San Pedro Town

San Pedro Town
Town of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye
San Pedro Collage
Nickname: 
San Pedro Town
Map of San Pedro metropolitan area
Coordinates: 17°55′17″N 87°57′40″W / 17.92139°N 87.96111°W / 17.92139; -87.96111
CountryBelize
DistrictBelize
ConstituencyBelize Rural South
San Pedro1848
Government
  MayorGualberto 'Wally' Nuñez
Area
  Total
71 km2 (27.5 sq mi)
Elevation
2 m (7 ft)
Population
 (2010)
  Total
11,767
  Estimate 
(2016)
17,429
  Density170/km2 (430/sq mi)
DemonymSan Pedrano(a)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central)
ClimateAw

San Pedro is a town on the southern part of the island of Ambergris Caye in the Belize District of the nation of Belize, in Central America. According to the 2024 mid-year estimates, the town has a population of about 20,000. It is the second-largest town in the Belize District and largest in the Belize Rural South constituency. The once sleepy fishing village was granted the status of a town in 1984.

San Pedro's inhabitants are known as San Pedranos and most of them originally came from Mexico. Most speak both Spanish and English fluently. Due to the influence of English-based Kriol, most San Pedranos can speak English, as well as an intermediate form between English and Spanish that is known as "Kitchen Spanish". It is said one is not a true San Pedrano if one doesn't know how to fish.

In Madonna's early 2000's interview with the New York Times, she stated that the inspiration for the name of San Pedro in her song "La Isla Bonita" was likely her reading of an exit ramp on the way to the music studio. She wasn't a traveler then and had no knowledge of San Pedro. The town is said to be the inspiration for the song "La Isla Bonita" (which begins with the line "last night I dreamt of San Pedro"), written by Madonna, Patrick Leonard and Bruce Gaitsch. Manuel Heredia, minister of tourism in Belize commented Madonna's musical theme has helped to attract tourists to land.