Saint George Gingerland Parish
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| Saint George Gingerland | |
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| Parish | |
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| Country | Saint Kitts and Nevis |
| Capital | Market Shop |
| Area | 18 km² (7 sq mi) |
| Population | 2,568 (2001 est.) |
| Density | 142.67 /km² (370 /sq mi) |
Saint George Gingerland, also known as St. George's GIngerland, is a parish in the southeastern part of the island of Nevis, Leeward Islands, West Indies. It is one of 5 parishes on the island. These 5 parishes, in combination with the 9 parishes of St. Kitts, make up the 14 administrative parishes of the two-island Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
This parish is commonly referred to simply as Gingerland, and is named for the valuable ginger crop that used to be grown there. The Anglican parish church of Saint George is located within the main village of Market Shop, and Gingerland also encompasses numerous other villages, such as Chicken Stone, Zetlands and Zion. The parish has a total population of circa 2,500. Gingerland is one of the most populous parishes on Nevis, primarily because the higher parts of the parish have fertile soil and good rainfall. The parish is on the windward side of the island, meaning that it faces into the trade winds. Many of the villages in Gingerland are situated at an altitude of nearly 1,000 feet, or more than 300 meters, and this makes them considerably cooler than coastal villages, especially at night.
Gingerland supplies most of Nevis with fresh fruits and vegetables. The farms are mostly small holdings, where crops are grown for private consumption and for sale. Livestock includes sheep and goats, which wander and graze freely, whereas pigs, cows and horses are fenced or tethered. On the coast around Indian Castle, fishing is important economically. The island's Racetrack is located in the same area, near Red Cliff; the Nevis horse races take place at regular intervals, about once a month, and are very well-attended. Tourism is the other important industry in Gingerland; the main buildings of hotels such as Old Manor and Golden Rock Estate were originally sugarcane plantation "great houses", and some of the other plantation buildings, including the old windmills, have been turned into guest suites.
[edit] References
- ORDNANCE SURVEY, GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, 1984, Nevis, with part of St. Christopher (Saint Kitts). Series E803 (D.O.S. 343), Sheet NEVIS, Edition 5 O.S.D. 1984. Reprinted in 1995, published by the Government of the United Kingdom (Ordnance Survey) for the Government of Saint Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis.
- ROBINSON, DAVID & JENNIFER LOWERY (Editors), 2000. The natural history of the island of Nevis. Nevis Historical and Conservation Society Press, Ithaca, New York.
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