Honduras is a small state located in the north of the isthmus of Central America. It was founded in 1821, on September 15, it was then that independence was proclaimed. According to the form of government, it is a presidential republic, the president of Honduras is elected for a term of 4 years. Today, the country is led by Juan Orlando Hernandez. Administratively, the state is divided into the capital Tegucigalpa (central district) and 18 provinces-departments.
Territory
In the northeast, the country is washed by the Caribbean Sea, and the Pacific Ocean, which is symbolically depicted on the emblem and flag of Honduras, is in the southwest, where the border with El Salvador passes. The total length of the coastline is 820 kilometers. To the west of the country, as seen on the map of Honduras, is Guatemala. In total, there are six countries on the Central American isthmus, namely: Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama and Costa Rica.
More than 80% of the territory of Honduras is mountainous terrain, the ranges of which are from 5 to 9thousand feet stretch from east to west. The east of the country is covered with forests of the Mosquito Coast and swamps. A significant part of the north is covered by two rivers, Patuka and Ulua, and their tributaries. The north coast is on the border with the Great Barrier Reef.
As you can see on the map of Honduras, a small part of it on the south coast with the city of San Lorenzo located on it has the only exit to the Pacific Ocean. Here is the Gulf of Fonseca with its natural beauties. The most famous islands of Honduras are Roatan, Sacate Grande, Cisne and El Tigre.
The largest cities in the country, Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, are the largest shopping centers that carry out trade with other states. They export coffee, bananas, sugar and timber. The settlement of Trujillo has many ancient monuments and structures from Spanish times, it was near this place that Columbus once made his stop.
History
The history of Honduras began from the moment when Europeans first landed on this land in 1502. This was the last expedition led by Christopher Columbus. Before that, only Indian tribes lived here, engaged in cattle breeding, agriculture, trade with neighboring Mexico, mining and processing of precious metals, in particular gold and silver.
After 20 years, the Spanish conquerors raided the territory of the future state, they were looking for minerals such as gold and silver, and, having found them, created several settlements, including the modern capital of Honduras - Tegucigalpa. Howeverthe deposits of precious metals were small, and the Europeans were not happy with the terrain - either dense forests, then mountains, then swamps. Significant profits were brought only by the trade in slaves, who were exported to other countries, where they were then sold.
Population
The vast majority of the population of today's Honduras is Ladino, that is, mestizos. They are a mixture of Amerindians, that is, Indians, and Europeans. Creoles or white inhabitants (they are also called European Hondurans) are a small group of the population and live mainly in Tegucigalpa and its environs. The population of Honduras is currently around 9 million.
In the mountains located in the center of the country, there are still Indian tribes. For example, in the vicinity of the ruins of the ancient city of Copan live the descendants of the Mayan tribes who built it in the second century AD. Some temples and stone columns with reliefs and hieroglyphs are still preserved and are very impressive. The descendants of Indian tribes are called Amerindians. Most of them live in the countryside and have kept their own language.
The smallest population group here is black Afro-Hondurans. They consist mainly of Garifuna - a people with African roots. Afro-Hondurans usually live on islands and coasts, many of them come from the Caribbean.
Most of the inhabitants of Honduras live in the central part of the country, in the west and around the capital. Mosquito Coast, located in the north-east of the country and consisting of dense tropical thickets,practically deserted. Most of the citizens of Honduras are rural residents. To feed themselves, they grow beans, rice and corn, and are engaged in cattle breeding. Many farmers work on tobacco, banana, coffee plantations owned by American companies.
Language
Most of the country's inhabitants speak Spanish, but sometimes you can also find English here, which is spoken by the descendants of Indians and Africans who were brought to work on plantations. Slaves fled to the Caribbean coast, called the Mosquito Coast, where they were taken in by English pirates and then taught English. The descendants of these Indians and Africans, who are called "Black Caribs", still live today in the northern part of Honduras, as well as in the east.
In the eastern part of the country, there are numerous Indian dialects, the most common of which is Miskito. This language is more common in Nicaragua, but it is also found in Honduras. There is also a Creole language that arose during the period of European colonization in the 15th-20th centuries.
Climate
Hurricanes often hit Honduras from the Caribbean Sea, one of which, Fifi, in September 1974 destroyed plantations and destroyed all crops, killing 10 thousand people. Streams of water literally erased entire villages from the face of the earth. Most businesses were destroyed. The climate here is tropical, rainy, in the mountains - more moderate. From May to October - the rainy season, and the wettest time in Honduras on the Pacific coast lasts generally from September to January.
The air temperature here is directly dependent not on the season, but on the height above sea level. The highest average temperature is +32 degrees. The ideal months to visit the country are February-March, the weather at this time is predictable, there is no mud, and the vegetation is abundant.
Capital
Tegucigalpa is the main trading center of the country of Honduras and its capital. It is also called the "city without railways." The name can be translated as "silver hill", but this is a conditional translation. The Spaniards founded the city in 1578 in the area where the Mayan settlement used to be. Then it was a large industrial center, gold and silver were mined here. Then, in 1880, the capital was moved here, and its development began. The population of the city is now about 1.8 million.
Tourists here can visit the National Museum containing unique archaeological finds, ancient churches, Palacio Legislativo and Casa Presidencial palaces, stroll through Central Park and Morazan Square.
Tegucigalpa often hosts various fairs, carnivals and festivals. But not everything is so rosy. In Honduras, where large cities are located, street theft flourishes, and the capital here is no exception. In this regard, small towns are much calmer.
The capital of Honduras is located in the valley of the Choluteca River, the height here is a thousand meters. The river divides the city into two parts - mountainous and flat. The climate here is the mildest, and the air is pleasant and fresh. It pours herecoolness from pine forests. On the streets of the capital, you can find buildings that have survived from colonial times, adjacent to modern shopping centers with burning lights and cinemas. The east bank of the Choluteca River is considered a modern economic center, while the west bank is considered historical.
Currency
The currency of Honduras is the Lempira. The country's token coin is a centavo, equal to 1/100 of a lempira. The centavo is in circulation in a number of Spanish-speaking countries. Until 1926, the currency of Honduras was the silver peso. The name lempira was named after an Indian leader who lived at the beginning of the 16th century and led the uprising of the indigenous people against the colonialists from Spain. Lempira was treacherously killed during the negotiations. His incredible popularity among the people contributed to naming the country's currency after him.
The image of the leader is printed on paper banknotes "1 lempira", minted on coins along with the coat of arms of the state. However, no portraits of Lempira have survived, so he is depicted conditionally on the currency - in the guise of an Indian warrior. On other banknotes of the Honduran currency, there are portraits of former presidents of the country, places and events important for the state.
At first, centavos were made from 900 silver. Then, in 1974, coins were made from steel with copper or brass applied. Now coins equivalent to 1 and 2 centavos are no longer made, and a coin equivalent to 5 centavos has also been withdrawn from circulation. Prices for goods, of course, are rounded. Nowadays, there are coins in circulation in 10,20 and 50 centavos. The size of all denominations of a lempira is the same. Banknotes have a watermark - a portrait that repeats the one depicted on the obverse. The US dollar also has free circulation in the country.
Tourism
Despite the severe hurricanes of Honduras, its exotic nature, chic white beaches and vast expanses of sea attract travelers. There is a wide choice for outdoor activities: climbing the mountains, walking through the jungle, a trip to the ruins of the ancient settlements of the Mayan tribes and their ancient buildings. There are also water activities here: diving, rafting, swimming in boats with a transparent bottom. Mountaineering, ecotourism, fishing, observation of rare animals and birds that have survived to this day due to the small population of the country - all this is available to tourists. Many rivers have beautiful waterfalls.
Those who prefer a beach holiday should definitely visit the Punta Sal peninsula, where the most comfortable hotels in Honduras are located, and the beaches of Roatan. Prices here are an order of magnitude lower than on the Caribbean coast, but nature is not inferior in beauty at all. What's more, Roatan is the best place to dive as it has one of the largest coral reefs in the world.
Almost every city or any other locality has its own patron, that is, a Catholic saint. Many festivals are held every year in honor of these saints. Carnivals Feria de San Isidro and La Ceiba are the largest and most grandiose. They are famous for costumed performances, dances and music, fireworks and folk processions. "La Ceiba" is heldin the third week of the last spring month. The main event of the country is the two-week La Virgen de Souyapa fair, which is held in February in the city of Souyapa.
Honduras is famous not only for its ancient Mayan monuments that have survived to this day, but also for a large number of beautiful Catholic monasteries and temples. The state maintains strict control over the possible export from the country of ancient finds dating back to the era of the Mayan civilization. Antiquities can only be removed from here if there is a special permit for this.
Crime in Honduras, where there are many gangs, remains at a high level. The reason for this is poverty, because of which young people join gangs, arranging shootouts among themselves. Some people here are used to solving conflicts and disputes with weapons. Tourists in this country should be careful not to walk late, not to travel to remote areas, not to wear jewelry, not to take large sums of money with them. Every year there are several attacks on tourists with weapons, kidnappings and other violent crimes. Perhaps that is why tourists pay little attention to Honduras, although there is something to see there. However, statements about crime are heard mainly in large cities, most of the country is completely safe for visitors. In rural areas, even petty theft is rare.
The main resorts of the country are Guanaja, Copan, La Ceiba, La Esperanza, La Mosquita and, of course,Tegucigalpa.
Religion
The vast majority of believing Hondurans, namely 96%, are Catholics. An insignificant part of the believing population (3%) are Protestants. The remaining local tribes are adherents of their religious cults, which include the worship of the spirits of their ancestors and have features of Indian and African animism.
Not all the inhabitants of Honduras are deeply religious, often their faith is superficial, but at the same time, almost all of them believe in Jesus Christ. The Protestants here mostly belong to the Evangelical Church. Nobody advertises their faith, although Catholics, for example, can wear a crucifix or an amulet around their necks. Many Hondurans have a sense of divine destiny. Interestingly, Catholics are predominantly the upper classes of society, while the urban poor profess Protestantism.
The State Constitution states that Catholicism is the national religion. Despite this, liberal reforms took place in the 20s of the 19th century, which led to the confiscation of church property, the closure of religious educational institutions and a significant quantitative decline in the clergy. In the middle of the 20th century, people could hear any information about religion only in large administrative centers.
From that time on, the return of the church began with the help of foreign priests, including French-speaking Canadians. Already in the 1980s, there were enough clerics to play a major role in the confrontation directed towards the United States. Since the beginning of the 20th century, Protestantism has been growing in Honduras,which gained many converts in the 1970s. Small Pentecostal chapels can be found in poor areas of cities and rural areas.
Most believing Catholics go to church only on special occasions, for example, on major church holidays. Evangelical Christians go to small chapels located in a room of the house or even in a forest hut. Every evening Protestants gather to pray and read the Bible. In the district of El Paraiso, "cornfield baptism" is practiced. It consists in the fact that the priest reads a prayer, sprinkles the cornfield with holy water and treads a path in the form of a cross across the field. He makes small crosses out of corn leaves.
Economy
Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere and is still dependent on international aid. The difficult economic situation was even one of the impetus for a short war between Honduras and El Salvador in July 1969.
The basis of the country's economy is agriculture. The most significant export commodities are coffee and bananas. Almost all coffee and banana plantations, located mainly along the northern coast, are owned by American organizations. Honduras also exports seafood, fruits, palm oil, beef, timber, gold and other minerals. Other important products for the country's economy are corn, oranges, lemons, beans, and rice.
The country of Honduras has significant forest resources and deposits of precious metals, lead, iron, zinc andothers. However, their use is limited by poor road and rail infrastructure. San Pedro Sula and the important port cities are connected to the plantations through rail networks that are only 121 km long. Therefore, remote areas are usually reached by air.
San Pedro Sula is the main industrial city of the country. Equipment, raw materials, fuel, transportation, chemicals and foodstuffs are mostly imported. Apart from El Salvador and Guatemala, the United States is Honduras' largest economic partner.
