San Ignacio is a town in western Belize that serves as the capital of Cayo District. It got its start from Mahogany production during British rule. It began to attract different people from the surrounding areas, which led to the diverse make up of the town at present day. San Ignacio is situated on the banks of the Macal and Mopan Rivers, about 68.5 miles west of Belize City and 22 miles west of the country's capital, Belmopan (Bel from Belize and Mopan from the indigenous Maya people and their language of the same name).

Demographics: The population is largely Mestizo and Kriol, with some Lebanese and Mopan. San Ignacio also boasts a fairly large Chinese population, most of whom emigrated from Guangzhou in waves in the mid-20th century. A sizable Mennonite community resides near San Ignacio. In the 2010 census the town had 9,925 inhabitants (4,856 are males and 5,069 females). The average household size is 3.8.

In recent years San Ignacio has absorbed the formerly separate village of Santa Elena. San Ignacio and its sister-town Santa Elena make up Belize's second largest urban area. The two towns are connected by Belize's only suspension bridge, the one-lane Hawksworth Bridge across the River Macal, built in 1949. The two are collectively referred to as the "Twin Towns". The one way bridge is just beyond the Police Station and the one petrol station.