Honduras was home to several important Mesoamerican cultures, most notably the Maya, before 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. Honduras has a Human Development Index of 0.624, ranking 138th in the world. In 2022, according to the National Institute of Statistics of Honduras (INE), 73% of the country's population lived in poverty and 53% lived in extreme poverty. The lower class is primarily agriculturally based while wealth is concentrated in the country's urban centers. The country is one of the most economically unequal in Latin America. (Full article...)
Image 12After the 2009 coup d'état, the military presence in the streets began to be more common. (from History of Honduras)
Image 13The Central American peace conference in 1907. (from History of Honduras)
Image 14Mayan 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 15Diablos Negros, is a Honduran hard Rock band active since the 1980s. (from Culture of Honduras)
Image 33Train 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 34European pirates, especially British, French, and Dutch attacked Honduran towns during the colonial era.
Image 49The 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 50In 1986 Honduras bombed two Nicaraguan towns. (from History of Honduras)
Image 70The 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 71Central Park in San Pedro Sula, where several cultural events take place throughout the year. (from Culture of Honduras)
Image 72Coat of Arms of Trujillo, one of the oldest towns founded by the Spanish in Honduras.
Image 73Oldest train still preserved in Honduras. (from History of Honduras)
Image 76First 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)