Honduras is a country in North America, known for the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef and Mayan ruins. It has a population of over 11 million, making it the 87th largest country in the world. Its capital is Tegucigalpa. Honduras has a developing economy with strong agricultural exports.
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Honduras is located in Central America where it’s bordered by Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, the Gulf of Honduras, and the Gulf of Fonseca. Honduras was called Spanish Honduras for many years to differentiate it from British Honduras, which later became Belize. Honduras gained independence from Spain in 1821 and has remained independent since.
The vast majority of the population of Honduras consider themselves to be white or Mestizo. About 90% of the population is Mestizo (mixed European and Amerindian ancestry). In addition, 7% are of American Indian descent while 2% declare themselves to be black.
Most Honduras expatriates are in the United States. It’s estimated that 800,000 to 1 million Hondurans are in the U.S., or almost 15% of the country’s domestic population.
While most Hondurans are Roman Catholic, the number of people who are members of the Roman Catholic Church has been declining for years while membership in several Protestant churches has increased. A 2008 poll found that 51% of Hondurans are Catholic while 36% are Protestant. About 11% do not have a religious affiliation while 1% claim another religion, such as Buddhism or Islam.
Nearly three-fifths of Hondurans live in poverty, contributing largely to the country’s status as low-middle income, although things have been on the upswing since the end of the 2008 global economic crisis. Rural areas have been disproportionately affected by poverty, and efforts are being made to diversify how these people can earn a living. The likelihood of extreme weather in the area has contributed to volatile conditions in the agricultural sector, which is the largest industry in the country, making up 14% of the national GDP and 22% of exports. Coffee and bananas are the most common agricultural goods.
Christopher Columbus landed in Honduras and had Spain settle the area in the early 1500s. 300 years later, Honduras gained independence from Spain, but became a part of Mexico. Leading up to 1970 there was a significant influx of immigrants from El Salvador, which led to a a short war which was high in fatalities. The growth rate in Honduras hit a peak around 1978 when Colonel Juan Alberto Melgar Castro took power, and the rate of increase has been slowly declining since.