Honduras, a beautiful Central American Country along the Caribbean Sea coastlines located to its north and the Pacific Ocean to its south is a republic, sharing borders with Guatemala.The word Honduras means ‘depth’ in Spanish. There have been various theories about the name and why this name was chosen.There are a lot of interesting facts about Honduras just like this, and we will explore them in this article. More specifically, we will focus on 10 interesting facts about Honduras and discuss them in detail.Once home to ancient Mesoamerican cultures, the Republic of Honduras now is heavily influenced by Spanish culture due to colonization in the sixteenth century. Christopher Colombus found Honduras while on his fourth voyage to the New World. He reached the town of Trujillo becoming the first European to reach the Bay Islands in 1502. It is claimed that it was Christopher Colombus who named the region Honduras for it is surrounded by deep waters. Post Independence, Central America became part of the first Mexican Empire in 1821, which later ultimately fell apart in 1823, and Honduras became an Independent Nation.Brief History of Honduras: prior to colonization, Honduras was home to several ancient and indigenous cultures and tribes, and was divided into two parts: the East was called Honduras and the West was called Higueras. It was occupied by the Spanish in 1524, who then introduced Roman Catholic culture and established Roman Catholic Churches. As per 2013, about 47% of Honduras’ population is Catholic. In the Pre-columbian era, Honduras has also divided into two cultural regions: the Mesoamericans and the Isthmo- Colombian Area.The Lenca’s lived in the interior portion of Honduras while the Maya Civilisation was primarily settled in the extreme western portions. One of the most explored archaeological sites of the Maya World was the Copan, which is also declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The best place to learn about Maya history is the Copan ruins, as it was the most populated region of this civilization, making it one of the most significant sites of Mayan Civilization.Another interesting Honduras fact is that famous British Honduras is the better-known name for the settlement of Belize in the Bay of Honduras. It was declared as a British crown colony on the east coast of Central America and hence named British Honduras in 1862. However, in 1981, Belize secured full independence and is now not even a part of Honduras. The two countries do not even share a border.One of the most praiseworthy laws in Honduras is the ban on smoking. While a lot of countries have banned smoking in public places, Honduras is the first country to ban smoking in one’s house as well. There is no ban on smoking per se, but if someone living in your house complains about it or about secondhand smoke affecting them, then a fine is charged.The average life expectancy in Honduras is around 74 years. Cerro Las Minas is the highest mountain in Honduras. After reading these interesting Honduras facts, also check Are there cacti in Africa and American freedom symbols.Kind Of Music Do Honduras Listen ToIn Honduras, you will find the influence of a lot of ‘Caribbean music’ Honduran Music is mainly focused around the ‘Punta’ genre while others like Reggae, Caribbean salsa, Bachata Merengue, Paranda also form part of its musical heritage.It is interesting to know these facts about Honduras because they give an insight into the life and culture of this country.The Cultural impact of things can also be seen in how seriously the Hondurans take football. An epic and tragic event to showcase this was the 100-hour war, also known as the football war that broke out between El Salvador and Honduras in 1969.Honduras In PovertyHonduras has had a long and troubled history, faced many political corruptions and wars. This not only led to economic poverty in the early days when war was still going on but has kept Honduras stuck in poverty.Even today the number of upheavals taking place in Honduras are a primary reason why not a lot of people want to visit this beautiful coastal region. The slow development coupled with lack of tourism is affecting job opportunities and keeping Honduras from becoming an economically developed nation.The Poverty Rate In HondurasAccording to the World Bank, Honduras is a low-middle income nation. As of 2016, about 66% of the population was below the poverty line.This percentage increased from 50% in 2010; showing the growing state of poverty in the country. Honduras has one of the lowest per capita incomes in North America at 600 Dollars, making it one of the poorest countries in the world. Despite economic growth maintaining a steady 7% growth per year, very little development has been seen in Honduras.Because of this crushing state of poverty, Honduras was also nicknamed the Banana Republic. The term banana republic was coined in 1904 by American author O. Henry when he used it to describe Honduras as a politically unstable country with its economy depending on exports of limited resources.Facts About Honduras RainforestThe Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve, located in eastern Honduras has been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.This is because the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve is home to some of the largest tracts of old rainforest growth still remaining in the Mosquitia region, which consists of some of the largest rainforest reserves in Latin America. The Mosquitia Region is located at the border shared by Honduras and Nicaragua.Another interesting fact about Honduras is that it is a paradise for bird-watchers. It is home to 700 bird species including some of the most unique and beautiful birds, evident from the fact that the national bird of Honduras is a Scarlet Macaw. Distinctively renowned for its red, blue, and yellow feathers, this bird has announced as the national bird of Honduras in 1933.Home to some of the most beautiful flowers, Honduras has a history regarding its national flower as well. Up until 1969, the Rose was the National flower of Honduras. However, it was suggested that this flower should be replaced by something more native to the country. Hence, the Rhyncholaelia Digbyana replaced rose as the national flower of Honduras.A very unique fact about Honduras is that there is an annual occurring in the Yoro region between May and July where it is said to be ‘Rain Fish’. This annual phenomenon of fish falling from the sky is also known as ‘Lluvia de peces’. Perhaps this is the first country and the only country in the world to experience something like this.The Yucatan White Tailed Deer is the national mammal of Honduras. There are some 38 species of white tailed Deer residing in Central North America. The white-tailed deer is a common site in North America, males of the species commonly known as the ‘Buck.‘Facts About Roatan HondurasThe Roatan Honduras forms part of the Honduras Bay Islands. The Roatan is a Caribbean Sea island and the biggest of the Honduras Bay Islands. It stretches over 40 mi (64.4 km) and is located between the Islands of Utila and Guanaja.The Roatan is also more significant because the capital of the Bay Islands Department, Coxen Hole, is a part of Roatan.The Bay Islands is one of the 18 departments that collectively form Honduras. It is a group of eight islands, separated into three groups: The Swan Islands (located towards the northern parts); The Cayos Cochinos (located towards the south); and the Islas de la Bahia with Utila, Guanaja, and Roatan as the main islands). The Bay Islands were discovered by the British, who organized several islands under their rule and gave them their name.Another interesting fact is that the Roatan is very significant for eco-tourism, owing to its location. The Island is situated on one of the most ancient exposed coral reefs. It is also geographically close to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef which is the largest coral reef in the Caribbean and the second largest worldwide. The presence of these beautiful coral reefs attracts tourists to visit this island and allows for some great cruise and scuba experiences.Facts About The Honduras FlagThe Honduran flag is made up of three equal stripes. Two blue stripes at the top and bottom and one white stripe in the middle with five blue stars.The blue stripes represent the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, which are of great significance as they form Honduras’ coastlines. The white stripe in the middle represents the land between the water bodies; and the five stars represent Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Guatemala, the original five countries that formed Central America.Fun Facts About Tegucigalpa HondurasTegucigalpa is the capital city of Honduras. It is also the largest city in the country. It was founded by the Spaniards in 1578 and became the capital city in 1880, 59 years after Honduras claimed its independence from the Spanish.Before Tegucigalpa, Comayaguela (also referred to as Tegucigalpa’s twin sister) was the capital city of Honduras. It is now also one of the most densely populated urban areas in Honduras.When this Spanish occupation began, one of the key members to fight the Spaniards the longest was Lempira. He died fighting them, and thus, to honor him, the Honduran currency was named Lempira.Tegucigalpa is also close to a lot of major gold and silver mines in Honduras. The Rosario Mining Company, which was the biggest mining endeavor, was situated in the town of San Juancito, located not very far from Tegucigalpa.Read along to find some interesting facts. Honduras translates to a republic of Honduras in Central America, which belongs under the Maya history today. On July 30, 1502, Christopher Columbus discovered Honduran soil and claimed the territory in the name of his sovereigns. Christopher Columbus named the area ‘Honduras’ (meaning ‘depths’) for the deep water off the coast.San Pedro Sula is the capital of Cortés Department, Honduras. Honduras continues to be a food priority country since under the rule of Honduran President Ricardo Maduro. Honduras has the Caribbean coast as well as a Pacific coastline, with El Salvador to the southern coast of South America. Honduran Sign Language is the dominant sign language used in Honduras. Honduras joined the United Nations in 1945.Honduras has a roman catholic church, the second largest barrier reef, green palm pit viper, the second largest coral reef, and a huge live fish called the whale shark, the world’s largest fish in the water. In 1918 Honduras declared war on Germany during the second world war but took no active part in World War I.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 10 interesting facts about Honduras then why not take a look at American revolution facts, or why do Americans drive on the right?
Honduras, a beautiful Central American Country along the Caribbean Sea coastlines located to its north and the Pacific Ocean to its south is a republic, sharing borders with Guatemala.
