rios. The highest elevation in the parish is in the Dry Harbour Mountains at 762 metres above sea level. Because of its limestone formation, the parish is noted for its 59 caves and numerous sinkholes. The Moneague Lake, which varies considerably in size, is one of the few large intermittent lakes in the island. The boundary between Saint Ann and Saint Mary is formed by the White River, which flows for 27.4 kilometres. Other rivers like the Dunn's River appear intermittently, rising a few kilometres from the coast. The names of the main rivers are Negro, Saint Ann, Great, Roaring, Cave and Pedro.
Economy
Agriculture
The agricultural products are mainly bananas, allspice/pimento, sugar, coconuts, coffee, limes, corn, ginger, sweet potatoes, sensimilia yam, and annatto. The soil is also suitable for citrus and, sisal is cultivated in the drier areas. The parish is also noted for cattle rearing, horses and hogs. Recently, however, agriculture has been on the decline as farmland is being used for housing and other developments and the cultivated area has decreased.
Tourism
The major economic activity in the parish is tourism. Saint Ann is one of the major tourist destinations of Jamaica, given that Dunn's River Falls and many popular beaches, like Puerto Seco Beach, are located there. There is a cruise ship dock on the west shore of Ocho Rios Bay, and numerous hotels and resorts are located in and around the city. It is also the birthplace/resting place for Bob Marley.
Commerce
Banks and supermarkets along with some restaurants make up the rest of the economy. The farmers market where small farmers and food vendors operate is also a source of employment for the locals.
