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78-696: The Humuya River ( Spanish pronunciation: [uˈmuʝa] ) is a river in Honduras which passes through Santa Rita, Yoro , and then flows into the Ulúa River . This article related to a river in Honduras is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Honduras Honduras , officially the Republic of Honduras , is a country in Central America . It is bordered to

156-466: A Human Development Index of 0.625, classifying it as a nation with medium development. When adjusted for income inequality, its Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index is 0.443. Honduran society is predominantly Mestizo ; however, there are also significant Indigenous, black, and white communities in Honduras. The nation had a relatively high political stability until a 2009 military coup and controversy arising from claims of electoral fraud in

234-549: A 1954 general strike paralyzed the northern part of the country for more than two months, but led to reforms. In 1963 a military coup unseated democratically elected President Ramón Villeda Morales . In 1960, the northern part of what was the Mosquito Coast was transferred from Nicaragua to Honduras by the International Court of Justice . In 1969, Honduras and El Salvador fought what became known as

312-559: A campaign of extrajudicial killings by government units, most notably the CIA-trained Battalion 316 . Honduras was found internationally liable for a series of enforced disappearances during this time period, culminating in Velásquez-Rodríguez v. Honduras . In 1998, Hurricane Mitch caused massive and widespread destruction. Honduran President Carlos Roberto Flores said that fifty years of progress in

390-510: A cease-fire which took effect on 20 July and brought about a withdrawal of Salvadoran troops in early August. Contributing factors to the conflict were a boundary dispute and the presence of thousands of Salvadorans living in Honduras illegally. After the week-long war, as many as 130,000 Salvadoran immigrants were expelled. Hurricane Fifi caused severe damage when it skimmed the northern coast of Honduras on 18 and 19 September 1974. Melgar Castro (1975–78) and Paz Garcia (1978–82) largely built

468-574: A clear decrease in the rate of population growth can be observed in the years "after independence and" during the existence of the Central American Federation. " Other ethnic groups Considering metropolitan areas only, the Honduran capital is the fourth largest Central American urban agglomeration , after Guatemala City, Managua, and San Salvador. In 2017 Honduras had a population of more than 9 million people. Honduras had

546-472: A closer approximation than what was initially believed with the european Mediterranean populations and the Honduran people. Another study carried out on general Honduran mestizo population and Garífuna samples from the Caribbean coast of Honduras, showed the following results: While the country is dominated by Christianity, indigenous peoples typically maintain elements of their original spiritualities in

624-689: A continuing military presence in Honduras to support El Salvador, the Contra guerrillas fighting the Nicaraguan government, and also develop an airstrip and modern port in Honduras. Though spared the bloody civil wars wracking its neighbors, the Honduran army quietly waged campaigns against Marxist–Leninist militias such as the Cinchoneros Popular Liberation Movement, notorious for kidnappings and bombings, and against many non-militants as well. The operation included

702-571: A mainly non-Maya area, or on the frontier between Maya and non-Maya areas. Copán declined with other Lowland centres during the conflagrations of the Terminal Classic in the 9th century. The Maya of this civilization survive in western Honduras as the Ch'orti' , isolated from their Choltian linguistic peers to the west. However, Copán represents only a fraction of Honduran pre-Columbian history. Remnants of other civilizations are found throughout

780-427: A military coup removed the democratically elected president, Ramón Villeda Morales . A string of authoritarian military governments held power uninterrupted until 1981, when Roberto Suazo Córdova was elected president. The party system was dominated by the conservative National Party of Honduras (Partido Nacional de Honduras: PNH) and the liberal Liberal Party of Honduras (Partido Liberal de Honduras: PLH) until

858-501: A mixture of other populations that have migrated to the country such as Arabs, other European populations, and Asians. According to studies the Mestizo population makes up 80% of the total population of Honduras. Mestizos have also most representation on Media due the fact of being the majority. The Afro-Honduran population are around 1-2%. They mainly reside on the country's Caribbean or Atlantic coast. The black population comes from

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936-585: A number of sources. Many are the descendants of the West Indian islands. Another large group are the Garífuna , descendants of an Afro-Carib population which revolted against British authorities on the island of St. Vincent and were forcibly moved to Belize and Honduras during the 18th century. Garífunas are part of Honduran identity through theatrical presentations such as Louvavagu. The Amerindian population consists of seven indigenous groups recognized by

1014-588: A population of 7.4 million according to the Honduras 2001 Census of Population. The most populous Departments are: Cortés (1.2 million), Francisco Morazán (1.2 million), Yoro (466,000), Olancho (420,000), Choluteca (391,000) and Comayagua (353,000). The least populous are Bay Islands and Gracias a Dios . According to the same source, the main cities are: Tegucigalpa (894,000-Central District only), San Pedro Sula (517,000), Choloma (160,000), La Ceiba (140,000), El Progreso (106,000), Choluteca, Comayagua, Puerto Cortés , La Lima and Danlí . However,

1092-512: A sort of syncretism. The Garífuna religion is the Dugú, it is a mixture of African, Catholic, and indigenous beliefs. Today, Hondurans are primarily Catholic with 46% and Protestants 41%, dividing equally between Protestants and Catholics. Historically, at the beginning of the 20th century, due to the influence of the United States that arrived during this period, Protestants outnumbered

1170-594: A total of 110,000 inhabitants. After independence" the population of 1826 (200,000 people) is based on the calculation made by Mr. Dionisio de Herrera , former head of the state of Honduras; the same as the of 1850 (350,000 people) that rests on the calculation made by Mr. E. G. Squier "13 If the census of 182614 is taken into account and compared" with the calculation of the Archbishop of Guatemala, Don Francisco de Paula García Peláez, in 1838, (173,365 inhabitants (21,165 Spaniards, 106,668 Ladinos and 45,532 Indians), 15

1248-646: A way" says Molina Chocano, "that it is not possible to specify the evolution of the population in the Colonial period as a whole." However, they can detect some phenomena in the years of transition towards the republican stage and throughout the 19th century. In 1816, five years before independence, "the Mayor Don Juan Antonio Tomos issued a report of his visit in 1815, in which he indicated 100,000 inhabitants in 39 curatos and 8 villages of Caribbean blacks near Trujillo (estimated at 10,000 ) for

1326-462: A whole, made up the majority of the country's population. According to the Honduran sociologist Guillermo Molina Chocano, the first counts of the Honduran population are the product of estimates made by "historians, chroniclers, and travelers." Most of these coincide that upon the arrival of the Spanish, the aboriginal population both in Honduras and the rest of America was very numerous. For example,

1404-479: Is Honduras's largest source of fresh water, is polluted by heavy metals produced from mining activities. Some rivers and streams are also polluted by mining. Honduras is governed within a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic . The President of Honduras is both head of state and head of government . Executive power is exercised by the Honduran government . Legislative power

1482-551: Is a multi-ethnic and multicultural country with a heritage of more than 12 thousand years of history. 8% of the Honduran population is indigenous from different groups or ethnicities that have left their mark on both the culture and the gastronomy of the country. Another element is Spanish, which left a deep mark on the culture of the country. The popular culture of the Honduran people , as in most countries, consists of artistic creations attended by large audiences or shows. Such artistic-cultural exhibitions are held during certain days of

1560-602: Is given to the Holy Week celebrations. The day of the Virgin of Suyapa is celebrated on February 3 of each year with a great pilgrimage to Tegucigalpa to give it veneration. During the Easter holidays, most of the population takes advantage of this holiday week that begins on Wednesday and ends on Sunday to walk on the beaches and spas of the country, and enjoy the tropical summer that is only enjoyed at this time of year mainly on

1638-504: Is vested in the National Congress of Honduras . The judiciary is independent of both the executive branch and the legislature. The National Congress of Honduras ( Congreso Nacional ) has 128 members ( diputados ), elected for a four-year term by proportional representation . Congressional seats are assigned the parties' candidates on a departmental basis in proportion to the number of votes each party receives. In 1963,

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1716-530: The 2009 Honduran coup d'état removed Manuel Zelaya from office and put Roberto Micheletti in his place. In late 2012, 1540 persons were interviewed by ERIC in collaboration with the Jesuit university , as reported by Associated Press . This survey found that 60.3% believed the police were involved in crime, 44.9% had "no confidence" in the Supreme Court, and 72% thought there was electoral fraud in

1794-440: The 2017 presidential election . Honduras spans about 112,492 km (43,433 sq mi) and has a population exceeding 10 million. Its northern portions are part of the western Caribbean zone , as reflected in the area's demographics and culture. Honduras is known for its rich natural resources, including minerals , coffee , tropical fruit , and sugar cane , as well as for its growing textiles industry, which serves

1872-623: The Bay Islands there are bottlenose dolphins , manta rays , parrot fish , schools of blue tang and whale shark . Deforestation resulting from logging is rampant in Olancho Department . The clearing of land for agriculture is prevalent in the largely undeveloped La Mosquitia region, causing land degradation and soil erosion . Honduras had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 4.48/10, ranking it 126th globally out of 172 countries. Lake Yojoa , which

1950-546: The Cuyamel Fruit Company , as well as the United Fruit Company , and Standard Fruit Company , built an enclave economy in northern Honduras, controlling infrastructure and creating self-sufficient, tax-exempt sectors that contributed relatively little to economic growth. American troops landed in Honduras in 1903, 1907, 1911, 1912, 1919, 1924 and 1925. In 1904, the writer O. Henry coined

2028-661: The Football War . Border tensions led to acrimony between the two countries after Oswaldo López Arellano , the president of Honduras, blamed the deteriorating Honduran economy on immigrants from El Salvador. The relationship reached a low when El Salvador met Honduras for a three-round football elimination match preliminary to the World Cup . Tensions escalated and on 14 July 1969, the Salvadoran army invaded Honduras. The Organization of American States (OAS) negotiated

2106-459: The Lencas and Mayans. Honduran mestizaje should not only be limited to being understood as the mixture between the Spanish and Native Americans,Some of these people also have significant African ancestry ranging from 10% - 35% on average mainly due to the mixture with african descent people such as Bay island Creoles, and The Garifuna peoples of the Caribbean. Other mestizos from Honduras also have

2184-668: The Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve , 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 3,000 metres or 9,800 feet above sea level ), mangroves , savannas and mountain ranges with pine and oak trees, and the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System . In

2262-491: The United States Congress an opinion that declared the coup legal. The Honduran Supreme Court also ruled that the proceedings had been legal. The government that followed the de facto government established a truth and reconciliation commission, Comisión de la Verdad y Reconciliación , which after more than a year of research and debate concluded that the ousting had been a coup d'état , and illegal in

2340-874: The Bay Islands; the Pech or Paya Indians living in a small area in the Olancho department; the Tolupan (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 western highlands of Intibuca, Lempira, La Paz, Valle and Choluteca departments; and the Miskito Indians living on

2418-943: The Catholics, representing two-thirds of the country, mainly in the north. Another Christian community in Hondurans are Orthodox , mostly composed by Arab Hondurans, more than 600 families are part of the Orthodox Church of Antioch . With the loss of the Protestant regions after World War II, coupled with the increase in agnosticism and atheism in the eastern region of the country the Protestant population decreased. Today there are rural and urban regions where Protestantism has ceased to predominate. A survey found that 23% of Hondurans are considered without religion (15% non-religious and 8% atheists). Honduras has small communities of Jews , Muslims , and Bahá'ís . Honduras

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2496-601: The Confederation of Autochthonous Peoples of Honduras (CONPAH) and the government of Honduras, among them they recognize the Afro-Caribbean and Garífuna groups which are not Amerindian. The seven indigenous groups are: the Ch'orti' , a Mayan group living in the northwest on the border with Guatemala ; the Garifuna speaking a Carib language , which live along the entire Caribbean coastline of Honduras, and in

2574-622: The Diet of Nacaome (1847) and National Representation in Central America (1849–1852). Although Honduras eventually adopted the name Republic of Honduras, the unionist ideal never waned, and Honduras was one of the Central American countries that pushed the hardest for a policy of regional unity. Policies favoring international trade and investment began in the 1870s. Soon, foreign interests became involved, first in shipping from

2652-457: The Milanese traveler, Girolaneo Benzoni ( Historia del Nuevo Mundo, 1572 ) assures that: " When the Spanish went to conquer the region of Honduras ... they encountered more than four hundred thousand Indians ..."Others (El Costo de la Conquista, 1992) claim that "the aboriginal population of Honduras was approximately 800,000 indigenous people. For some historians "The starting point to study

2730-649: The North and South Coast of Honduras. Literature in Honduras dates back to the Mayan codices, although new literary genres were introduced after the conquest. Among the most notable writers of Honduras are David Fortin, Froylán Turcios , Juan Ramón Molina , Rafael Heliodoro Valle, Antonio José Rivas, Clementina Suárez , Ramón Amaya Amador , Marco Antonio Rosa, Roberto Sosa , Lucila Gamero de Medina , Roberto Quezada, Armando García , Helen Umaña, Alberto Destephen, Argentina Díaz Lozano, Rony Bonilla and Julio Escoto. Cinema in

2808-552: The Swan Islands, fall within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Honduras. Natural resources include timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc , iron ore, antimony , coal, fish, shrimp, and hydropower . The climate varies from tropical in the lowlands to temperate in the mountains. The Pacific coast is generally drier than the Caribbean. The region is considered a biodiversity hotspot because of

2886-620: The United States George W. Bush began talks on US assistance to Honduras to tackle the latter's growing drug cartels in Mosquito, Eastern Honduras using US special forces. This marked the beginning of a new foothold for the US military's continued presence in Central America. Under Zelaya, Honduras joined ALBA in 2008, but withdrew in 2010 after the 2009 Honduran coup d'état . In 2009, a constitutional crisis resulted when power

2964-494: The coast of Honduras. On 30 July 1502, Columbus sent his brother Bartholomew to explore the islands and Bartholomew encountered a Mayan trading vessel from Yucatán, carrying well-dressed Maya and a rich cargo. Bartholomew's men stole the cargo they wanted and kidnapped the ship's elderly captain to serve as an interpreter in the first recorded encounter between the Spanish and the Maya. In March 1524, Gil González Dávila became

3042-631: The coasts. A large undeveloped lowland jungle, La Mosquitia lies in the northeast, and the heavily populated lowland Sula valley in the northwest. In La Mosquitia lies the UNESCO world-heritage site Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve , with the Coco River which divides Honduras from Nicaragua . The Islas de la Bahía and the Swan Islands are off the north coast. Misteriosa Bank and Rosario Bank , 130 to 150 kilometres (81 to 93 miles) north of

3120-414: The commission's opinion. On 28 November 2021, the former first lady Xiomara Castro , leftist presidential candidate of opposition Liberty and Refoundation Party, won 53% of the votes in the presidential election to become the first female president of Honduras, bringing an end to the 12-year reign of the right-wing National Party. She was sworn in on 27 January 2022. Her husband, Manuel Zelaya, held

3198-441: The conquest , "Honduras was inhabited by an aboriginal population descended from different ethnic groups." 1 Among these are: Los Lencas , Payas, Chorotegas , Xicaques, Chortis, just to mention a few. All of these groups lacked "cultural unity," and "probably had a Mesoamerican and South American cultural origin. "According to some historians: « These cultures achieved great progress in the various fields of human knowledge, driven by

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3276-434: The country had been reversed. Mitch destroyed about 70% of the country's crops and an estimated 70–80% of the transportation infrastructure, including nearly all bridges and secondary roads. Across Honduras 33,000 houses were destroyed, and an additional 50,000 damaged. Some 5,000 people killed, and 12,000 more injured. Total losses were estimated at US$ 3 billion. In 2007, President of Honduras Manuel Zelaya and President of

3354-546: The country has its true beginning in 1962. The first official Honduran filmmaker was Sami Kafati, who studied cinematography in Rome in the 1960s. His first cinematographic work was the experimental short film Mi Amigo Ángel. Produced in 1962, it is the first fictional cinematographic work produced in Honduras. According to the Honduran film historian Marxis Lenin Hernández "the film was not so well received in its time, but today it

3432-522: The country, although many of these workers left following changes to immigration law in 1939. Honduras joined the Allied Nations after Pearl Harbor , on 8 December 1941, and signed the Declaration by United Nations on 1 January 1942, along with twenty-five other governments. Constitutional crises in the 1940s led to reforms in the 1950s. One reform gave workers permission to organize, and

3510-446: The country, including some changes of régime. In the late nineteenth century, Honduras granted land and substantial exemptions to several US-based fruit and infrastructure companies in return for developing the country's northern regions. Thousands of workers came to the north coast as a result to work in banana plantations and other businesses that grew up around the export industry. Banana-exporting companies, dominated until 1930 by

3588-927: The country. Archaeologists have studied sites such as Naco  [ es ] and La Sierra in the Naco Valley, Los Naranjos on Lake Yojoa , Yarumela in the Comayagua Valley, La Ceiba and Salitron Viejo (both now under the Cajón Dam reservoir ), Selin Farm and Cuyamel in the Aguan valley, Cerro Palenque , Travesia, Curruste, Ticamaya, Despoloncal, and Playa de los Muertos in the lower Ulúa River valley, and many others. In 2012, LiDAR scanning revealed that several previously unknown high density settlements existed in La Mosquitia, corresponding to

3666-618: The current physical infrastructure and telecommunications system of Honduras. In 1979, the country returned to civilian rule. A constituent assembly was popularly elected in April 1980 to write a new constitution, and general elections were held in November 1981. The constitution was approved in 1982 and the PLH government of Roberto Suazo won the election with a promise to carry out an ambitious program of economic and social development to tackle

3744-482: The departments of Santa Bárbara, Lempira, Intibucá, La Paz, Comayagua, Francisco Morazán and Valle. And part of what today comprises the territory of El Salvador. The rest of the Honduran territory was inhabited by peoples from the south of the continent, with a nomadic and semi-nomadic culture, governed by primitive communal production relations. Among these peoples were Tolupanes (also known as "xicaques"), Pechs (also known as "payas"), Tawahkas and Misquitos who, as

3822-570: The development of a varied agriculture ... In this way they guaranteed adequate food for their large population. They also applied techniques of great perfection in fabrics and ceramics. They developed an intense and varied trade . » In the north-western section of Honduras predominated the peoples of the Chortís, a Mayan group located in Copán and Ocotepeque, and the Lencas that extended through

3900-495: The eastern portion of the region and many pockets of independent indigenous people as well. The Miskito Kingdom in the northeast was particularly effective at resisting conquest. The Miskito Kingdom found support from northern European privateers, pirates and especially the British formerly English colony of Jamaica , which placed much of the area under its protection after 1740. Honduras gained independence from Spain in 1821 and

3978-443: The end of the sixteenth century, African slaves, mostly from Angola , were imported. After about 1650, very few slaves or other outside workers arrived in Honduras. Although the Spanish conquered the southern or Pacific portion of Honduras fairly quickly, they were less successful on the northern, or Atlantic side. They managed to found a few towns along the coast, at Puerto Caballos and Trujillo in particular, but failed to conquer

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4056-526: The entire 16th century came a huge spaniard migration to Honduras. Whites of Honduran origin are also descended from immigrants who arrived from Europe, such as places like Catalonia , Germany , Italy and East Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries. Percentages have varied from 1% to 7%. As it was mentioned beforem the Honduran population is predominantly Mestizo with more than 80% of the country's population identifying themselves with this group. When we talk of miscegenation in Honduras not only goes with

4134-504: The first Spaniard to enter Honduras as a conquistador . followed by Hernán Cortés , who had brought forces down from Mexico. Much of the conquest took place in the following two decades, first by groups loyal to Cristóbal de Olid , and then by those loyal to Francisco de Montejo but most particularly by those following Alvarado. In addition to Spanish resources, the conquerors relied heavily on armed forces from Mexico— Tlaxcalans and Mexica armies of thousands who remained garrisoned in

4212-643: The image of a tropical, agrarian country. But its real meaning is sharper: it refers to the fruit companies from the United States that came to exert extraordinary influence over the politics of Honduras and its neighbors." In addition to drawing Central American workers north, the fruit companies encouraged immigration of workers from the English-speaking Caribbean , notably Jamaica and Belize , which introduced an African-descended, English-speaking and largely Protestant population into

4290-464: The interior highlands are also generally considered to be culturally Mesoamerican, though the extent of linkage with other areas varied over time (for example, expanding during the zenith of the Toltec Empire ). In the extreme west, Maya civilization flourished for hundreds of years. The dominant, best known, and best studied state within Honduras's borders was in Copán , which was located in

4368-467: The international market. The literal meaning of the term "Honduras" is "depths" in Spanish. The name could refer either to the bay of Trujillo as an anchorage, fondura in the Leonese dialect of Spain, or to Columbus 's alleged quote that " Gracias a Dios que hemos salido de esas honduras " ("Thank God we have departed from those depths"). It was not until the end of the 16th century that Honduras

4446-460: The legend of " La Ciudad Blanca ". Excavation and study has since improved knowledge of the region's history. It is estimated that these settlements reached their zenith from 500 to 1000 AD. On his fourth and the final voyage to the New World in 1502, Christopher Columbus landed near the modern town of Trujillo , near Guaimoreto Lagoon, becoming the first European to visit the Bay Islands on

4524-455: The main metropolitan areas are Tegucigalpa (1,200,000-est. 2007-) and San Pedro Sula (900,000). Between the 1988 and 2001 Census, San Pedro Sula's population doubled. The country has 20 cities with more than 20,000 inhabitants. According to the 2013 census Hondurans are : The majority of the Honduran population is Mestizo (a mixture of Spaniards and Amerindian ), Hondurans are descended from immigrants from Spain and Amerindian people like

4602-405: The many plant and animal species found there. Like other countries in the region, it contains vast biological resources. Honduras 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 mammalian species, of which half are bats . In the northeastern region of La Mosquitia lies

4680-521: The north coast, especially tropical fruit and most notably bananas, and then in building railroads. In 1888, a projected railroad line from the Caribbean coast to the capital, Tegucigalpa , ran out of money when it reached San Pedro Sula . As a result, San Pedro grew into the nation's primary industrial center and second-largest city. Comayagua was the capital of Honduras until 1880, when the capital moved to Tegucigalpa. Since independence, nearly 300 small internal rebellions and civil wars have occurred in

4758-615: The northeast coast in the Gracias A Dios department and along the border with Nicaragua . White Hondurans or white people from Honduras (colloquially called cheles ), is a term used to refer to those Hondurans who are cataloged or considered as white people . However, the term white in Honduras similar to other Latin American countries is quite ambiguous, and some white people would not be classified as such in other countries. The first whites in Honduras came with Columbus in 1502, during

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4836-399: The northern part of what was the Mosquito Coast was transferred from Nicaragua to Honduras by the International Court of Justice . The nation's economy is primarily agricultural, making it especially vulnerable to natural disasters such as Hurricane Mitch in 1998. The lower class is primarily agriculturally based while wealth is concentrated in the country's urban centers. Honduras has

4914-415: The population is the general census for the province of Honduras prepared by the mayor Don Ramón de Anguiano." "9 10 which" gave in 1801 a population of 130,000 in 249 inhabited centers." "If the evolution of the Honduran population is compared, since the end of the 16th century, "with the figures of 1778, 1791 and In 1801, no substantial modifications are observed in the behavior of the population ... "In such

4992-730: The pre-Columbian era, modern Honduras was split between two pan-cultural regions: Mesoamerica in the west and the Isthmo-Colombian area in the east. Each complex had a "core area" within Honduras (the Sula Valley for Mesoamerica, and La Mosquitia for the Isthmo-Colombian area), and the intervening area was one of gradual transition. However, these concepts had no meaning in the Pre-Columbian era itself and represent extremely diverse areas. The Lenca people of

5070-498: The primary elections of November 2012. Also, 56% expected the presidential, legislative and municipal elections of 2013 to be fraudulent. Catracho Latin Americans refer to a person from Honduras as a catracho or catracha . The term was coined by Nicaraguans in the mid-19th century when Honduran General Florencio Xatruch returned from battle with his Honduran and Salvadoran soldiers after defeating American freebooters commanded by William Walker , whose purpose

5148-420: The recession in which Honduras found itself. He launched ambitious social and economic development projects sponsored by American development aid. Honduras became host to the largest Peace Corps mission in the world, and nongovernmental and international voluntary agencies proliferated. The Peace Corps withdrew its volunteers in 2012, citing safety concerns. During the early 1980s, the United States established

5226-420: The region. Resistance to conquest was led in particular by Lempira . Many regions in the north of Honduras never fell to the Spanish, notably the Miskito Kingdom . After the Spanish conquest, Honduras became part of Spain's vast empire in the New World within the Kingdom of Guatemala . Trujillo and Gracias were the first city-capitals. The Spanish ruled the region for approximately three centuries. Honduras

5304-478: The same office from 2006 until 2009. In April 2022, former president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández , who served two terms between 2014 and January 2022, was extradited to the United States to face charges of drug trafficking and money laundering. Hernandez denied the accusations. The north coast of Honduras borders the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean lies south through the Gulf of Fonseca . Honduras consists mainly of mountains, with narrow plains along

5382-407: The sixteenth century. The Spanish introduced Catholicism and the now predominant Spanish language , along with numerous customs that have blended with the indigenous culture. Honduras became independent in 1821 and has since been a republic, although it has consistently endured much social strife and political instability, and remains one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere . In 1960,

5460-457: The term " banana republic " to describe Honduras, publishing a book called Cabbages and Kings , about a fictional country, Anchuria , inspired by his experiences in Honduras, where he had lived for six months. In The Admiral , O. Henry refers to the nation as a "small maritime banana republic"; naturally, the fruit was the entire basis of its economy. According to a literary analyst writing for The Economist , "his phrase neatly conjures up

5538-414: The tradictional mixtures of Native Americans and Spanish settlers but also the mixing with other populations. Thanks to the migratory flows made after the Liberal Reform other human groups have come to mix with the local Honduran population since then. A study showed that Hondurans share a large number of genetic patterns with Spaniards and Italians , being more than what was initially believed, giving

5616-633: The west by Guatemala , to the southwest by El Salvador , to the southeast by Nicaragua , to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca , and to the north by the Gulf of Honduras , a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea . Its capital and largest city is Tegucigalpa . Honduras was home to several important Mesoamerican cultures, most notably the Maya , before Spanish colonization in

5694-420: The year through very creative celebrations. Among the most popular holidays are; on September 15, Honduras' independence day. This commemoration is carried out with parades of schools and colleges throughout the country. Some companies also participate who adorn the parade with floats of any kind. Since the conquest of Honduras, the predominant religion in the country is Catholic, because of this, special interest

5772-558: Was a part of the First Mexican Empire until 1823, when it became part of the United Provinces of Central America . It has been an independent republic and has held regular elections since 1838. In the 1840s and 1850s Honduras participated in several failed attempts at Central American unity, such as the Confederation of Central America (1842–1845), the covenant of Guatemala (1842), the Diet of Sonsonate (1846),

5850-654: Was organized as a province of the Kingdom of Guatemala and the capital was fixed, first at Trujillo on the Atlantic coast, and later at Comayagua , and finally at Tegucigalpa in the central part of the country. Silver mining was a key factor in the Spanish conquest and settlement of Honduras. Initially the mines were worked by local people through the encomienda system, but as disease and resistance made this option less available, slaves from other parts of Central America were brought in. When local slave trading stopped at

5928-432: Was to re-establish slavery and take over all of Central America . As the general and his soldiers returned, some Nicaraguans yelled out ¡Aquí vienen los xatruches! , meaning "Here come Xatruch's boys!" However, Nicaraguans had so much trouble pronouncing the general's Catalan last name that they altered the phrase to los catruches and ultimately settled on las catrachas or los catrachos . Before

6006-578: Was transferred in a coup from the president to the head of Congress. The OAS suspended Honduras because it did not regard its government as legitimate. Countries around the world, the OAS, and the United Nations formally and unanimously condemned the action as a coup d'état , refusing to recognize the de facto government, even though the lawyers consulted by the Library of Congress submitted to

6084-417: Was used for the whole province. Prior to 1580, Honduras referred to only the eastern part of the province, and Higueras referred to the western part. Another early name is Guaymuras , revived as the name for the political dialogue in 2009 that took place in Honduras as opposed to Costa Rica. Hondurans are often referred to as either the masculine Catracho or the feminine Catracha in Spanish. In

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