Honduras is a small state located in the north of the isthmus of Central America. It was founded in 1821, September 15, it was then that independence was proclaimed. It is a presidential republic by form of government, and 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 Tegucigalpu (central district) and 18 provincial departments.
Territory
In the northeast, the country is washed by the Caribbean Sea, and the Pacific Ocean, which is symbolically depicted on the coat of arms and flag of Honduras, 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 can be 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 a mountainous terrain, whose ridges ranging in height from 5 to 9 thousand 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, the Patuk and Ulua, and their tributaries. The north coast is located 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 access to the Pacific Ocean. Here is the bay of Fonseca with its natural beauties. The most famous islands of Honduras are Roatan, Sacate Grande, Sisne and El Tigre.
The largest cities in the country, Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, are the largest shopping centers engaged in trade with other countries. They export coffee, bananas, sugar and wood. In the settlement of Trujillo there are many ancient monuments and structures from Spanish times, it was near this place that Columbus once made its 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. Prior to this, 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 came into the territory of the future state, they searched for minerals such as gold and silver, and, having found them, created several settlements, including the modern capital of Honduras - Tegucigalpa. However, the deposits of precious metals were small, and the terrain of the Europeans was not happy - either dense forests, then mountains, or swamps. Substantial profits came only from the slave trade, which they exported to other countries, where they later sold it.
Population
The vast majority of the population of present-day Honduras is Ladino, that is, Métis. They are a mixture of Amerindians, i.e. 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 Kopan live 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 very impressive. Descendants of the Indian tribes are called Amerindians. Most of them live in rural areas and have retained their own language.
The smallest population here is black Afro-Hondurans. They mainly consist 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 in the capital region. The mosquito shore, located in the north-east of the country and consisting of dense tropical thickets, is practically deserted. Most of the citizens of Honduras are residents of the countryside. To feed themselves, they grow beans, rice and corn, are engaged in cattle breeding. Many peasants work on tobacco, banana, coffee plantations owned by American companies.
Tongue
Most of the country's inhabitants speak Spanish, but sometimes you can also find English, which is spoken by the descendants of Indians and Africans, who were brought to work on plantations. Slaves fled to the coast of the Caribbean Sea, called the Mosquito Coast, where they were received by English pirates and then taught English. The descendants of these Indians and Africans, who are called the "Black Caribbean", and today live in the northern part of Honduras, as well as in the east.
Numerous Native American dialects are common in the eastern part of the country, the most common of which is miskito. This language is more common in Nicaragua, but is also found in Honduras. There is also the Creole language, which arose during the period of European colonization in the XV-XX centuries.
Climate
Hurricanes often fall on 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 wiped entire villages from the face of the earth. Most businesses were destroyed. The climate here is tropical, rainy, in the mountains - more temperate. From May to October, it is rainy, 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 altitude. 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 dirt, and the vegetation is plentiful.
Capital
Tegucigalpa is the main trading center of the country of Honduras and its capital. It is also called "a 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 Maya Indians 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 people.
Tourists can visit the National Museum containing unique archaeological finds, ancient churches, palaces of the Palacio Legislativo and Casa Presidency, stroll through Central Park and Morasan Square.
Tegucigalpa often hosts various fairs, carnivals and festivals. But not everything is so rosy. In Honduras, where large cities are located, street theft thrives, 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 Cholutek River, the height here is a thousand meters. The river divides the city into two parts - mountainous and flat. The climate is mild, and the air is pleasant and fresh. Coolness pours from pine forests here. On the streets of the capital you can find buildings that have survived since colonial times, adjacent to modern shopping centers with burning lights and movie theaters. The eastern bank of the Cholutek River is considered a modern economic center, and the western bank - historical.
Currency
The currency of Honduras is the lempira. The change coin operating in the country is a centavo equal to 1/100 of the lempira. 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 given on behalf of an Indian leader who lived at the beginning of the 16th century and led the uprising of indigenous people against the colonialists from Spain. Lempira was treacherously killed in the negotiation process. His incredible popularity among the people contributed to the fact that he named the country's monetary unit.
The image of the leader is printed on paper notes "1 lempira", minted on coins along with the emblem of the state. However, portraits of Lempira were not preserved, therefore, in currency, he is depicted conditionally - in the guise of an Indian warrior. On other notes of the Honduran currency are portraits of the former presidents of the country, places and events that are important for the state.
At first, the centavo was made of silver of the 900th test. Then, in 1974, the coins were already made of steel with the application of copper or brass. Now coins with the equivalent of 1 and 2 centavos are no longer being made, and a coin with the equivalent of 5 centavos has been withdrawn from circulation. Product prices are naturally rounded. Nowadays, coins of 10, 20 and 50 centavos are in circulation. The size of all banknotes is the same. Banknotes have a watermark - a portrait repeating depicted on the obverse. The US dollar also has free circulation in the country.
Tourism
Despite the severe hurricanes of Honduras, its exotic nature, gorgeous snow-white beaches and vast sea open spaces attract travelers. For outdoor activities there is a wide selection: climbing the mountains, jungle walks, a trip to the ruins of the ancient Mayan tribes and their ancient buildings. There are also water activities: diving, rafting, sailing on boats with a transparent bottom. Climbing, ecotourism, fishing, watching rare animals and birds, which have survived to this day due to the small population of the country - all this is accessible 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 of 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. Moreover, Roatan is the best place for diving, as it has one of the largest coral reefs in the world.
Almost every city or any other locality has its patron, that is, a Catholic saint. Each year, many festivals are held 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 held in the third week of the last spring month. The main event of the country is considered to be the two-week-long fair “La Virgen de Suyapa”, which is held in the month of February in the city of Suyap.
Honduras is famous not only for the ancient monuments of the Mayan tribes that have survived to this day, but also for a large number of beautiful Catholic monasteries and temples. The state is strictly monitoring the possible export of ancient finds from the country related to the Mayan civilization. Antiquities can only be taken out of here if there is a special permit for this.
Crime in Honduras, where many gangs are located, remains at a high level. The reason for this is poverty, because of which young people join gangs who arrange firefights among themselves. Some people here are used to resolving conflicts and disputes with weapons. Tourists in this country should be careful not to walk at a later time, 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 using weapons, abductions and other violent crimes. Perhaps that is why tourists pay little attention to Honduras, although there is something to see. However, allegations of crime are heard mainly in large cities, most of the country is completely safe for visitors. In the countryside, even petty thefts are rare.
The main resorts of the country are Guanaja, Copan, La Ceiba, La Esperanza, La Mosquito and, of course, Tegucigalpa.
Religion
The vast majority of Honduran believers, namely 96%, are Catholics. A small part of the believing population (3%) are Protestants. The remaining local tribes are adherents of their religious cults, which include worship of the spirits of their ancestors and having the features of Native American and African animism.
Not all residents of Honduras are deeply religious, often their faith is superficial, but at the same time, almost all of them believe in Jesus Christ. Protestants here mainly relate to the gospel church. Nobody advertises their faith, although Catholics, for example, can wear a crucifix or incense on 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 Constitution of the state states that Catholicism is a national religion. Despite this, liberal reforms took place in the 1920s, 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.
Since that time, the return of the church by foreign priests began, including French-speaking Canadians. Already in the 1980s, there were enough clergymen to play a major role in the confrontation directed towards the United States. Since the beginning of the 20th century, there has been an increase in Protestantism in Honduras, which received many new converts in the 1970s. In poor areas of cities and rural areas, you can find small Pentecostal chapels.
Most believing Catholics attend church only on special occasions, such as major church holidays. Evangelical Christians go to small chapels located in a room at home or even in a forest hut. Every evening, Protestants gather for prayer and Bible reading. El Paraiso County practices "Niva Baptism." It consists in the fact that the priest reads the prayer, sprinkles the cornfield with holy water and trample down the path along the field in the form of a cross. From the leaves of corn he makes small crosses.
Economy
Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere and is still dependent on international assistance. The difficult economic situation even became one of the impetus for the short war of Honduras and El Salvador in July 1969.
The basis of the country's economy is agriculture. The most significant export items are coffee and bananas. Almost all coffee and banana plantations, located mainly along the northern shore, belong to 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.
Honduras has significant forest resources and deposits of precious metals, lead, iron, zinc and others. However, their use is limited by the weak infrastructure of roads and railways. San Pedro Sula and important port cities connect to plantations through rail networks, which are only 121 km long. Therefore, remote areas are usually reached by air.
San Pedro Sula is the country's main industrial city. Equipment, raw materials, fuels, vehicles, chemicals and food products are mainly imported. Apart from El Salvador and Guatemala, the United States is Honduras' largest economic partner.