Honduras

SPANISH COUNTRIES

HONDURAS

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Honduras

Honduras (Spanish: Rep�blica de Honduras) is a democratic republic in Central America. It was formerly known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras (now Belize). The country is bordered to 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 and the Caribbean Sea.

Etymology

The Spanish used at least three different terms to refer to the area that became the Central American country of Honduras.

Guaymuras - a name Columbus provided for a town near modern Trujillo. Las Casas subsequently generalized it to apply to the whole colony.
Higueras - a reference to the gourds that come from the Jicaro tree, many of which were found floating in the waters off the northwest coast of Honduras.
Honduras - literally "depths" in Spanish. Columbus is traditionally quoted as having written Gracias a Dios que hemos salido de esas honduras (English: "Thanks to God we have come out from those depths") while along the northeastern coast of Honduras.

In English, Honduras is sometimes referred to as Spanish Honduras to distinguish it from British Honduras, known today as Belize.

History of Honduras and Timeline of Honduran history

Archaeologists have demonstrated that Honduras had a rich, multi-ethnic prehistory. An important part of that prehistory was the Mayan presence around the city of Cop�n in western Honduras, near the Guatemalan border. Here a major Mayan city flourished during the classic period (150-900). It has many beautiful carved inscriptions and stelae. The ancient kingdom, named Xukpi, existed from the fifth century to the early ninth century, with antecedents going back to at least the second century. The Mayan civilization began a marked decline in the ninth century, but there is evidence of people still living in and around the city until at least 1200. By the time the Spanish came to Honduras, the once great city-state of Cop�n was overrun by the jungle, and the Lencas, not the Mayans, were the main Amerindian people living in western Honduras.

On his fourth and final voyage to the New World in 1502, Christopher Columbus reached the Bay Islands on the coast of Honduras. Landing near the modern town of Trujillo, in the vicinity of the Guaimoreto Lagoon. After the Spanish discovery, 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 what would become Honduras for approximately three centuries.

Honduras declared independence from Spain on September 15, 1821 with the rest of the Central American provinces. In 1822 the Central American State was annexed to the newly declared Mexican Empire of Iturbide. The Iturbide Empire was overthrown in 1823 and Central America separated from it, forming the Federal Republic of Central America, which disintegrated in 1838. As a result the states of the republic became independent nations.

Silver mining was a key factor in the Spanish conquest and settlement of Honduras, but has been only a minor part of the national economy in recent years. The American-owned Rosario Mining Company was a major gold and silver producer, but shut down its large mine at San Juancito in 1954.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Honduras joined the Allied Nations on December 8, 1941. Less than a month later, on the first day of 1942, Honduras, along with twenty-five other governments, signed the Declaration by United Nations.

In 1969, Honduras and El Salvador fought what would become known as The Football War. There had been border tension between the two countries after Oswaldo L�pez Arellano, a former president of Honduras, blamed the poor economy on the large number of immigrants from El Salvador. From that point on the relationship between El Salvador and Honduras was acrimonious. It reached a low when El Salvador met Honduras for a three-round football elimination match as a preliminary to the World Cup. Tensions escalated, and on July 14, 1969, the Salvadoran army launched an attack against Honduras. The Organization of American States negotiated a cease-fire which took effect on July 20, and brought about a withdrawal of Salvadoran troops in early August.

Contributing factors in the conflict were a boundary dispute and the presence of thousands of Salvadorans living in Honduras illegally. After the week-long war football war in July 1969, many Salvadoran families and workers were expelled. El Salvador had agreed on a truce to settle the boundary issue, but Honduras later paid war damage costs for expelled refugees.

During the 1980s, the United States established a very large military presence in Honduras with the purpose of supporting the illegally US funded anti-Sandinista Contras fighting the Nicaraguan government, and to support the El Salvador military fighting against the FMLN guerrillas. The U.S. built the airbase known as Palmerola, near Comayagua, with a 10,000 foot runway so that C5-A cargo planes could land there, rather than at the public airport in San Pedro Sula. The U.S. also built a training base near Trujillo which primarily trained Contras and the Salvadoran military, and in conjunction with this, developed Puerto Castillo into a modern port. The United States built many airstrips near the Nicaraguan border to help move supplies to the Contra forces fighting the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. Though spared the bloody civil wars wracking its neighbors, the Honduran army quietly waged a campaign against leftists which included extra judicial killings and forced disappearances of political opponents by government-backed death squads, most notably Battalion 316.

Hurricane Fifi caused severe damage while skimming the northern coast of Honduras on September 18 and 19, 1974.

In 1998, Hurricane Mitch caused such massive and widespread loss that former Honduran President Carlos Roberto Flores claimed that fifty years of progress in the country were reversed. Mitch obliterated about 70% of the crops and an estimated 70-80% of the transportation infrastructure, including nearly all bridges and secondary roads. Across the country, 33,000 houses were destroyed, an additional 50,000 damaged, some 5,000 people killed, 12,000 injured, and total loss estimated at $3 billion USD.

Politics of Honduras

A Presidential and General Election was held on November 27, 2005. Manuel Zelaya of the Liberal Party of Honduras (Partido Liberal de Honduras: PLH) won, with Porfirio Pepe Lobo of the National Party of Honduras (Partido Nacional de Honduras: PNH) comingBUTTT CRACK ofthe election results, and Lobo Sosa did not concede until December 7. Towards the end of December, the government finally released the total ballot count, giving Zelaya the official victory. Zelaya was inaugurated as Honduras' new president on January 27, 2006. His government has generally been considered fragile and he does not hold a majority in the National Congress. His first year in office has been dominated by trying to lessen the cost of procuring oil for the country.

Honduras has five registered political parties: PNH, PLH, Social Democrats (Partido Innovaci�n Nacional y Social Dem�crata: PINU-SD), Social Christians (Partido Dem�crata-Cristiano: DC), and Democrat Unification (Partido Unificaci�n Democr�tica: UD). The PNH and PLH have ruled the country for decades. In the last years, Honduras has had five Liberal presidents: Roberto Suazo C�rdova, Jos� Azcona del Hoyo, Carlos Roberto Reina, Carlos Roberto Flores and Manuel Zelaya, and two Nationalists: Rafael Leonardo Callejas Romero and Ricardo Maduro. The elections have been full of controversies, including questions about whether Azcona was born in Honduras or Spain, and whether Maduro should have been able to stand given he was born in Panama.

In 1963, a military coup was mounted against the democratically-elected president Villeda Morales and a military junta established which held power until 1981. In this year Suazo C�rdova (LPH) was elected president and Honduras changed from a military authoritarian regime to an electoral democracy.

In 1986, there were five Liberal candidates and four Nationalists running for president. Because no one candidate obtained a clear majority, the so-called "Formula B" was invoked and Azcona del Hoyo became president. In 1990, Callejas won the election under the slogan "Lleg� el momento del Cambio," (English "The time for change has arrived"), which was heavily criticized for resembling El Salvador's "ARENAs" political campaign. Once in office, Callejas Romero gained a reputation for illicit enrichment, and has been the subject of several scandals and accusations. It was during Flores Facusse's mandate that Hurricane Mitch hit the country and decades of economic growth were eradicated in less than a week.

Beginning in 2004, separate ballots were used for mayors, congress, and presidents; 2005 witnessed an increase in the number of registered candidates.

Although the Nationalist and Liberal parties are distinct entities with their own dedicated band of supporters, some have pointed out that their interests and policy measures throughout the twenty-five years of uninterrupted democracy have been very similar. They are often characterized as primarily serving the interests of their own members, who receive jobs when their party gains power and lose them again when the other party is elected. Both are seen as supportive of the elite that owns most of the wealth in the country, while neither extensively promotes socialist ideals. In many ways Honduras resembles a democratic version of an old socialist state, with price controls and nationalized electric and land-line telephone services.

President Maduro's administration did "de-nationalize" the telecommunications sector in a move to promote the rapid diffusion of these services to the Honduran population. As of November 2005, there were around 10 private-sector telecommunications companies in the Honduran market, including two mobile phone companies.

Geography of Honduras

Honduras borders the Caribbean Sea on the north coast and the Pacific Ocean on the south through the Gulf of Fonseca. The climate varies from tropical in the lowlands to temperate in the mountains. The central and southern regions are relatively hotter and less humid than the northern coast.

The Honduran territory consists mainly of mountains (~81%), but there are narrow plains along the coasts, a large undeveloped lowland jungle La Mosquitia region in the northeast, and the heavily populated lowland San Pedro Sula valley in the northwest. In La Mosquitia lies the UNESCO-world heritage site R�o Pl�tano Biosphere Reserve, with the Coco River which divides the country from Nicaragua.

Natural resources include timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, shrimp, and hydropower.

The Islas de la Bah�a and the Swan Islands are part of Honduras. Misteriosa Bank and Rosario Bank, 130 to 150 km north of the Swan Islands, falls within the EEZ of Honduras.

Economy of Honduras

Honduras is the poorest country in Central America and second poorest in the Western Hemisphere with GDP per capita at US$3,000 per year (2006). The economy has continued to grow slowly but the distribution of wealth remains very polarized with average wages remaining very low. Economic growth in the last few years has averaged 5% a year, but 50% of the population still remain below the poverty line. It is estimated that there are more than 1.2 million people who are unemployed, the rate of unemployment standing at 27.9%.

The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund classify Honduras as one of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries eligible for debt relief, which was given in 2005.

Both the electricity services (ENEE) and land-line telephone services (HONDUTEL) have been operated by government agencies, with the ENEE receiving heavy subsidies because of chronic financial problems. HONDUTEL, however, is no longer a monopoly, the telecommunication sector having been opened to private-sector companies after December 25, 2005; this was one of the requirements before approving the beginning of CAFTA. There are price controls on petrol, and other temporary price controls for basic commodities are often passed for short periods by the Congress.

After years of declining against the U.S. dollar the Lempira has stabilized at around 19 Lempiras per dollar.

In 2005 Honduras signed the CAFTA (Free Trade Agreement with USA). In December 2005, Honduras' main seaport Puerto Cortes was included in the U.S. Container Security Initiative.

On December 7, 2006, the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Energy (DOE) announced the first phase of the Secure Freight Initiative, an unprecedented effort to build upon existing port security measures by enhancing the U.S. federal government�s ability to scan containers for nuclear and radiological materials overseas and to better assess the risk of inbound containers. The initial phase of Secure Freight involves the deployment of a combination of existing technology and proven nuclear detection devices to six foreign ports: Port Qasim in Pakistan; Puerto Cortes in Honduras; Southampton in the United Kingdom; Port Salalah in Oman; Port of Singapore; and the Gamman Terminal at Port Busan in Korea. Beginning in early 2007, containers from these ports will be scanned for radiation and information risk factors before they are allowed to depart for the United States.

Environment

Honduras is part of Mesoamerica. The region is considered a biodiversity hotspot due to the numerous plant and animal species that can be found there. Like other countries in the region, Honduras contains vast biological resources. This 43,278 square mile (112,092 km�) country 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 mammal species, half of them being bats.

In the northeastern region of La Mosquitia lies the R�o Pl�tano Biosphere Reserve, a lowland rainforest which is home to a great diversity of life. Sometimes called "The Last Lungs of Central America", this Reserve was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List in 1982.

Honduras has rain forests, cloud forests (which can rise up to nearly three thousand meters above sea level), mangroves, savannas and mountain ranges with pine and oak trees, and the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. In the Bay Islands there are bottlenose dolphins, manta rays, parrot fish, schools of blue tang and whale shark.

Demographics of Honduras

The population of Honduras is 7.1 million. 90% of the population is Mestizo, 7 % Amerindian , 2% black and 1% white according to the CIA World Factbook.

90% of the Honduran population is Mestizo (a mixture of Amerindian and European), except along the northern coast where, until recently, communities of English speakers maintained a somewhat distinct culture. This is primarily because some islands and some Caribbean coastal areas were occupied by pirates and by the British at one time or another.

7% of the Honduran population consist of diverse indigenous groups. The Confederation of Autochthonous Peoples of Honduras (CONPAH) counts seven different indigenous groups, among these the Afro-Caribbean and Gar�funa groups which are not Amerindian:

the Ch'orti', a Mayan group living in the southwest on the border with Guatemala;
the Garifuna speaking a Carib language. They live along the entire Caribbean coastline of Honduras, and in 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 in the Department of Yoro and in the reserve of the Monta�a de la Flor;
the Lenca Indians living in the Valle and Choluteca departments;
the Miskito Indians living on the eastern coastline along the border with Nicaragua.

The confederation and each separate group of indigenous people have worked, since the 1980s, for bettering the life of the aboriginal peoples. Change, however, has been elusive as these peoples still face violence and discrimination.

About 2% of Honduras's population is black, or Afro-Honduran, and mainly reside on the country's Caribbean or Atlantic coast. The black population comes from a number of sources. Most are the descendants of West Indians (especially from Jamaica and Haiti) brought to Honduras as slaves and indentured servants. Another large group (about 190,000 today) are the Garifuna, 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 eighteenth century. Gar�funas are part of Honduran identity through theatrical presentations such as Louvavagu.

Honduras hosts a significant Palestinian community (the vast majority of whom are Christian Arabs). The Palestinians arrived in the country in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, establishing themselves especially in the city of San Pedro Sula. The Palestinian community, well integrated in Honduras, is prominent in business, commerce, banking, industry, and politics. Asians mostly of Chinese descent, and to a lesser extent Japanese. Korean, Ryukyuan, Filipino and Vietnamese also make up a small percent due to their arrival to Honduras as contract laborers in the 1980s and 1990s. There is also an estimated 1000 Sumos (or Mayangnas) that live in Honduras, the majority of which reside on the Caribbean coast.

Although Honduras is nominally Roman Catholic, membership in the Roman Catholic Church is declining while membership in Protestant churches is increasing. There are thriving Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Lutheran, Pentacostal and Mormon churches, and they are all growing rapidly. There are Protestant seminaries. Practitioners of the Buddhist, Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, Bah�'�, Rastafari and indigenous denominations and religions exist. Evangelicalism in particular is increasing in popularity.

Language

The Spanish language is predominant, while (pidgin) English is spoken in the Caribbean Islas de la Bahia Department, but nonetheless is slowly being superseded. Some Indigenous Amerindian languages such as Miskito, Pech, Jicaque, Sumu and Garifuna are also spoken. Spanish is becoming more popular in areas where it was not widely spoken, due to efforts by the government, including making Spanish the language of education.

Diaspora

Since 1975, emigration from Honduras has accelerated as job-seekers and political refugees sought an allegedly better life elsewhere. Although many Hondurans have relatives in Nicaragua, Spain, Mexico, El Salvador and Canada, the majority of Hondurans living abroad are in the United States.

Culture of Honduras

The most renowned Honduran painter is Jose Antonio Velasquez. Other important painters include Carlos Garay, Mary, and Roque Zelaya. Two of Honduras' most notable writers are Froylan Turcios and Ram�n Amaya Amador. Others include Marco Antonio Rosa, Roberto Sosa, Lucila Gamero de Medina, Eduardo B�hr, Amanda Castro, Javier Abril Espinoza, and Roberto Quesada. Some of Honduras' notable musicians include Rafael Coello Ramos, Lidia Handal, Victoriano Lopez, Guillermo Anderson, Francisco Carranza and Camilo Rivera Guevara.

Hondurans are often referred to as Catracho or Catracha (fem) in Spanish. The word is derived from the last name of the French Honduran General Florencio Xatruch, who, in 1857, led Honduran armed forces against an attempted invasion by North American adventurer William Walker. The nickname is considered complimentary, not derogatory.

�scar Andr�s Rodr�guez Maradiaga is a Cardinal who was a potential candidate for Pope in the Papal Conclave, 2005. Salvador Moncada is a world-renowned scientist who has authored over twelve oft-cited papers, including work on nitric oxide. His research on heart-related drugs includes the development of Viagra. Moncada works at the University College of London and funds an NGO in Tegucigalpa. He is married to Princess Maria-Esmeralda of Belgium.

Honduras This Week is a weekly English language newspaper that has been published for seventeen years in Tegucigalpa. On the islands of Roatan, Utila and Guanaja the Bay Islands Voice has been a source of monthly news since 2003.

Three important Honduran journalists who work in the United States are Neida Sandoval and Satcha Pretto, Univision, in Miami, Florida; and Dunia Elvir, Telemundo, in Los Angeles, California.

Some notable Hondurans in entertainment include Ren�n Almend�rez Coello, the radio host of El Cucuy de la Ma�ana ("The Bogeyman of the Morning") on KLAX-FM in Los Angeles, California, the famed America Ferrera from the ABC comedy Ugly Betty, and Carlos Mencia from Comedy Central's Mind of Mencia who was born in San Pedro Sula.

Celebrations

The most popular events are: Honduras Independence Day on September 15, Day of the Child or Dia del Ni�o, is celebrated in homes, schools and churches on September 10; on this day children receive presents and have parties similar to Christmas or Birthday celebrations. Other holidays are Easter, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. Honduras Independence Day festivities start early in the morning with marching bands. Each band wears different colors and features cheerleaders who dance all over the streets. Fiesta Catracha takes place this same day: typical Honduran foods such as beans, tamales, baleadas, yucca with chicharron, and tortillas are offered. On Christmas Eve, people gather with their families and close friends to have dinner, then give out presents at midnight. On New Year's Eve there is food and "cohetes" or fireworks. Birthdays are also great events, and include the famous �pi�ata� which is filled with candies and surprises for the children invited.

Folklore

Honduras is a country full of folklore, its famous Lluvia de Peces (Fish Rain) being a good example. The legend of El Cadejo and La Ciguanaba(La Sucia) are also popular. Giovanni "Giovanello Von Bismarck" Bardales has played a fundamental role in the spread and development of folkloric dances in Honduras. During the 1960s-70s and through mid 80s Honduras Radio Noticias (HRN), a local Honduran radio, was the only one which transmitted these folklore stories. The program was called "Cuentos y Leyendas de Honduras" This show was responsible for the diffusion of the folk stories in the country. The show was canceled due to low ratings and has been recently restarted.

Wikipedia Article "Honduras"

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