Honduras is a Central American state bordering Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala. The country has a shorter coastline in the south towards the Pacific Ocean and a coast in the north towards the Caribbean Sea. The country was formerly known as Spanish Honduras and the name was used to distinguish between Honduras and Belize which was then called British Honduras. Since 1975, emigration from Honduras has increased, and today many Hondurans live in the United States where they try to get jobs and a better life. Half of Honduras’ population lives in poverty and there is great segregation between the country’s rich and poor, so it is not so difficult to understand that many choose to leave the country to seek refuge in neighboring countries with better economies and especially to the United States.
More about Honduras
Honduras has been home to several Mesoamerican cultures, such as the Maya. The country was colonized by Spain in the 16th century. It was the Spaniards who introduced Catholicism, which is still the country’s main religion. Of course, it was also the Spanish colonization that led to Spanish becoming the country’s main language. The country gained its independence in 1821 and has since been a republic. In 2010, Honduras had more than 8 million inhabitants.
Geography and climate
According to bridgat.com, the climate is tropical in the parts of the country that are lower and temperate in the mountain region. The central and southern parts have a warm climate that is not as humid as that found on the coast. Honduras consists mainly of mountains but there are also narrow plains along the coasts and a large jungle in the northeastern region of the country. Among the country’s natural resources, we find gold, silver, copper, timber, lead, zinc, iron ore, coal, fish and hydropower.
Economy
Despite its natural wealth, Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the world, where the poor are very poor and where the rich can become very rich. The main agricultural products are coffee and sugar and in the industry they work with producing textile products, producing clothes and producing wooden products. Honduras ‘most important trading partner is the United States, so it is very dependent on the United States’ economy and purchasing power. Today, half of the country’s electricity is generated with the help of hydropower, and for the other half, fossil fuels are used. The country has a railway, a well-developed road network, seven ports and 112 airports. In addition to poverty, there are major problems with crime and criminal gangs.
