All Topics  
Honduras

 

   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link






 

Honduras



 
 
Honduras () is a democratic republic in Central America
Central America

Central America is a central geography region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmus portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast....
. It was formerly known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras
British Honduras

British Honduras was the former name of what is now the independent nation of Belize and was a United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland colony on the east coast of Central America, southeast of Mexico....
 (now Belize
Belize

Belize , formerly British Honduras, is a country in Central America. Once part of the Maya civilization, and very briefly the Spanish Empire, it was most recently affiliated with the British Empire, prior to gaining its independence in 1981....
). The country is bordered to the west by Guatemala
Guatemala

Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize and the Caribbean to the northeast, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast....
, to the southwest by El Salvador
El Salvador

El Salvador is the smallest country in the Americas and Central America by size, and the most densely populated nation in Central America. It borders on the Pacific Ocean between Guatemala and Honduras....
, to the southeast by Nicaragua
Nicaragua

Nicaragua officially the Republic of Nicaragua , is a representative democracy republic. It is the largest state in Central America with an area of 130,000 km2, about the size of the state of New York....
, to the south by the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portugal explorer Ferdinand Magellan....
 at the Gulf of Fonseca
Gulf of Fonseca

The Gulf of Fonseca , part of the Pacific Ocean, is a Headlands and bays in Central America, bordering El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua....
, and to the north by the Gulf of Honduras
Gulf of Honduras

The Gulf or Bay of Honduras is a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea, indenting the coasts of Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. From north to south, it runs for approximately 200 km from Dangriga, Belize, to La Ceiba, Honduras....
, a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea

The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean situated in the mid-latitudes of the Western Hemisphere, bounded to the south and west by the Americas, with the North Atlantic Ocean proper to the northeast and the Gulf of Mexico to the northwest....
. Its size is just over 110,000 km² with an estimated population of almost 7,500,000.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Honduras'
Start a new discussion about 'Honduras'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Recent Posts









Encyclopedia


Honduras () is a democratic republic in Central America
Central America

Central America is a central geography region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmus portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast....
. It was formerly known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras
British Honduras

British Honduras was the former name of what is now the independent nation of Belize and was a United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland colony on the east coast of Central America, southeast of Mexico....
 (now Belize
Belize

Belize , formerly British Honduras, is a country in Central America. Once part of the Maya civilization, and very briefly the Spanish Empire, it was most recently affiliated with the British Empire, prior to gaining its independence in 1981....
). The country is bordered to the west by Guatemala
Guatemala

Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize and the Caribbean to the northeast, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast....
, to the southwest by El Salvador
El Salvador

El Salvador is the smallest country in the Americas and Central America by size, and the most densely populated nation in Central America. It borders on the Pacific Ocean between Guatemala and Honduras....
, to the southeast by Nicaragua
Nicaragua

Nicaragua officially the Republic of Nicaragua , is a representative democracy republic. It is the largest state in Central America with an area of 130,000 km2, about the size of the state of New York....
, to the south by the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portugal explorer Ferdinand Magellan....
 at the Gulf of Fonseca
Gulf of Fonseca

The Gulf of Fonseca , part of the Pacific Ocean, is a Headlands and bays in Central America, bordering El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua....
, and to the north by the Gulf of Honduras
Gulf of Honduras

The Gulf or Bay of Honduras is a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea, indenting the coasts of Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. From north to south, it runs for approximately 200 km from Dangriga, Belize, to La Ceiba, Honduras....
, a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea

The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean situated in the mid-latitudes of the Western Hemisphere, bounded to the south and west by the Americas, with the North Atlantic Ocean proper to the northeast and the Gulf of Mexico to the northwest....
. Its size is just over 110,000 km² with an estimated population of almost 7,500,000. Its capital is Tegucigalpa.

Etymology


The Spanish used at least three different terms to refer to the area that became the Central American country of Honduras.

  • Guaymuras - a name Columbus provided for a town near modern Trujillo. Bartolomé de las Casas
    Bartolomé de Las Casas

    File:Bartolomedelascasas.jpgBartolom? de las Casas, Dominican Order , was a 16th-century Spanish Empire Dominican Order priest, and the first resident Bishop of Chiapas....
     subsequently generalized it to apply to the whole colony.
  • Higueras - a reference to the gourds that come from the Jicaro tree, many of which were found floating in the waters off the northwest coast of Honduras.
  • Honduras - literally "depths" in Spanish
    Spanish language

    Spanish or Castilian is a Romance languages that originated in northern Spain, and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile and evolved into the principal language of government and trade....
    . Columbus
    Christopher Columbus

    Christopher Columbus was a Republic of Genoa navigator, colonialist and explorer whose voyages across the Atlantic Ocean?funded by Queen Isabella of Spain?led to general European awareness of the America in the Western Hemisphere....
     is traditionally quoted as having written Gracias a Dios que hemos salido de esas Honduras (English
    English language

    English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
    : "Thank God we have come out of those depths") while along the northeastern coast.


History

Archaeologists have demonstrated that Honduras had a rich, multi-ethnic prehistory. An important part of that prehistory was the Mayan presence around the city of Copán
Copán

The Pre-Columbian city today known as Cop?n is a locale in western Honduras, in the Cop?n Department, near to the Guatemalan border. It is the site of a major Maya civilization kingdom of the Classic era ....
 in western Honduras, near the Guatemalan border. A major Mayan city flourished during the classic period (150-900) in that area. It has many carved inscriptions and stelae. The ancient kingdom, named rtyu
Copán

The Pre-Columbian city today known as Cop?n is a locale in western Honduras, in the Cop?n Department, near to the Guatemalan border. It is the site of a major Maya civilization kingdom of the Classic era ....
, existed from the fifth century to the early ninth century, with antecedents going back to at least the second century. The Mayan civilization began a marked decline in the ninth century, but there is evidence of people still living in and around the city until at least 1200. By the time the Spanish came to Honduras, the once great city-state of Copán was overrun by the jungle, and the Lencas, not the Mayans, were the main Amerindian people living in western Honduras.

On his fourth and the final voyage to the New World
New World

The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth, specifically the Americas and Australasia. When the term originated in the late 15th century, the Americas were new to the Europeans, who previously thought of the world as consisting only of Europe, Asia, and Africa ....
 in 1502, Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus was a Republic of Genoa navigator, colonialist and explorer whose voyages across the Atlantic Ocean?funded by Queen Isabella of Spain?led to general European awareness of the America in the Western Hemisphere....
 reached the Bay Islands on the coast of Honduras. Columbus landed near the modern town of Trujillo, in the vicinity of the Guaimoreto Lagoon. After the Spanish discovery, Honduras became part of Spain's vast empire in the New World within the Kingdom of Guatemala
Captaincy General of Guatemala

The Captaincy General of Guatemala , also known as the Kingdom of Guatemala , was an administrative division in Spanish America which covered much of Central America, including what are now Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and the Mexican state of Chiapas....
. Trujillo and Gracias were the first city-capitals. The Spanish ruled what would become Honduras for approximately three centuries. During this period a clock which had been built by the Moors in the twelfth Century was transferred to the Cathedral of Comayagua in 1636: it is now the oldest functioning clock in the Americas.

Spain granted independence to Honduras, with the rest of the Central America
Central America

Central America is a central geography region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmus portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast....
n provinces on September 15 1821. In 1822 the United Central American Provinces decided to join the newly declared Mexican Empire of Iturbide
Iturbide

Iturbide may refer to:*Iturbide *House of Iturbide, royal house of Mexico**Agust?n I of Mexico*Iturbide Bridge, a locale of the Tampico Affair...
. The Iturbide Empire was overthrown in 1823 and Central America separated from it, forming the Federal Republic of Central America
Federal Republic of Central America

The Federal Republic of Central America, also known as the United Provinces of Central America, was a short-lived state in Central America, which consisted of the territories of the former Captaincy General of Guatemala....
, which disintegrated in 1838. As a result the states of the republic became independent nations.

Silver mining
Silver mining

Silver mining refers to the resource extraction of the precious metal Chemical element silver by mining....
 was a key factor in the Spanish conquest and settlement of Honduras, but has been only a minor part of the national economy in recent years. The American-owned Barger Mining Company was a major gold and silver producer, but shut down its large mine at San Juancito in 1954.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor

The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Empire of Japan Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States' naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, later resulting in the United States becoming militarily involved in World War II....
, Honduras joined the Allied Nations on December 8, 1941. Less than a month later, on the first day of 1942, Honduras, along with twenty-five other governments, signed the Declaration by United Nations
Declaration by United Nations

The Declaration by United Nations was a World War II document agreed to on January 1 1942 during the Arcadia Conference by 26 governments, several of them governments-in-exile....
.

In 1969, Honduras and El Salvador
El Salvador

El Salvador is the smallest country in the Americas and Central America by size, and the most densely populated nation in Central America. It borders on the Pacific Ocean between Guatemala and Honduras....
 fought what would become known as the Football War
Football War

The "Football" War , also known as the Soccer War or 100-hours War, was a five-day war fought by El Salvador and Honduras in 1969. It was caused by political conflicts between Hondurans and Salvadorans, namely issues concerning immigration from El Salvador to Honduras....
. There had been border tensions between the two countries after Oswaldo López Arellano
Oswaldo López Arellano

Oswaldo L?pez Arellano was twice President of Honduras of Honduras from 1963-1971 and 1972-1975. He gained power by military force.He was born in Danl?, Honduras to an influential family, son of Enrique Lopez and Carlota Arellano....
, a former president of Honduras, blamed the deteriorating economy on the large number of immigrants from El Salvador. From that point on, the relationship between the two countries grew acrimonious and reached a low when El Salvador met Honduras for a three-round football elimination match as a preliminary to the World Cup
FIFA World Cup

The FIFA World Cup, occasionally called the Football World Cup, but usually referred to simply as the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the List of men's national association football teams of the members of F?d?ration Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global govern...
. Tensions escalated, and on July 14 1969, the Salvadoran army launched an attack against Honduras. The Organization of American States
Organization of American States

The Organization of American States is an international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States. Its members are the thirty-five independent states of the Americas....
 negotiated a cease-fire which took effect on July 20, and brought about a withdrawal of Salvadoran troops in early August.

Contributing factors in the conflict were a boundary dispute and the presence of thousands of Salvadorans living in Honduras illegally. After the week-long football war
Football War

The "Football" War , also known as the Soccer War or 100-hours War, was a five-day war fought by El Salvador and Honduras in 1969. It was caused by political conflicts between Hondurans and Salvadorans, namely issues concerning immigration from El Salvador to Honduras....
 in July 1969, many Salvadoran families and workers were expelled. El Salvador had agreed on a truce to settle the boundary issue, but Honduras later paid war damage costs for expelled refugees.

Hurricane Fifi
Hurricane Fifi

Hurricane Fifi was a catastrophic storm during the 1974 Atlantic hurricane season that made landfall in Belize. Fifi was one of the costliest hurricanes in history, causing $3.7 billion in damages....
 caused severe damage while skimming the northern coast of Honduras on September 18 and 19, 1974.

During the 1980s, the United States established a very large military presence in Honduras with the purpose of supporting the anti-Sandinista Contras fighting the Nicaragua
Nicaragua

Nicaragua officially the Republic of Nicaragua , is a representative democracy republic. It is the largest state in Central America with an area of 130,000 km2, about the size of the state of New York....
n government, and to support the El Salvador military fighting against the FMLN
Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front

The Farabundo Mart? National Liberation Front is a Social-Democrat political party of El Salvador that was formerly a revolutionary guerrilla organization....
 guerrillas. The U.S. built the airbase known as Palmerola
Palmerola

Soto Cano Air Base is a joint Honduras and United States military Military base near Comayagua in Honduras. A large concentration of US troops and the Honduran military Air Force academy use the airbase....
, near Comayagua, with a runway so that C-5 Galaxy
C-5 Galaxy

The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a large, military Cargo aircraft built by Lockheed. It was designed to provide strategic heavy airlift over intercontinental distances and to carry Outsize cargo and oversize cargo....
 cargo planes could land there, rather than at the public airport in San Pedro Sula. The U.S. also built a training base near Trujillo which primarily trained Contras and the Salvadoran military, and in conjunction with this, developed Puerto Castilla into a modern port. The United States built many airstrips near the Nicaraguan border to help move supplies to the Contra forces fighting the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. Though spared the bloody civil wars wracking its neighbors, the Honduran army quietly waged a campaign against leftists which included extra judicial killings and forced disappearances of political opponents by government-backed death squads, most notably Battalion 316.

In 1998, Hurricane Mitch
Hurricane Mitch

Hurricane Mitch was one of the most powerful hurricanes on record in the Atlantic basin, with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph . The storm was the thirteenth tropical storm, ninth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season....
 caused such massive and widespread loss that former Honduran President Carlos Roberto Flores
Carlos Roberto Flores

Carlos Roberto Flores Facuss? was President of Honduras from January 27, 1998 to January 27, 2002....
 claimed that fifty years of progress in the country were reversed. Mitch obliterated about 70% of the crops and an estimated 70-80% of the transportation infrastructure, including nearly all bridges and secondary roads. Across the country, 33,000 houses were destroyed, an additional 50,000 damaged, some 5,000 people killed, 12,000 injured, and total loss estimated at $3 billion USD.

Politics


Honduras has five registered political parties: National Party (Partido Nacional de Honduras: PNH), Liberal Party (Partido Liberal de Honduras: PLH), Social Democrats (Partido Innovación y Unidad-Social Demócrata: PINU-SD), Social Christians (Partido Demócrata-Cristiano de Honduras: DCH), and Democratic Unification (Partido Unificación Democrática: UD). PNH and PLH have ruled the country for decades. In the last years, Honduras has had five Liberal presidents: Roberto Suazo Córdova
Roberto Suazo Córdova

Roberto Suazo C?rdova was born in the city of La Paz, Honduras on March 17, 1927. In 1949, he graduated as a doctor from the University of San Carlos of Guatemala....
, José Azcona del Hoyo
José Azcona del Hoyo

Jos? Sim?n Azcona del Hoyo was President of Honduras from January 27, 1986 to January 27, 1990 for the Liberal Party of Honduras . He was born in La Ceiba in Honduras....
, Carlos Roberto Reina
Carlos Roberto Reina

Carlos Roberto Reina Idi?quez was a politician and President of Honduras of Honduras from January 27, 1994 to January 27, 1998....
, Carlos Roberto Flores
Carlos Roberto Flores

Carlos Roberto Flores Facuss? was President of Honduras from January 27, 1998 to January 27, 2002....
 and Manuel Zelaya
Manuel Zelaya

Jos? Manuel Zelaya Rosales, also known as Mel Zelaya, is the current President of Honduras of Honduras. He defeated National Party of Honduras candidate Porfirio Pepe Lobo in a national election on November 27, 2005 and was inaugurated on January 27 2006, replacing Ricardo Maduro and becoming the country's fifth Liberal Party of Hondur...
, and two Nationalists: Rafael Leonardo Callejas Romero
Rafael Leonardo Callejas Romero

Rafael Leonardo Callejas Romero was born on 14 November 1943 in Tegucigalpa in Honduras, and was the List of Presidents of Honduras from January 27 1990 to January 27 1994, representing the National Party of Honduras ....
 and Ricardo Maduro
Ricardo Maduro

Ricardo Rodolfo Maduro Joest is a former President of Honduras and Bank of Honduras chairman. Maduro graduated from the Lawrenceville School and later Stanford University....
. The elections have been full of controversies, including questions about whether Azcona was born in Spain, and whether Maduro should have been able to stand given he was born in Panama
Panama

Panama, officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America and, in turn, North America. Situated on an isthmus connecting North and South America, some categorize it as a transcontinental nation....
.

In 1963, a military coup was mounted against the democratically-elected president Ramón Villeda Morales
Ramon Villeda Morales

Dr. Ram?n Villeda Morales served as President of Honduras of Honduras from 1957 to 1963. Trained as a physician, Villeda Morales was a liberal who supported the democratization of Honduras after a long period of military rule....
. This even started a string of Military Goverments
Military junta

A military junta is a government ruled by a committee of military leaders. The term derives from the Spanish junta meaning committee, specifically a board of directors....
 which held power almost uninterrupted until 1981. In this year Suazo Córdova (LPH) was elected president and Honduras changed from a military authoritarian regime.

In 1986, there were five Liberal candidates and four Nationalists running for president. Because no one candidate obtained a clear majority, the so-called "Formula B" was invoked and Azcona del Hoyo became president. In 1990, Callejas won the election under the slogan "Llegó el momento del Cambio" in English: "The time for change has arrived"), which was heavily criticized for resembling El Salvador's "ARENAs" political campaign. Once in office, Callejas Romero gained a reputation for illicit enrichment, and has been the subject of several scandals and accusations. It was during Flores Facusse's mandate that Hurricane Mitch
Hurricane Mitch

Hurricane Mitch was one of the most powerful hurricanes on record in the Atlantic basin, with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph . The storm was the thirteenth tropical storm, ninth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season....
 hit the country and decades of economic growth were eradicated in less than a week.

Although the Nationalist and Liberal parties are distinct entities with their own dedicated band of supporters, some have pointed out that their interests and policy measures throughout the twenty-five years of uninterrupted democracy have been very similar. They are often characterized as primarily serving the interests of their own members, who receive jobs when their party gains power and lose them again when the other party is elected. A common struggle for presidents is the imposition of candidates in key ministries by the unelected political leaders of their party. Both are seen as supportive of the elite that owns most of the wealth in the country, while neither extensively promotes socialist ideals. In some ways Honduras resembles a democratic version of an old socialist state, with price controls and nationalized electric and land-line telephone services.

The effect of the patronage appointments is tremendously felt in the incapacity of government departments to carry out their mandate. In an interview with Rodolfo Pastor Fasquelle, Minister of Sports & Culture and one of three 'super ministers' responsible for coordinating the ministries related to public services (security & economic being the other 2), published in Honduras This Week on July 31, 2006, it was related that 94% of the department budget was spent on bureaucracy and only 6% went to support activities and organizations covered by the mandate. Wages within that ministry were identified as the largest budget consumer.

President Maduro's administration "de-nationalized" the telecommunications sector in a move to promote the rapid diffusion of these services to the Honduran population. As of November 2005, there were around 10 private-sector telecommunications companies in the Honduran market, including two mobile phone companies. As of mid 2007 the issue of tele-communications continues to be very damaging to the current government. The country's main newspapers are La Prensa, El Heraldo, La Tribuna and Diario Tiempo.

A Presidential and General Election was held on November 27, 2005. Manuel Zelaya
Manuel Zelaya

Jos? Manuel Zelaya Rosales, also known as Mel Zelaya, is the current President of Honduras of Honduras. He defeated National Party of Honduras candidate Porfirio Pepe Lobo in a national election on November 27, 2005 and was inaugurated on January 27 2006, replacing Ricardo Maduro and becoming the country's fifth Liberal Party of Hondur...
 of the Liberal Party of Honduras
Liberal Party of Honduras

The Liberal Party of Honduras is a liberal parties in Honduras that was founded in 1891. The party is a member of Liberal International. The PLH is identified with the color red while its principal rival, the National Party of Honduras , is blue....
 (Partido Liberal de Honduras: PLH) won, with Porfirio Pepe Lobo
Porfirio Pepe Lobo

Porfirio "Pepe" Lobo Sosa is a Honduras politician and agricultural landowner. Born on December 22, 1947 in Trujillo, Honduras; he grew up in the ranch of La Empalizada near Juticalpa, Olancho department....
 of the National Party of Honduras
National Party of Honduras

The National Party is a centre-right conservative political party in Honduras and the main Right-wing political party in the country. Founded in 1918 the PNH is identified with the color blue as its rival the Liberal Party of Honduras , is red....
 (Partido Nacional de Honduras: PNH) coming in second. The PNH challenged the election results, and Lobo Sosa did not concede until December 7. Towards the end of December, the government finally released the total ballot count, giving Zelaya the official victory. Zelaya was inaugurated as Honduras' new president on January 27, 2006. His government has generally been considered fragile and he does not hold a majority in the National Congress.

Departments and municipalities

Hondurasdivisions
Honduras is divided into 18 departments
Departments of Honduras

||-||}The Central American nation of Honduras is currently divided into 18 Department . Each department is headed by a governor, who is appointed by the List of Presidents of Honduras....
. The capital city is Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa

Tegucigalpa is the capital city of Honduras and is also the country's largest city. Tegucigalpa is also the capital of Honduras's Francisco Moraz?n, Honduras....
 Central District of the department of Francisco Morazán
Francisco Morazán

General Jos? Francisco Moraz?n Quezada was a Central American statesman, lawyer, orator, and general born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, in 1792; he died in San Jos?, Costa Rica, Costa Rica, 15 September, 1842....
.
  • 1-Atlántida
    Atlántida (department)

    Atl?ntida is a Departments of Honduras located on the north Caribbean Sea shore of Honduras, Central America. The capital is the seaport city of La Ceiba....
  • 2-Choluteca
    Choluteca

    Choluteca may refer to:* Choluteca, Choluteca - a city in Honduras* Choluteca - a governmental region in Honduras* Choluteca River - a river in southern Honduras...
  • 3-Colón
    Colón (department)

    Col?n is one of the 18 Departments of Honduras into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided. It was created in 1881. The departmental capital is Trujillo, Col?n, and the other main city is Tocoa, Col?n....
  • 4-Comayagua
  • 5-Copán
    Copán (department)

    Cop?n is one of the Departments of Honduras in the western part of Honduras. The departmental capital is the town of Santa Rosa de Cop?n. The department is well-known for its tobacco and fine cigars....
  • 6-Cortés
    Cortés (department)

    Cort?s is one of the 18 Departments of Honduras into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided. The department covers a total surface area of 3,954 km² and, in 2005, had an estimated population of 1,365,497 people, making it the most populous department in Honduras....
  • 7-El Paraíso
    El Paraíso

    El Para?so is a municipality in the Honduras Departments of Honduras of Cop?n department....
  • 8-Francisco Morazán
    Francisco Morazán (department)

    Francisco Moraz?n is one of the departments of Honduras.It is located in the central part of the nation. The departmental capital is Tegucigalpa, which is also Honduras's national capital....
  • 9-Gracias a Dios
    Gracias a Dios (department)

    Gracias a Dios is one of the 18 Departments of Honduras into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided. The departmental capital is Puerto Lempira; until 1975 it was Brus Laguna....
  • 10-Intibucá
    Intibucá (department)

    Intibuc? is a Departments of Honduras in Honduras.The departmental capital is the town of La Esperanza, Honduras.Intibuc? department covers a total surface area of 3,072 km? and, in...
  • 11-Islas de la Bahía
  • 12-La Paz
    La Paz (Honduran department)

    La Paz is one of the 18 Departments of Honduras into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided.The departmental capital is the city of La Paz, Honduras....
  • 13-Lempira
    Lempira (department)

    Lempira is one of the 18 Departments of Honduras of Honduras Central America, located in the western part of the country with borders with El Salvador....
  • 14-Ocotepeque
    Ocotepeque (department)

    Ocotepeque is one of the 18 Departments of Honduras of Honduras, Central America, located in the West and bordering both El Salvador and Guatemala....
  • 15-Olancho
  • 16-Santa Bárbara
    Santa Bárbara (department)

    Santa B?rbara is one of the 18 Departments of Honduras into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided.The departmental capital is Santa B?rbara, Honduras....
  • 17-Valle
    Valle (department)

    Valle is one of the 18 Departments of Honduras into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided.The departmental capital is Nacaome....
  • 18-Yoro
    Yoro (department)

    Yoro is one of the 18 Departments of Honduras into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided.The department contains rich agricultural lands, concentrated mainly on the valley of the Aguan River and the Sula Valley, on opposite ends....


National symbols


The flag of Honduras
Flag of Honduras

File:Flag of Honduras.svgFile:Naval Ensign of Honduras.svgThis national flag of Honduras was adopted on January 9, 1866, based on the flag of the Federal Republic of Central America....
 is composed of 3 equal horizontal stripes, with the upper and lower ones being blue and representing the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The central stripe is white. It contains five blue stars representing the five states of the Central American Union
Federal Republic of Central America

The Federal Republic of Central America, also known as the United Provinces of Central America, was a short-lived state in Central America, which consisted of the territories of the former Captaincy General of Guatemala....
. The middle star represents Honduras, located in the center of the Central American Union. The legislation designating this design for the flag of Honduras passed into law on January 18,1949.

The Coat of Arms was established in 1825. It is one an equilateral triangle, at the base a volcano finds its base between two castles, over which we find a rainbow and the sun shining. The triangle placed on an area that supposes bathed by both seas. Around all of this an oval containing in golden lettering: "Republic of Honduras, Free, Sovereign and Independent".

The National Anthem of Honduras is a result of a contest carried out in 1904 during the presidency of Manuel Bonilla
Manuel Bonilla

File:Manuel Bonilla.jpgGeneral Manuel Bonilla was President of Honduras from April 13, 1903 to February 25, 1907, and again from February 1, 1912 till March 21, 1913....
. In the end, it was the poet Augusto C. Coello that ended up writing the anthem, with the participation of the German composer Carlos Hartling writing the music. The anthem was officially adopted on November 15, 1915, during the presidency of Alberto Membreño. The anthem is composed of a choir and seven stroonduran. The national flower is the famous orchid, Rhyncholaelia
Rhyncholaelia

Rhyncholaelia, abbreviated Rhynch in horticultural trade, is a genus of orchids , comprising 2 species. They are distributed from Mexico to Honduras....
 digbyana
(formerly known as Brassavola digbyana), which replaced the rose in 1969. The change of the National Flower was carried out during the administration of general Oswaldo López Arellano
Oswaldo López Arellano

Oswaldo L?pez Arellano was twice President of Honduras of Honduras from 1963-1971 and 1972-1975. He gained power by military force.He was born in Danl?, Honduras to an influential family, son of Enrique Lopez and Carlota Arellano....
, thinking that Brassavola digbiana "is an indigenous plant of Honduras; having this flower exceptional characteristics of beauty, vigor and distinction", as the decree dictates it.

The National Tree of Honduras is the Honduras Pine
Caribbean Pine

The Caribbean Pine is a hardpine native to Central America, Cuba and the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands.The species has three distinct variety , one very distinct and treated as a separate species by some authors:...
 (Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis), which was approved on February 4, 1927 during the presidency of Miguel Paz Barahona
Miguel Paz Barahona

Miguel Paz Baraona was President of Honduras from February 1, 1925 to February 1, 1929. Baraoona was a member of the National Party of Honduras ....
. Also the use of the tree was regulated, "to avoid the unnecessary destructions caused by choppings or fires of forest."

The National Mammal is the White-tailed Deer
White-tailed Deer

File:Wtdfishwild.jpgThe white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer, or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to all but five states in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and northern portions of South America as far south as Peru....
 (Odocoileus virginianus), which was adopted on June 28, 1993 by the government of Honduras as a measure to avoid excessive depredation. It is one of two species of deer that live in Honduras. It eats grass, leaves, etc. The three main natural enemies of the White-tail are the cougar, the jaguar
Jaguar

The jaguar, Panthera onca, is a New World Felidae and one of four "big cats" in the Panthera genus, along with the tiger, lion, and leopard of the Old World....
 and man
Man

A man is a male human. The term man is used for an adult human male, while the term boy being the usual term for a human male child or adolescent human male....
.

The National Bird of Honduras is the Scarlet Macaw
Scarlet Macaw

The Scarlet Macaw is a large, colorful parrot. Some consider the Scarlet to be among the most beautiful birds in the world.It is native to humid evergreen forests in the American tropics....
 (Ara Macao), under a decree established in 1993. This bird was much valued by the pre-Columbian civilizations of Honduras. The Guacamaya, as it is called by Hondurans and others, belongs to the family Psittacidae and its foods include nectar, roots, fruits etc. The bird lives from Bolivia
Bolivia

The Republic of Bolivia , named after Sim?n Bol?var, is a landlocked country in central South America. It is bordered by Brazil on the north and east, Paraguay and Argentina on the south, and Chile and Peru on the west....
 up to Mexico
Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
 where the bird makes use of various zones as its natural habitat. In Honduras the scarlet macaw can be found particularly on the Mosquito Coast
Mosquito Coast

The Caribbean Mosquito Coast historically consisted of an area along the Atlantic coast of present-day Nicaragua, named after its native Miskito and long dominated by United Kingdom interests....
.

Geography

Honduras Rel 1985
Honduras borders the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea

The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean situated in the mid-latitudes of the Western Hemisphere, bounded to the south and west by the Americas, with the North Atlantic Ocean proper to the northeast and the Gulf of Mexico to the northwest....
 on the north coast and the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portugal explorer Ferdinand Magellan....
 on the south through the Gulf of Fonseca
Gulf of Fonseca

The Gulf of Fonseca , part of the Pacific Ocean, is a Headlands and bays in Central America, bordering El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua....
. The climate
Climate

Climate encompasses the temperatures, humidity, atmospheric pressure, winds, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and numerous other Meteorology elements in a given region over long periods of time, as opposed to the term weather, which refers to current activity of these same elements....
 varies from tropical in the lowlands
Lowlands

Lowlands or The Lowlands can refer toGeographic regions* Scottish Lowlands, all of mainland Scotland that isn't the Highlands * Northern European Lowlands, a region of Europe between the Central Highlands and the North Sea...
 to temperate
Temperate

In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally mild, rather than extreme hot or cold....
 in the mountains. The central and southern regions are relatively hotter and less humid than the northern coast.

The Honduran territory consists mainly of mountains (~81%), but there are narrow plains along the coasts, a large undeveloped lowland jungle La Mosquitia
La Mosquitia

La Mosquitia refers to the northeastern part of Honduras along the Mosquito Coast. It is an underdeveloped region of tropical rainforest accessible primarily by water and air....
 region in the northeast, and the heavily populated lowland Sula valley in the northwest.

In La Mosquitia, lies the UNESCO
UNESCO

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945....
 world-heritage site Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve
Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve

The R?o Pl?tano Biosphere Reserve is 5,250 km? of preserved land in the La Mosquitia region on the Caribbean coast of Honduras. Most of the land runs along the R?o Pl?tano....
, with the Coco River
Coco River

The R?o Coco, formerly known as the R?o Segovia, is a Rivers of Honduras in southern Honduras and northern Nicaragua. To the Miskito Indians that live along the river it is known as the Wanki or Wanks River....
 which divides the country from Nicaragua
Nicaragua

Nicaragua officially the Republic of Nicaragua , is a representative democracy republic. It is the largest state in Central America with an area of 130,000 km2, about the size of the state of New York....
.

Natural resources include timber
Timber

Timber may refer to:* Lumber, i.e. wood materials* Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S. state of Oregon* Timber , a 1984 arcade game by Bally Midway...
, gold
Gold

Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and atomic number 79. It is a highly sought-after precious metal, having been used as money, as a store of value, in jewelry, in sculpture, and for ornamentation since the beginning of recorded history....
, silver
Silver

Silver is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal....
, copper
Copper

Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29.It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity....
, lead
Lead

Lead is a main-group Chemical element with symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal, also considered to be one of the heavy metal ....
, zinc
Zinc

Zinc is a metallic chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is a first-row transition metal of the group 12 element of the periodic table....
, iron
Iron

Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. Iron is a Group 8 element and period 4 element. Iron is lustrous and silvery in color....
 ore
Ore

An ore is a type of Rock that contains minerals such as gemstones and metals that can be extracted through mining and refined for use. Samples of ore in the form of exceptionally beautiful crystals, exotic layering visible when sectioned or polished or metallic presentations such as large nuggets or crystalline formations of metals suc...
, antimony
Antimony

Antimony is a chemical element with the symbol Sb and atomic number 51. A metalloid, antimony has four allotropy forms. The stable form of antimony is a blue-white metalloid....
, coal
Coal

Coal is a readily combustion black or brownish-black sedimentary rock. The harder forms, such as anthracite, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure....
, fish
Fish

A fish is any marine biology vertebrate animal that is typically ectothermic , covered with scale , and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins....
, shrimp
Shrimp

Shrimp are swimming, Decapoda crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh water and seawater. Adult shrimp are Filter feeder benthic animals living close to the bottom....
, and hydropower
Hydropower

Hydropower, hydraulic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of moving water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes....
.

The Islas de la Bahía and the Swan Islands (all off the north coast) are part of Honduras. Misteriosa Bank
Misteriosa Bank

The Misteriosa Bank is a submerged bank or atoll in the Caribbean Sea, located at - approximately equidistant from Mexico , Honduras and Cuba ....
 and Rosario Bank
Rosario Bank

Rosario Bank is a former atoll in the southern Caribbean Sea, located just south of Misteriosa Bank. It is in Honduras' Exclusive Economic Zone....
, 130 to 150 km (80-93 miles) north of the Swan Islands, fall within the EEZ of Honduras.

Economy


The economy has continued to grow slowly but the distribution of wealth remains very polarized with average wages remaining low. Economic growth in the last few years has averaged 7% a year which has been one of the most successful growths in Latin America, but 50%, approximately 3.7 million, of the population still remain below the poverty line. It is estimated that there are more than 1.2 million people who are unemployed
Unemployment

File:World map of countries by rate of unemployment.pngUnemployment occurs when a person is available to work and currently seeking work, but the person is without Wage labour....
, the rate of unemployment standing at 27.9%.

Honduras was declared one of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
Heavily Indebted Poor Countries

Heavily Indebted Poor Countries are a group of 37 developing countries with high levels of poverty and debt overhang which are eligible for special assistance from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank....
 by the World Bank
World Bank

The World Bank is a bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs with the stated goal of reducing poverty....
 and the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund

The International Monetary Fund is an international organization that oversees the global financial system by following the macroeconomic policies of its member countries, in particular those with an impact on exchange rates and the balance of payments....
 which made it eligible for debt relief
Debt relief

Debt relief is the partial or total forgiveness of debt, or the slowing or stopping of debt growth, owed by individuals, corporations, or nations....
 in 2005.

Both the electricity services (ENEE) and land-line telephone services (HONDUTEL) have been operated by government agencies, with ENEE receiving heavy subsidies because of chronic financial problems. HONDUTEL, however, is no longer a monopoly, the telecommunication sector having been opened to private-sector companies after December 25 2005; this was one of the requirements before approving the beginning of CAFTA. There are price controls on petrol, and other temporary price controls for basic commodities are often passed for short periods by the Congress
National Congress of Honduras

The 'National Congress' is the legislature of the government of Honduras.The Honduran Congress is a unicameralism legislature. The President of the Honduran Congress is Roberto Micheletti Bain....
.

After years of declining against the U.S. dollar the Lempira
Honduran lempira

The lempira is the currency of Honduras. It is subdivided into 100 centavos. The lempira was named after the 16th-century cacique Lempira , a ruler of the indigenous peoples of the Americas Lenca people, who is renowned in Honduran folklore for leading the local native resistance against the Spanish Empire conquistador forces....
 has stabilized at around 19 Lempiras per dollar. In June 2008 the exchange rate between United States Dollars and Honduran Lempiras was approximately 1 to 18.85.

In 2005 Honduras signed the CAFTA (Free Trade Agreement with United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
). In December 2005, Honduras' main seaport Puerto Cortes
Puerto Cortés

Puerto Cort?s is a city in the Cort?s department of Honduras....
 was included in the U.S. Container Security Initiative
Container Security Initiative

The Container Security Initiative was launched in 2002 by the U.S. U.S. Customs and Border Protection , an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security....
.

On December 7 2006, the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Energy (DOE
Doe

*A Doe is a female deer. Also, a goat or kalding.Doe may also refer to:*Solf?ge, a system of note learning.*D.O.E., an American rapper....
) announced the first phase of the Secure Freight Initiative, an unprecedented effort to build upon existing port security measures by enhancing the U.S. federal government’s ability to scan containers for nuclear and radiological materials overseas and to better assess the risk of inbound containers. The initial phase of Secure Freight involves the deployment of a combination of existing technology and proven nuclear detection devices to six foreign ports: Port Qasim
Port Qasim

The Port Muhammad Bin Qasim is a port in Karachi, Pakistan on the coastline of the Arabian Sea.It was constructed in the late 1970s to relieve congestion at Karachi Port....
 in Pakistan
Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia and borders Central Asia and the Middle East. It has a 1,046 kilometre coastline along the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman in the south, and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and People's Republic of China in th...
; Puerto Cortes
Puerto Cortés

Puerto Cort?s is a city in the Cort?s department of Honduras....
 in Honduras; Southampton
Southampton

Southampton is the largest City status in the United Kingdom in the ceremonial county of Hampshire, on the south coast of England, and is sited around 100 km south-west of London and 30 km north-west of Portsmouth....
 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
; Port Salalah in Oman
Oman

Oman , officially the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab country in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It borders the United Arab Emirates on the northwest, Saudi Arabia on the west and Yemen on the southwest....
; Port of Singapore
Port of Singapore

The Port of Singapore refers to the collective facilities and container terminals that conduct maritime trade handling functions in Singapore's harbor and which handle Singapore's shipping....
; and the Gamman Terminal at Port Busan in Korea
Korea

Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries, a civilization, and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia....
. Since early 2007, containers from these ports are scanned for radiation and information risk factors before they are allowed to depart for the United States.

Environment


The region is considered a biodiversity hotspot
Biodiversity hotspot

A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is threatened with destruction.The concept of biodiversity hotspots was originated by Dr....
 due to the numerous plant
Plant

Plants are Life organisms belonging to the Kingdom Plantae. They include familiar organisms such as trees, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae....
 and animal
Animal

Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the Kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life....
 species that can be found there. Like other countries in the region, Honduras contains vast biological resources. This 43,278 square mile (112,092 km²) country hosts more than 6,000 species of vascular plants, of which 630 (described so far) are Orchids; around 250 reptiles and amphibians, more than 700 bird species, and 110 mammal species, half of them being bats.

In the northeastern region of La Mosquitia
La Mosquitia

La Mosquitia refers to the northeastern part of Honduras along the Mosquito Coast. It is an underdeveloped region of tropical rainforest accessible primarily by water and air....
 lies the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve
Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve

The R?o Pl?tano Biosphere Reserve is 5,250 km? of preserved land in the La Mosquitia region on the Caribbean coast of Honduras. Most of the land runs along the R?o Pl?tano....
, a lowland rainforest which is home to a great diversity of life. The reserve was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List in 1982.

Honduras has rain forests, cloud forests (which can rise up to nearly three thousand meters above sea level), mangroves, savannas and mountain ranges with pine and oak trees, and the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System
Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System stretches from the tip of the Yucat?n Peninsula down to the Bay Islands of Honduras. It includes the Belize Barrier Reef....
. In the Bay Islands
Bay Islands

Bay Islands may refer to:* Bay Islands , Honduras* Bay Islands , Australia...
 there are bottlenose dolphins, manta rays, parrot fish, schools of blue tang
Blue tang

Paracanthurus hepatus, commonly known as the regal tang, is an average-sized colorful reef fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae.....
 and whale shark
Whale shark

The whale shark, Rhincodon typus, is a slow moving filter feeder shark that is the largest living fish species. It can grow up to 12.2 m. in length and can weigh up to 13.6 tonnes ....
.

Infrastructure


Energy


The electricity sector in Honduras
Electricity sector in Honduras

}}||}}}}|-!align="center" bgcolor="lightblue" colspan="3"|Data|-!align="left" valign="top"|Electricity coverage...
 is characterized by the dominance of individuals. By individuals it is meant that the electrical companies are owned privately and not of a vertically integrated utility (except for about half of the generation
Electricity generation

Electricity generation is the process of converting non-electrical energy to electricity. For electric utility, it is the first process in the delivery of electricity to consumers....
 capacity) called ENEE
ENEE

The ENEE , is Honduras's government owned and operated Electrical power industry company, operating within the Electricity sector in Honduras....
 ( Empresa Nacional de Energía Eléctrica ); a failed attempt in 1994 to unbundle the sector into separate enterprises in charge of electricity generation
Electricity generation

Electricity generation is the process of converting non-electrical energy to electricity. For electric utility, it is the first process in the delivery of electricity to consumers....
 and distribution
Electricity distribution

File:Electricity grid simple- North America.svg|thumb|380px|right|Simplified diagram of AC electricity distribution from generation stations to consumers...
; the increasing share of thermal generation over the past two decades; the poor financial health of the state utility ENEE
ENEE

The ENEE , is Honduras's government owned and operated Electrical power industry company, operating within the Electricity sector in Honduras....
; the imbalance between relatively high industrial and relatively low residential electricity tariffs; the high technical and commercial losses in transmission and distribution; and the low electric coverage in rural areas.

Key challenges in the sector are:
  • How to finance investments in generation and transmission in the absence of either a financially healthy utility or of concessionary funds by external donors for these types of investments;
  • How to re-balance tariffs, cut arrears and reduce commercial losses - including electricity theft - without fostering social unrest; and
  • How to reconcile environmental concerns with the government's objective to build two new large dams and associated hydropower plants.
  • How to improve access in rural areas.


Water supply and sanitation


Water supply and sanitation in Honduras
Water supply and sanitation in Honduras

}}||}}}}|-!align="center" bgcolor="lightblue" colspan="3"|Data|-!align="left" valign="top"|Water coverage ...
 varies greatly from urban centers to rural villages. Larger population centers generally have modernized water treatment and distribution systems, however water quality is often poor due to lack of proper maintenance and treatment. Rural areas generally have basic drinking water systems with limited capacity for water treatment. Many urban areas have sewer systems in place for the collection of wastewater, however proper treatment of wastewater is scarce. In rural areas, sanitary facilities are generally limited to latrines and basic septic pits.

Water and sanitation services were historically provided by Servicio Autonomo de Alcantarillas y Aqueductos (SANAA). In 2003, a new "water law" was passed which called for the decentralization of water services. With the 2003 law, local communities have the right and responsibility to own, operate, and control their own drinking water and wastewater systems. Since passage of the new law, many communities have joined together to address water and sanitation issues on a regional basis.

Many national and international non-government organizations have a history of working on water and sanitation projects in Honduras. International groups include, but are not limited to, the Red Cross
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international Humanitarianism movement with approximately 97 million volunteers worldwide which started to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for the human being, and to prevent and alleviate human suffering, without any discrimination based on nationality, Race , relig...
, Water 1st
Water 1st International

Water 1st International is a non-profit organization helping people in poor countries implement water, sanitation and hygiene education projects....
, Rotary Club
Rotary International

Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. It is a secular organization open to all persons regardless of race, color, creed or political preference....
, Catholic Relief Services
Catholic Relief Services

Catholic Relief Services is the international humanitarian agency of the Roman Catholic Church community in the United States. Founded in 1943 by the U.S....
, , CARE
CARE (relief)

CARE is one of the largest international relief and humanitarian organizations in the world, with programs in nearly 70 countries. CARE International secretariat is in Geneva, Switzerland....
, and .

In addition, many government organizations working on projects include: the European Union
European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 European Union member state, located primarily in Europe. It was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community....
, USAID
United States Agency for International Development

The United States Agency for International Development is the Federal government of the United States organization responsible for most non-military aid foreign aid....
, the Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers

The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 34,600 civilian and 650 military personnel, making it the world's largest public services engineering, design and construction management agency....
, Cooperacion Andalucia, the government of Japan
Government of Japan

Japan has a national government with legislative, administrative and judicial functions. The nation is divided into prefectures of Japan. The prefectural and municipal assembly members are popularly elected for four-year terms....
, and many others.

Transport


Transportation in Honduras
Transportation in Honduras

Transportation in Honduras refers to transport in Honduras, a country in Central America....
 consists of the following infrastructure: 699 km of railways; 13,603 km of roadways; 7 ports and harbors; and 112 airports altogether (12 Paved, 100 unpaved). Responsibility for policy in the transport sector rests with the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Housing (SOPRTRAVI after its Spanish acronym).

Demographics


According to the CIA World Factbook, Honduras has a population of 7.48 million; 90% of the population is Mestizo
Mestizo

Mestizo is a Spanish language term that was used in the Spanish Empire to refer to people of mixed Europe and Indigenous peoples of the Americas ancestry in Latin America....
, 7% Amerindian, 2% black
Black people

Black people is a term usually referring to a Race of humans with a dark skin color, but the term has also been used to categorise a number of diverse populations into one common group....
 and 1% white
White people

White people is a term which is usually used to refer to Human characterized, at least in part, by the light Human skin color. It often refers narrowly to people claiming ancestry exclusively from Europe....
.

90% of the Honduran population is Mestizo
Mestizo

Mestizo is a Spanish language term that was used in the Spanish Empire to refer to people of mixed Europe and Indigenous peoples of the Americas ancestry in Latin America....
 (a mixture of Amerindian and European ancestry). About 7% of the Honduran population are members of one of the seven recognized indigenous groups. The Confederation of Autochthonous Peoples of Honduras (CONPAH) and the government of Honduras count seven different indigenous groups:
  • the Ch'orti', a Mayan group living in the northwest on the border with Guatemala;
  • the Garifuna
    Garifuna

    The Garinagu are an ethnic group of mixed ancestry who live primarily in Central America. They live along the Caribbean Coast in Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras including the mainland, and on the island of Roat?n....
     speaking an Arawakan language. They live along the entire Caribbean coastline of Honduras, and in the Bay Islands;
  • the Pech or Paya Indians living in a small area in the Olancho department;
  • the Tolupan
    Tolupan people

    The Tolupan or Jicaque people is an indigenous ethnic group of Honduras primarily inhabiting the community La Monta?a del Flor in central Honduras....
     (also called Jicaque, "Xicaque", or Tol), living in the Department of Yoro and in the reserve of the Montaña de la Flor and parts of the department of Yoro;
  • the Lenca Indians living in the Valle and Choluteca departments;
  • the Miskito
    Miskito

    The Miskitos are a group of Native Americans in Central America. Their territory extends from Cape Camar?n, Honduras, to Rio Grande, Nicaragua along the Mosquito Coast....
     Indians living on the northeast coast along the border with Nicaragua
    Nicaragua

    Nicaragua officially the Republic of Nicaragua , is a representative democracy republic. It is the largest state in Central America with an area of 130,000 km2, about the size of the state of New York....
    .


The confederation and each separate group of indigenous people have worked, since the 1980s, for bettering the life of the aboriginal peoples. Change, however, has been elusive as these peoples still face violence and discrimination.

About 2% of Honduras's population is black, or Afro-Honduran, and mainly reside on the country's Caribbean or Atlantic coast. The black population comes from a number of sources. Most are the descendants of the West Indian islands brought to Honduras as slaves and indentured servants. Another large group (about 150,000 today) are the Garifuna, descendants of an Afro-Carib population which revolted against British authorities on the island of St. Vincent
Saint Vincent (island)

Saint Vincent is a volcanic island in the Caribbean, the largest island of the chain called Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is located in the Caribbean Sea, between Saint Lucia and Grenada....
 and were forcibly moved to Belize and Honduras during the eighteenth century. Garífunas are part of Honduran identity through theatrical presentations such as Louvavagu.

Honduras hosts a significant Palestinian community (the vast majority of whom are Christian Arabs). The Palestinians arrived in the country in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, establishing themselves especially in the city of San Pedro Sula. The Palestinian community, well integrated in Honduras, is prominent in business, commerce, banking, industry, and politics. There is also an East Asian community that is primarily Chinese
Chinese people

The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People who reside in and hold citizenship of the Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China or the Republic of China ....
 descent, and to a lesser extent Japanese
Japanese people

The are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan....
. Korean
Korean people

The Korean people are an ethnic group originating in East Asia. Most Koreans speak the Korean language....
, Ryukyuan
Okinawan

Okinawa is one of the prefectures in Japan.Okinawan may refer to:* The languages or dialects of Okinawa * The people of Okinawa * Of or relating to Okinawa...
, Vietnamese
Vietnamese people

The Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from what is now northern Vietnam and southern People's Republic of China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other List of ethnic groups in Vietnam....
 also make up a small percentage due to their arrival to Honduras as contract laborers in the 1980s and 1990s. There are also an estimated 1000 Sumos
Sumo (people)

The Sumo are a people that live on the eastern coasts of Nicaragua and Honduras, an area commonly known as the Mosquito Coast. Their preferred ethnonym is "Mayangna." Their language belongs to the Misumalpan language family, and they generally exhibit more similarities to the indigenous cultures of Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia than the M...
 (or Mayangnas) that live in Honduras, the majority of whom reside on the Caribbean coast.

Although plurality of Hondurans are nominally Roman Catholic (47% according to 2007 CID-Gallup nationwide survey), membership in the Roman Catholic Church is declining while membership in Protestant churches is increasing. There are thriving Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Lutheran and Pentecostal churches, and together Evangelical
Evangelical

Evangelical may refer to:* Lutheranism* Evangelicalism, Christian theological view emphasizing personal faith and the authority of the Bible* Evangelism, Christian proselytism...
 Protestant churches constitute 36% of population. There are Protestant seminaries. Practitioners of the Buddhist
Buddhism

Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices considered by most to be a religionand is based on the teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as "The Buddha" , who was born in what is today Nepal....
, Jew
Jew

A Jew is a member of the Jewish people, an ethnoreligious group that traces its ancestry to the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East....
ish, Islam
Islam

Islam is a Monotheism, Abrahamic religion originating with the teachings of the Prophets of Islam Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure....
ic, Bahá'í
Bahá'í Faith

The 'Bah?'? Faith' is a monotheism religion founded by Bah?'u'll?h in nineteenth-century Persian Empire#Persia and Europe , emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind....
, Rastafari
Rastafari movement

The Rastafari movement is a monotheism, Abrahamic religions, new religious movement that accepts Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, the former Emperor of Ethiopia, as the incarnation of God, called Jah or Jah Rastafari....
 and indigenous denominations and religions exist.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) claims over 120,000 members in Honduras as of the beginning of 2007 (lds.org newsroom site).

Since 1975, emigration from Honduras has accelerated as job-seekers and political refugees sought a better life elsewhere. Although many Hondurans have relatives in Nicaragua
Nicaragua

Nicaragua officially the Republic of Nicaragua , is a representative democracy republic. It is the largest state in Central America with an area of 130,000 km2, about the size of the state of New York....
, Spain
Spain

Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....
, Mexico
Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
, El Salvador
El Salvador

El Salvador is the smallest country in the Americas and Central America by size, and the most densely populated nation in Central America. It borders on the Pacific Ocean between Guatemala and Honduras....
 and Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
, the majority of Hondurans living abroad are in the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
.

Culture


The most renowned Honduran painter is Jose Antonio Velásquez. Other important painters include Carlos Garay, and Roque Zelaya. Two of Honduras' most notable writers are Froylan Turcios and Ramón Amaya Amador. Others include Marco Antonio Rosa, Roberto Sosa
Roberto Sosa

Roberto Sosa is an author and poet born in Yoro, Honduras. He spent his early life working hard to help provide for his poor family. When he was almost thirty years old, he published his first book....
, Lucila Gamero de Medina, Eduardo Bähr
Eduardo Bähr

Eduardo B?hr is a Honduras writer, scriptwriter and actor.He was one of the 50 intellectuals awarded by the government of Chile in 1996 with the Gabriela Mistral Medal ....
, Amanda Castro, Javier Abril Espinoza
Javier Abril Espinoza

Javier Abril Espinoza , Hondurasn writer based in Switzerland. He writes for the newspaper The Herald of Honduras and collaborates with various literary magazines of Latin America....
, Teófilo Trejo, and Roberto Quesada. Some of Honduras' notable musicians include Rafael Coello Ramos, Lidia Handal, Victoriano Lopez, Guillermo Anderson, Victor Donaire, Francisco Carranza and Camilo Rivera Guevara.

Hondurans are often referred to as Catracho or Catracha (fem) in Spanish. The word was coined by Nicaraguans and derives from the last name of the Spanish Honduran General Florencio Xatruch
Florencio Xatruch

Florencio Xatruch , was a General who led the Honduran expeditionary force against William Walker in Nicaragua in 1856....
, who, in 1857, led Honduran armed forces against an attempted invasion by North American adventurer William Walker
William Walker (soldier)

William Walker worked closely with various forces associated with the Texas Rangers.William Walker was an United States filibuster and adventurer who attempted to conquer several Latin American countries in the mid-19th century....
. The nickname is considered complimentary, not derogatory. The main language is Spanish spoken by a 93.6 per cent as first language. And as first and second is spoken by 95 per cent. The other languages that are minorities and are spoken by less than 4 percent, are Amerindian languages, and in the islands next to the coast English (spoken by less than a 0.3 per cent).

Honduras This Week
Honduras This Week

Honduras This Week is an English language weekly Saturday newspaper published in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. It was founded by Mario Gutierrez, a former ambassador to both Italy and the Vatican city, on September 29, 1988 as Tegucigalpa This Week....
 is a weekly English language
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
 newspaper
Newspaper

A newspaper is a publication containing news, information and advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called newsprint. General-interest newspapers often feature articles on Politics, crime, business, art/entertainment, society and sports....
 that has been published for seventeen years in Tegucigalpa. On the islands of Roatan
Roatán

Roat?n, located between the islands of ?tila and Guanaja , is the largest of Honduras' Bay Islands . The island was formerly known as Ruatan and Rattan....
, Utila and Guanaja, the Bay Islands Voice
Bay Islands Voice

Bay Islands Voice is an English language monthly published in Roatan, Honduras. It covers news of Roatan, Utila and Guanaja. It has appeared since March 2003....
 has been a source of monthly news since 2003.

Honduran cuisine
Honduran cuisine

Honduras Cuisine combines the food of the indigenous Maya-Lenca people population with Cuisine of Spain, Cuisine of Mexico etc. Its most notable feature is that is uses more coconut than any other Central American cuisine in both sweet and savory dishes....
 makes extensive use of coconut, in both sweet and savory foods, and even in soups.

The José Francisco Saybe theater in San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula

San Pedro Sula is a city in Honduras. It is located in the northwest corner of the country, in the Valle de Sula , about 60 km south of Puerto Cort?s on the Caribbean Sea....
 is home to the Círculo Teatral Sampedrano (Theatrical Circle of San Pedro Sula)

Celebrations


Some of Honduras's national holidays include Honduras Independence Day on September 15 and Children's Day or Dia del Niño, which is celebrated in homes, schools and churches on September 10; on this day, children receive presents and have parties similar to Christmas or birthday celebrations. Some neighborhoods have piñatas on the street. Other holidays are Easter
Easter

Easter is the most important religious feast in the Christianity liturgical year.Christians believe that Jesus was Resurrection of Jesus from the dead three days after his Crucifixion of Jesus, and celebrate this resurrection on Easter Day or Easter Sunday , two days after Good Friday....
, Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday is the Christian feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles....
, Good Friday
Good Friday

Good Friday, also called Holy Friday, Great Friday or Black Friday, is the Friday preceding Easter Sunday . It commemorates the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Golgotha....
, Day of the Soldier (October 3rd to celebrate the birth of Francisco Morazán
Francisco Morazán

General Jos? Francisco Moraz?n Quezada was a Central American statesman, lawyer, orator, and general born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, in 1792; he died in San Jos?, Costa Rica, Costa Rica, 15 September, 1842....
), Christmas
Christmas

Christmas , also referred to as Christmas Day, is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus. The day marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts Twelve Days of Christmas....
, El Dia de Lempira
Lempira

Lempira may refer to:* Lempira , 16th century leader of the Lenca peoples of Central America, who led local resistance against the Spanish conquistadores...
 on July 20, and New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve is on , the final day of the Gregorian calendar year, and the day before New Year's Day.New Year's Eve is a separate observance from the observance of New Year's Day....
. Honduras Independence Day festivities start early in the morning with marching bands. Each band wears different colors and features cheerleaders. Fiesta Catracha takes place this same day: typical Honduran foods such as beans, tamales, baleadas, yucca with chicharron, and tortillas are offered. On Christmas Eve, the people reunite with their families and close friends to have dinner, then give out presents at midnight. In some cities fireworks are seen and heard at midnight. On New Year's Eve there is food and "cohetes", fireworks and festivities. Birthdays are also great events, and include the famous “piñata” which is filled with candies and surprises for the children invited. La Feria Isidra is celebrated in La Ceiba
La Ceiba

La Ceiba is a port city on the northern coast of Honduras in Central America. It is located on the southern edge of the Caribbean Sea forming part of the south eastern boundary of the Gulf of Honduras....
 in the end of May A city located in the coast. It is usually called "The Friendship Carnaval". People from all over the world come for one week of festivities. Every night there is a little carnaval (carnavalito) in a neighborhood. Finally, on Saturday there is a big parade with floats and displays with people from Brazil, New Orleans, Japan, Jamaica, Barbados and many other countries. This celebration is also accompanied by the Milk Fair, where many Hondurans come to show off their farm products and animals.

Folklore

Legends and fairy tales are paramount within the Honduras culture, Lluvia de Peces
Lluvia de Peces

Lluvia de Peces or Rain of Fish is a phenomenon that has been occurring for more than a century on a yearly basis in the country of Honduras....
 (Fish Rain) in example of this. The legend of El Cadejo
Cadejo

The cadejo is a character from El Salvador, Nicaraguan,Costa Rican, Honduras, Guatemalan and Mexico folklore. There is a Good and evil, white cadejo and an evil, black cadejo....
 and La Ciguanaba (La Sucia)
La Llorona

La Llorona is Spanish for "the weeping woman," and is a popular legend in Spanish-speaking cultures in the Americas, with many versions. The basic version is that La Llorona was a beautiful woman who killed her children to be with the man that she loved and was subsequently rejected by him....
 are also popular
Popular

:For a list of Wikipedia's most popular pages, see...
.

During the 1960s-70s and through mid 80s Honduras Radio Noticias (HRN), a local Honduran radio, was the only one which transmitted these folklore stories. The program was called "Cuentos y Leyendas de Honduras". This show was responsible for the diffusion of the folk stories in the country.

Sports


Football is the most popular sport in Honduras. Information on all other Honduran-sports related atricles are below:

  • Football in Honduras
    Football in Honduras

    Football is the unofficial national sport of Honduras....
  • Federación Nacional Autónoma de Fútbol de Honduras
    Federación Nacional Autónoma de Fútbol de Honduras

    The Federaci?n Nacional Aut?noma de F?tbol de Honduras is the official football organization in Honduras and is in charge of the Honduras national football team....
  • Honduras national baseball team
    Honduras national baseball team

    The Honduras national baseball team is the national baseball team of Honduras and is controlled by the Federaci?n Hondure?a de B?isbol. It represents the nation in senior-level mens international competition....
  • Honduras national football team
    Honduras national football team

    The Honduras national football team, nicknamed Los Catrachos, is the national team of Honduras and is controlled by the Federaci?n Nacional Aut?noma de F?tbol de Honduras .They are a rising power in CONCACAF, an ascent that started with their third place finish in the Copa Am?rica 2001, where they were a late invitee, due to a late withdr...
  • Honduras national under-20 football team
    Honduras national under-20 football team

    The Honduras national Under-20 football team is the national U-20 team of Honduras.Honduras under-20s are currently coached by Miguel Escalante....
  • Honduras U-17 national football team
    Honduras U-17 national football team

    The Honduras national U-17 football team represents Honduras in tournaments and friendly matches at the Under-17 level. They are coached by Jorge Jimenez....
Honduran football clubs Honduran football competitions Honduran footballers Football venues in Honduras

See also


Bibliography


  • Adventures in Nature: Honduras; James D. Gollin
  • Don't Be Afraid, Gringo: A Honduran Woman Speaks From The Heart: The Story of Elvia Alvarado; Medea Benjamin
  • Honduras: The Making of a Banana Republic; Alison Acker
  • Honduras: State for Sale; Richard Lapper, James Painter
  • Inside Honduras; Kent Norsworthy and Tom Berry
  • La Mosquitia: A Guide to the Savannas, Rain Forest and Turtle Hunters; Derek Parent
  • Moon Handbooks: Honduras; Christopher Humphrey
  • Reinterpreting the Banana Republic: Region and State in Honduras, 1870-1972; Dario A. Euraque
  • Seven Names for the Bellbird: Conservation Geography in Honduras; Mark Bonta
  • Ulysses Travel Guide: Honduras; Eric Ilamovitch
  • The United States in Honduras, 1980-1981: An Ambassador's Memoir; Jack R. Binns
  • The War of the Dispossessed: Honduras and El Salvador, 1969; Thomas P. Anderson

External links


  • [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/world-leaders-1/world-leaders-h/honduras.html Chief of State and Cabinet Members]* at University of Colorado at Boulder Libraries GovPubs*
  • Travel and Tourism Info on Honduras..")