Honduras was home to several important Mesoamerican cultures, most notably the Maya, before the Spanish colonization in 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, 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 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. (Full article...)
Lake Yojoa is the largest lake in Honduras with a surface area of 79 square kilometers (31 square miles) and an average depth of 15 meters (49 feet). At an altitude of 700 meters (2,300 feet), it lies in a depression formed by volcanoes. The Lake Yojoa volcanic field consists of Pleistocene to Holocenescoria cones, craters, and lava flows.
The west side of the lake is bordered by steep mountains and Santa Bárbara National Park while the east side is adjacent to Cerro Azul Meambar National Park. The lake is situated on the highway that connects the two largest Honduran cities, Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula. For many people traveling between the cities, the lake serves as a rest area where they can appreciate the view and enjoy the fresh fried fish and other foods that are offered by the restaurants located on its banks. (Full article...)
... that the Honduran Patriotic Front, an alliance formed ahead of the 1980s elections, called for an electoral boycott in protest against perceived fraud?
... that a river in Honduras swelled 15 meters (50 feet) above its normal level during torrential rains from a hurricane in 1935?
... that when the British Honduran Lands Department claimed no lands were available for women, Gwendolyn Lizarraga marched into the swamp and measured lots to create land parcels?
Image 2National Theater and opera, Manuel Bonilla (from Culture of Honduras)
Image 3European pirates, especially British, French, and Dutch attacked Honduran towns during the colonial era.
Image 4First coat of arms of Honduras given by the emperor Charles I of Spain an 5th of the Holy Roman empire. By the time of the colonial era Honduras suffered a demographic change due the arrival of Spanish immigrants (from History of Honduras)
Image 35The church of la Merced in the city of Comayagua was the first Cathedral of Honduras in 1550 and is the oldest Honduran church still standing. (from History of Honduras)
Image 46The railroad transportation suffered a lot of economic issues and disadvantages during the 2000s, it was not until 2010 passenger trains where reactivated. (from History of Honduras)
Image 60Train station in La Ceiba during the 1920s. The locomotives were one of the main means of transportation in Honduras during the 20th century. (from History of Honduras)
Image 64The Central American peace conference in 1907. (from History of Honduras)
Image 65Mayan representative hieroglyphic of the Yax Kuk Mo Dynasty that later would become the emblem of the Kingdom of "Oxwitik" also known as Copán. (from History of Honduras)
Image 66After the 2009 coup d'état, the military presence in the streets began to be more common. (from History of Honduras)