2. HISTORY
Columbus first set foot on the American mainland in Trujillo in
1502
Named the region Honduras (meaning great depth) for the deep
water off the coast.
The Spaniards soon moved into the cooler highlands and were
constantly battling with native tribes, including Chief Lemira's army
of 30,000, who almost drove the Spanish out of the region until he
was murdered while attending peace talks in 1537.
Comayagua (co-my-a-gwa) was declared the Spanish colonial
capital a year later.
When gold and silver was discovered around Tegucigalpa in 1570,
British and Dutch ships began attacking treasure galleons headed
out of Trujillo.
Pirates settled the Caribbean coast and looted and burned Trujillo
in 1643.
3. HISTORY (cont)
The British established a protectorate along the
Caribbean coasts, ostensibly to keep the area free of
pirates and protect the native Miskito tribes; but
British fortunes were made from the mahogany
forests of the region.
Honduras broke free from Spain in 1821 and first
became part of an independent Mexico.
The Honduran Republic was established in 1838,
and the British relinquished the Caribbean coastal
region in 1859.
4. GEOGRAPHY/ENVIRONMENT
Honduras is located in Central America, bordering the
Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and
bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean),
between El Salvador and Nicaragua
Terrain mostly mountains in interior and narrow coastal
plains.
Natural hazards include: frequent but mild earthquakes
and extremely high cases of hurricanes and floods along
the Caribbean coast
Has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean
shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern
Mosquito Coast
5. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Urban population expanding
Deforestation results from logging and the clearing
of land for agricultural purposes
Further land degradation and soil erosion hastened
by uncontrolled development and improper land use
practices such as farming of marginal lands
Mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the
country's largest source of fresh water), as well as
several rivers and streams, with heavy metals
7. POLITICAL HISTORY
Honduran has had several military coups, rebellions,
dictatorships, and chess-game politics ever since independence
from Spain.
Banana power ruled until the 1960s.
1969 Football War
Guerrilla warfare surrounds Honduras in the 1980s
Rafael Callejas becomes president of Honduras in 1990; refuses
to continue a treaty with the United States allowing Honduras to
be used as a military base, and the Contras left the country.
Without U.S. monetary and political support, most of Honduras'
international trade shifted to countries in the European Union.
Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales becomes President Jan. 27, 2006
8. US/THEM (2009)
HONDURAS
CANADA
Population: 7,792,854
Population: 33,487,208
Life expectancy at birth:
Life expectancy at birth:
-total population: 69.4 years
-total population: 81.23years
-male: 67.86 years
-male: 78.69 years
-female: 71.02 years
-female: 83.91 years
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.7%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.4%
- people living with HIV/AIDS:
- people living with HIV/AIDS:
28 000 (2007)
73,000 (2007)
-HIV/AIDS - deaths:
-HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1900 (2007)
fewer than 500 (2007)
Government: democratic constitutional republic
Government: constitutional monarchy that is
Capital City: Tegucigalpa, pop: aprox 1,324,000
also a parliamentary democracy and a federation
Flag description:
Capital City: Ottawa, pop: aprox 812 000
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue
Flag description:
with five blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern
two vertical bands of red,with white square centered in the white band; the stars represent the
between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is members of the former Federal Republic of Central
centered in the white square America - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras,
and Nicaragua
11. Did You Know??
Coastal lowlands are hot and humid with temperatures averaging from
30-38C
Belize (British Honduras) is 75kms away across the Bay of Honduras
Legal age is 18
Independence Day: September 15, 1821
Honduras was devestated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998
*winds up to 290km/hr *Honduras: 7000 dead, 8300 missing
*25” of rain in the first 36 hrs, additional 10” in 6 hrs between Oct 29-31
National Currency is Lempira 15 L= $1 CDN
12. Did You Know??
Crime is one of Honduras’ major concern; street crimes including purse
snatching, pickpocketing, assault and arm robberies are on the rise.
Carjackings, kidnappings, muggings and sexual assaults are not
uncommon.
Poverty, gangs, low apprehension and conviction rates of criminals
contribute to a high crime rate. Many men in Honduras carry
firearms and machetes, and disputes are sometimes settled with
violence.
There are problems with the judicial system including an acute shortage
of trained personnel, equipment, staff, financial resources and
reports of corruption
Unmarked mine fields are located on both sides of the Honduras-
Nicaragua border and in the area near the Atlantic Coast.
Landslides and floods resulting from Hurricane Mitch have scattered
many of the remaining mines, making the border area unsafe.
13. IT IS RECOMMENDED...
That you do not approach children or women since many people in
Honduras fear that children are being kidnapped for adoption or for
theft of vital organs!!
That you prepare your routes before setting out and avoid studying
your map in the street as you will be broadcasting the fact that you
don’t know where you are.
That you avoid clothing that declares your nationality or political
beliefs
You carry money in small denominations at all times, so you have
change for the taxi bill and don’t need a large note where you may not
receive change.
That you do not take photographs of government or military
installations, and antiques purchases are frequent cause of detention by
local authorities.
14. BIBLIOGRAPHY
INFORMATION:
The World Fact Book Honduras-
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ho.html
The World Fact Book Canada-
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ca.html
Travax En Compass-
http://www.travax.com/reportgen/report.asp
Country of Honduras tourist board
www.honduras.com
Online Information Guide to Honduras; Metrotel Express, Tegucigalpa, history of Honduras
http://www.honduras-information.hotelhonduras.com/Tegucigalpa.html
http://www.honduras-information.hotelhonduras.com/Honduras-History.htm
PICTURES:
South American Experience
http://www.southamericanexperience.co.uk/honduras/honduras_roatan.html
Destination 360
http://www.destination360.com/central-america/honduras/airlines-to-honduras.php
BBC World Service
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/specials/1535_City_Secrets3/page5.html