'Honduras' (
IPA: , in
Spanish: ''República de Honduras'') is a democratic republic in
Central America. It was formerly known as 'Spanish Honduras' to differentiate it from ''
British Honduras'' (now
Belize).
[1] 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: "Thank God we have come out of those depths") while along the northeastern coast of Honduras.
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
Copán 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 Copán was overrun by the jungle, and the
Lencas, not the Mayans, were the main Amerindian people living in western Honduras.
Fort of San Fernando Omoa. Built by the Spaniards to defend against pirates.
On his fourth and final voyage to the
New World in 1502,
Christopher Columbus reached the Bay Islands on the coast of Honduras.
[2] 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. During this period a clock which had been built by the Moors in the twelfth Century was transferred to the Cathedral of
Comayagua in 1636: it is now the oldest functioning clock in the Americas.
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.
[3] There had been border tension between the two countries after
Oswaldo López 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 Castilla 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.
[4]
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.
[5]
Politics
.jpeg)
President Manuel Zelaya
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) coming in second. The PNH challenged the 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 Innovación Nacional y Social Demócrata: PINU-SD), Social Christians (Partido Demócrata-Cristiano: DC), and Democrat Unification (Partido Unificación Democrática: UD). The PNH and PLH have ruled the country for decades. In the last years, Honduras has had five Liberal presidents:
Roberto Suazo Córdova,
José 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 Córdova (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 "Llegó 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. A common struggle for presidents is the imposition of candidates in key ministries by the unelected political leaders of their party. 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.
The effect of the patronage appointments is tremendously felt in the incapacity of government departments to carry out their mandate. In an interview with Rodolfo Pastor Fasquelle, Minister of Sports & Culture and one of three 'super ministers' responsible for coordinating the ministries related to public services (security & economic being the other 2), published in Honduras This Week on July 31, 2006, it was related that 94% of the department budget was spent on bureaucracy and only 6% went to support activities and organizations covered by the mandate. Wages within that ministry were identified as the largest budget consumer. Unfortunately, many hard working and intelligent government employees end up tarnished by the broad brush strokes of this form of corruption.
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. As of mid 2007 the issue of tele-communications continues to be very damaging to the current government
[6]
Departments and municipalities
Honduras is divided into 18
departments. The capital city is
Tegucigalpa Central District of the department of
Francisco Morazán.
National symbols
Ara Macao
The
flag of Honduras is the most important symbol of the country. Is composed of three equal and horizontal stripes, the superior and the low one of blue color. The central stripe contains five stars of five projecting angles of the same blue color. Each of the stars represents, a state of the
Central American Union. The decree of the flag of Honduras was given in
Tegucigalpa on
January 18,
1949.
The Coat of arms; the second most important of the Honduran symbols was established in
1825. It is one an equilateral triangle, at the base a volcano finds its base between two castles, over which we find a rainbow an the sun shining. The triangle placed on an area that supposes bathed by both seas. Around all of this an oval that it contains in golden lettering: "Republic of Honduras, Free, Sovereign and Independent. On
September 15,
1821 ".
Orchid Brassavola Digbiana
The National Anthem of Honduras is a result of a contest carried out in
1904 during the presidency of
Manuel Bonilla. In the end, it was the poet
Augusto C. Coello the one that ended up writing the anthem, with the participation of the German composer Carlos Hartling as the orquestador. The anthem was officially adopted on
November 15,
1915, during the presidency of Alberto Membreño. The anthem is composed of a choir and seven strophes, which report historical events of the country.
The National Flower of the Honduran is the Orchid Brassavola Digbyana, which replaced the Rose in
1969. The change of the National Flower was carried out during the administration of general
Oswaldo López Arellano, thinking that the Orchid Brassavola Digbiana "is an indigenous plant of Honduras; having this flower exceptional characteristics of beauty, vigor and distinction", as the decree dictates it.
Odocoileus Virginianus (White Tail)
The National Tree of Honduras is the
Pine of scientific name:
Pinus hondurensis, which was approved on
February 4,
1927 during the presidency of
Miguel Paz Barahona. Also the use of the tree was regulated, "to avoid the unnecessary destructions caused by choppings or fires of forest."
The National Mammal is the 'Deer White Tail', which was adopted on
June 28,
1993 for the government of Honduras, as measurement to avoid his excessive depredation. The scientific name of the animal is:
Odocoileus virginianus, one of two species of deer that live in Honduras. Its feeding is based on grasses, sheets, etc. The three biggest natural enemies of the White Tail are the
puma, the
jaguar and
man.
The National Bird of Honduras is the
Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao), under a decree established in
1993. This bird, was much valued by the
Mayan and other
civilizations. The Guacamaya as it is called by hondurans and others, belongs to the family of the
Psittacidaeand his feeding consists in: nectar, roots, fruits etc. The bird lives from
Bolivia up to
Mexico where the bird makes use of various zones as its natural habitat. In Honduras the ara macao, can be found particularly in the
Mosquito Coast.
Geography
Relief Map 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
Río Plátano 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 Bahía and the
Swan Islands (all off the north coast) are part of Honduras.
Misteriosa Bank and
Rosario Bank, 130 to 150 km (80-93 miles) north of the Swan Islands, fall within the
EEZ of Honduras.
Economy
Honduras is among the 10 poorest countries in the
Western Hemisphere with GDP per capita at
US$3,100 per year (2006).
[7]
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.
[8] It is estimated that there are more than 1.2 million people who are
unemployed, the rate of unemployment standing at 27.9%. In June of 2007 the exchange rate between United States Dollars and Honduran Lempiras was approximately 1 to 18.89.
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.
[9]
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.
[10]
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 km²) 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
Río Plátano 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.
Infrastructure
Energy
The
electricity sector in Honduras is characterized by the dominance of a vertically integrated utility (except for about half of the
generation capacity) called
ENEE ('' Empresa Nacional de Energía Eléctrica ''); a failed attempt in 1994 to unbundle the sector into separate enterprises in charge of
electricity generation and
distribution; the increasing share of thermal generation over the past two decades; the poor financial health of the state utility
ENEE; the imbalance between relatively high industrial and relatively low residential electricity tariffs; the high technical and commercial losses in transmission and distribution; and the low electric coverage in rural areas.
Key challenges in the sector are:
★ how to finance investments in generation and transmission in the absence of either a financially healthy utility or of concessionary funds by external donors for these types of investments;
★ how to rebalance tariffs, cut arrears and reduce commercial losses - including electricity theft - without fostering social unrest; and
★ how to reconcile environmental concerns with the government's objective to build two new large dams and associated hydropower plants.
★ how to improve access in rural areas.
Water supply and sanitation
Water supply and sanitation in Honduras is characterized by poor service quality, poor efficiency and a fragmentation of sector responsibility and financing despite major sector reforms undertaken in 2003 through a new framework law. Somewhat paradoxically access has improved substantially despite these shortcomings. However, coverage gaps still remain, in particular in rural areas.
Transport
Transportation in Honduras consists of the following infrastructure: 595 km of railways; 15,400 km of highways; 7 ports and harbors; 4 international and 115 smaller airports. Responsibility for policy in the transport sector rests with the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Housing (SOPRTRAVI after its Spanish acronym).
Demographics
Main articles: 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) having more predominantily
Amerindian features with little if any white ancestry, 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 are members of one of the seven recognized indigenous groups. The Confederation of Autochthonous Peoples of Honduras (CONPAH) and the government of Honduras count seven different
indigenous groups, among these the Afro-Caribbean and Garífuna groups which are not Amerindian:
★ the
Ch'orti', a Mayan group living in the northwest 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 Montaña de la Flor and parts of the department of Yoro;
★ the
Lenca Indians living in the Valle and Choluteca departments;
★ the
Miskito Indians living on the northeast coast 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.
[11]
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 the
West Indian islands 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. Garífunas 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.
There is also an East Asian community that is primarily
Chinese descent, and to a lesser extent
Japanese.
Korean,
Ryukyuan,
Filipino and
Vietnamese also make up a small percentage due to their arrival to Honduras as contract laborers in the 1980s and 1990s. There are also an estimated 1000
Sumos (or Mayangnas) that live in Honduras, the majority of whom 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,
Bahá'í,
Rastafari and indigenous denominations and religions exist. Evangelicalism in particular is increasing in popularity.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) claims over 120,000 members in Honduras as of the beginning of 2007 (lds.org newsroom site).
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 a 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
The most renowned Honduran painter is Jose Antonio Velasquez. Other important painters include Carlos Garay, and Roque Zelaya. Two of Honduras' most notable writers are Froylan Turcios and
Ramón Amaya Amador. Others include Marco Antonio Rosa,
Roberto Sosa, Lucila Gamero de Medina,
Eduardo Bähr, Amanda Castro,
Javier Abril Espinoza, and Roberto Quesada. Some of Honduras' notable musicians include Rafael Coello Ramos, Lidia Handal, Victoriano Lopez, Guillermo Anderson, Victor Donaire, 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.
Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga, a
Cardinal and 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
Renán Almendárez Coello, the radio host of ''El Cucuy de la Mañana'' ("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.
Honduran cuisine makes extensive use of coconut, in both sweet and savory foods, and even in soups.
Celebrations
.jpg)
Saw Dust Carpets of Comayagua During the Easter Celebrations
The most popular events are: Honduras Independence Day on
September 15, Children's Day or Dia del Niño, 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. Some neighborhoods have piñatas on the street. Other holidays are
Easter,
Maundy Thursday,
Good Friday,
Christmas, El Dia de
Lempira on
July 20[12], 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, the people reunite with their families and close friends to have dinner, then give out presents at midnight. In some cities fireworks are seen and heard at midnight. On New Year's Eve there is food and "cohetes" or fireworks, also. Birthdays are also great events, and include the famous “piñata” which is filled with candies and surprises for the children invited.
La Feria Isidra is celebrated in La Ceiba in the end of May. A beautiful city located in the coast. It is usually called "The Friendship Carnaval." People from all over the world come for one week of festivities. Every night there is a little carnaval (carnavalito) in a neighborhood. Finally, on Saturday there is a big parade with amazing floats and displays with people from Brazil, New Orleans, Japan, Jamaica, Barbados and many more. This celebration is also accompanied by the Milk Fair, where many Hondurans come to show of their farm products and animals.
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 but has recently been restarted.
Sports
Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in Honduras. Some information on teams, competitions and players is available in the following articles:
★
Honduras' Football Federation
★
Honduras national football team
★
★
★
★
See also
Bibliography
★ ''Adventures in Nature: Honduras''; James D. Gollin
★ ''Don't Be Afraid, Gringo: A Honduran Woman Speaks From The Heart : The Story of Elvia Alvarado''; Medea Benjamin
★ ''Honduras: The Making of a Banana Republic''; Alison Acker
★ ''Honduras: State for Sale''; Richard Lapper, James Painter
★ ''Inside Honduras''; Kent Norsworthy and Tom Berry
★ ''La Mosquitia: A Guide to the Savannas, Rain Forest and Turtle Hunters''; Derek Parent
★ ''Moon Handbooks: Honduras''; Christopher Humphrey
★ ''Reinterpreting the Banana Republic: Region and State in Honduras, 1870-1972''; Dario A. Euraque
★ ''Seven Names for the Bellbird: Conservation Geography in Honduras''; Mark Bonta
★ ''Ulysses Travel Guide: Honduras''; Eric Ilamovitch
★ ''The United States in Honduras, 1980-1981: An Ambassador's Memoir''; Jack R. Binns
★ ''The War of the Dispossessed: Honduras and El Salvador, 1969''; Thomas P. Anderson
Notes
1. http://www.aboututila.com/UtilaInfo/William-Strong/AI-Environmental.htm
2. http://honduras.com/history/
3. Wars of the World: Soccer War 1969
4. "A survivor tells her story" ''baltimoresun.com'', June 15, 1995, retrieved January 8, 2007.
5. http://mitchnts1.cr.usgs.gov/country/honduras.html
6.
Que class=wikiexternal target=_blank>nadie se atreva a intentar romper el orden constitucional
7. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ho.html
8. web.worldbank.org
9. http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/border_security/international_activities/csi/ports_in_csi.xml
10. http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1165520867989.shtm
11. http://www.honduras.com/catracho-forum-old/messages/35625.shtml
12. http://www.marrder.com/htw/jun99/
External links
★
La Prensa - Honduras newspaper
★
El Tiempo - Honduras newspaper
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La Tribuna - Honduras newspaper
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El Heraldo - Honduras newspaper
★
Rural poverty in Honduras (
IFAD)
★
Comisión Nacional de Bancos y Seguros
★
Secretaria de Cultura, Artes y Deportes - Portal de Secretaria de Cultura, Artes y Deportes.
★
Portal Gubernamental - Government portal
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Information about Honduran wildlife
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Honduras This Week Wikipedia article is
Honduras This Week
★
Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports regarding Honduras
★
La Ceiba Botanical Garden photos
★
Honduras Scuba Diving photos
★
HRN la voz De Honduras Honduras Radio Station
★
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